Unterseeboot 32 (1937)

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Career (Nazi Germany)

Name:	U-32
Ordered:	April 1, 1935
Builder:	AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number:	913
Laid down:	March 15, 1936
Launched:	February 25, 1937
Commissioned:	April 15, 1937
Fate:	Sunk October 30, 1940 north-west of Ireland. 9 dead and 33 survivors.
General characteristics
Type:	VIIA

Service record
Part of	Kriegsmarine 2. Unterseebootsflottille
Identification codes	M 00 459
Commanders	Werner Lott Paul Büchel Hans Jenisch
Operations	9 patrols
Victories	20 ships sunk for a total of 116.836 gross register tons (GRT) 4 ships damaged for a total of 32.274 GRT 1 warship damaged for a total of 8.000 tons

Unterseeboot 32 (also known as U-32) was a Type VIIA U-boat (submarine) of the Kriegsmarine.

Her keel was laid down March 15, 1936 by AG Weser of Bremen. She was launched on February 25, 1937 and commissioned on April 15, 1937 with Kapitänleutnant Werner Lott in command. On August 15, 1937 Lott was relieved by Paul Büchel, and on February 12, 1940 Oberleutnant zur See Hans Jenisch took over and commanded the boat until her loss.

U-32 conducted nine patrols, sinking 20 ships totalling of 116,836 tons, and damaging five more totalling 40,274 tons. On October 28, 1940 U-32, under the command of Hans Jenisch, sank the 42,348-ton liner SS Empress of Britain II, which had been previously damaged by German bombs. Empress was the largest ship sunk by a U-boat.

[edit] Fate

On 30 October 1940, U-32 was sunk northwest of Ireland, in position 55°37′N, 12°19′W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Harvester and HMS Highlander. Nine of her crew died, 33 survived and were taken prisoner, including Jenisch, who spent six and a half years in British captivity before returning to Germany in June 1947.