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12-13-05, 01:38 PM

This again is from uboat.net, this time about U 110! (Better luck next time, Spaxspore!)

U-110
Type IXB

Laid down 1 Feb, 1940 AG Weser, Bremen
Commissioned 21 Nov, 1940 Kptlt. Fritz-Julius Lemp
Commanders
21 Nov, 1940 - 9 May, 1941 Kptlt. Fritz-Julius Lemp (Knights Cross)
Career 2 patrols 21 Nov, 1940 - 28 Feb, 1941 2. Flottille (training)
1 Mar, 1941 - 9 May, 1941 2. Flottille (front boat)
Successes 3 ships sunk for a total of 10.149 GRT
2 ships damaged for a total of 8.675 GRT
Fate Captured on 9 May, 1941 in the North Atlantic south of Iceland by the destroyers HMS Bulldog, HMS Broadway and the British corvette HMS Aubretia. The boat was allowed to sink the day after to preserve the secret capture. 15 dead and 32 survivors.

"The Secret Capture"

U-110 met its end on May 9, 1941 when it was captured . This is what most people view as the most important capture of the entire war and it was so secret that even the crew of U-110 did not know of it! U-110, under the command of Kptlt. Fritz Julius Lemp, had been attacking a convoy along with U-201 (Oblt. Adalbert Schnee) when Lemp left his periscope up too long (probably to confirm a kill, he sank two ships on that day amounting to 7500 GRT) and the escort HMS Aubretia spotted it and rushed to the scene dropping depth charges.

U-110 survived the first attacks but then HMS Bulldog and HMS Broadway came and joined in the hunt. U-110 was forced to surface and HMS Bulldog immediately went onto ramming course (its commander realized at the very last moment that a capture might come off and tried to avoid hitting U-110 which he almost did) which Lemp noticed and ordered "Abandon Ship". Lemp figured that since the boat was going to be rammed (and presumably sunk) its secrets were safe within it. Only when he was in the water did he realize that the boat was not sinking and attempted to swim back and prevent capture and that was the last seen of him. Many say he was shot in the water by a British sailor but that may not be at all true.

The British made several journeys between U-110 and HMS Bulldog to collect whatever they could get their hands on inside the boat. This must have been a real treat as U-110 was abandoned in a hurry and being a IXB class she did not sink as rapidly as VIIC would likely have done. It is very likely that numerous U-boats were sunk using the material found inside U-110.

The day after the boat was captured someone realized that the allies already had the most important part of U-110, namely the secret documents and Enigma machine and that the Germans might find out that the British had the boat soon and, assuming the worst, change all codes and cipher system. The boat thus "accidentally" sank when being towed to Britain. 15 men were killed in the action and 32 captured. Lemp himself did not survive as noted above.

Men lost from the boat:
23 Mar, 1941
U-110´s 105mm deck gun exploded during firing wounding 3 men.

12-13-05, 01:38 PM	#9
CV-707 Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	This again is from uboat.net, this time about U 110! (Better luck next time, Spaxspore!) U-110 Type IXB Laid down 1 Feb, 1940 AG Weser, Bremen Commissioned 21 Nov, 1940 Kptlt. Fritz-Julius Lemp Commanders 21 Nov, 1940 - 9 May, 1941 Kptlt. Fritz-Julius Lemp (Knights Cross) Career 2 patrols 21 Nov, 1940 - 28 Feb, 1941 2. Flottille (training) 1 Mar, 1941 - 9 May, 1941 2. Flottille (front boat) Successes 3 ships sunk for a total of 10.149 GRT 2 ships damaged for a total of 8.675 GRT Fate Captured on 9 May, 1941 in the North Atlantic south of Iceland by the destroyers HMS Bulldog, HMS Broadway and the British corvette HMS Aubretia. The boat was allowed to sink the day after to preserve the secret capture. 15 dead and 32 survivors. "The Secret Capture" U-110 met its end on May 9, 1941 when it was captured . This is what most people view as the most important capture of the entire war and it was so secret that even the crew of U-110 did not know of it! U-110, under the command of Kptlt. Fritz Julius Lemp, had been attacking a convoy along with U-201 (Oblt. Adalbert Schnee) when Lemp left his periscope up too long (probably to confirm a kill, he sank two ships on that day amounting to 7500 GRT) and the escort HMS Aubretia spotted it and rushed to the scene dropping depth charges. U-110 survived the first attacks but then HMS Bulldog and HMS Broadway came and joined in the hunt. U-110 was forced to surface and HMS Bulldog immediately went onto ramming course (its commander realized at the very last moment that a capture might come off and tried to avoid hitting U-110 which he almost did) which Lemp noticed and ordered "Abandon Ship". Lemp figured that since the boat was going to be rammed (and presumably sunk) its secrets were safe within it. Only when he was in the water did he realize that the boat was not sinking and attempted to swim back and prevent capture and that was the last seen of him. Many say he was shot in the water by a British sailor but that may not be at all true. The British made several journeys between U-110 and HMS Bulldog to collect whatever they could get their hands on inside the boat. This must have been a real treat as U-110 was abandoned in a hurry and being a IXB class she did not sink as rapidly as VIIC would likely have done. It is very likely that numerous U-boats were sunk using the material found inside U-110. The day after the boat was captured someone realized that the allies already had the most important part of U-110, namely the secret documents and Enigma machine and that the Germans might find out that the British had the boat soon and, assuming the worst, change all codes and cipher system. The boat thus "accidentally" sank when being towed to Britain. 15 men were killed in the action and 32 captured. Lemp himself did not survive as noted above. Men lost from the boat: 23 Mar, 1941 U-110´s 105mm deck gun exploded during firing wounding 3 men.