Endrass was a "
wolfpack" of German
U-boat
U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...
s that operated from 12 to 17 June 1942 in attacking
Convoy HG 84
HG 84 was an Allied convoy of the HG (Homeward from Gibraltar) series during World War II.
Background
Following the U-boat Arm's defeat whilst attacking convoy HG 76, ''Befehlshaber der U-Boote'' (BdU), the U-boat high command, had temporar ...
that comprised 23 Allied ships. The group's name commemorated the U-boat commander
Engelbert Endrass
Engelbert Endrass (german: Engelbert Endraß) (2 March 1911 – 21 December 1941) was a German U-boat commander in World War II. He commanded the and the , being credited with sinking 22 ships on ten patrols, for a total of of Allied shipping, ...
, who was killed in action in December 1941.
U-boats, commanders and dates
* , Walter Flachsenberg, 12–16 June
* , Horst Uphoff, 12–17 June
* , Dietrich Lohmann, 12–17 June
* ,
Ernst Vogelsang, 12–17 June
* , Rudolf Schendel, 12–17 June
* , Werner-Karl Schulz, 12–17 June
* ,
Erich Topp, 12–17 June
* ,
Helmut Möhlmann, 12–17 June
* ,
Günther Heydemann
Günther Heydemann (11 January 1914 – 2 January 1986) was a German U-boat commander in the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany in World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Prior to taking command of , Heydemann made t ...
, 12–17 June
Ships hit by this Wolfpack
Five ships of
Convoy HG 84
HG 84 was an Allied convoy of the HG (Homeward from Gibraltar) series during World War II.
Background
Following the U-boat Arm's defeat whilst attacking convoy HG 76, ''Befehlshaber der U-Boote'' (BdU), the U-boat high command, had temporar ...
, assembled at
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
for passage to
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
, were sunk, all by the U-boat ''U-552'' in the early hours of 15 June.
Etrib, Pelayo & Slemdal
The first attack came at 00:59, about west of
Corunna,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, when ''U-552'' fired torpedoes at the convoy and hit and sank the 1,943-ton British merchant ship ''Etrib'', the 1,346-ton British merchant ship ''Pelayo'', and the 7,374-ton Norwegian
tanker ''Slemdal''.
''City of Oxford'' and ''Thurso''
''U-552'' struck again at 04:34, firing three torpedoes at the convoy. Two British merchant ships, the 2,759-ton and the 2,436-ton
were hit and sunk.
References
;Notes
Wolfpacks of 1942
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