U-642 First active patrol report

[CARL]

U-642

Type VIIC Submarine

Construction yard - Blohm und Voss, Hamburg.
Keel laid - 19.11.1941
Launched - 6.8.1942

Commander - KL Herbert Brunning

FIRST SAILING - ACTIVE PATROL

20th February 1943, 1st Patrol - left Kiel under the command of KL Herbert Brunning.

8th March 1943, sank the British 2,125 ton steam freighter Leadgate, sailing with convoy SC-121, in square AK3857. The Leadgate was carrying 2,700 tons of flour, and was due to arrive in Liverpool on the 14th March 1943. The 30 crew were reported all lost.

11th March 1943, came under attack from unidentified aircraft in square AL26. No damage reported.

18th March 1943, 1910 HRS - came under attack from an aircraft of RAF Squadron 120 in square AL47. No damage reported.

19th March 1943, 0908 HRS - came under attack from an aircraft of RAF Squadron 120 in square AL47. No damage reported.

20th March 1943, 0030 HRS - came under attack from an aircraft of RAF Squadron 120 in square AL58. No damage reported.

8th April 1943, arrived at St.Nazaire after more than six weeks at sea.

Further patrols were carried out between May 1943 and January 1944, without serious recognition.

U-642 was eventually sunk by US bombs in the Mediterrainean, near Toulon, France on 5th July, 1944.

Images below show her commander, Kptlt.Herbert Brunning, the boat departing on a patrol, and the boat after the US bombing raid.

Regards,

Carl

[Mark K]

Interesting post Carl the center photo of the Uboat was it in a lock or dry dock during the air raid.

Regards Mark K

[CARL]

Thanks Mark, glad that you found it interesting. Regarding the final position of the boat, I think that is a good question. As far as I have been able to find out, it seems that the boat was lost near Toulon, i.e. at sea. However, the same source shows the above photograph. Another site listed the boat as being sunk "in the Mediterrainean". I'll let you know if I can find any further information.

Regards,

Carl

p.s. Type VIIC Boat plan attached.

[António Fragoeiro]

Very nice post, the center photo is fantastic.
Cheers
Nuno

[António Fragoeiro]

Here`s a photo i took last year.
You can see the Blohm und Voss shipyard on the right, where the u-642 was built.
Hope im not hijacking your thread Carl.
Cheers.
Nuno

[CARL]

Here`s a photo i took last year.
You can see the Blohm und Voss shipyard on the right, where the u-642 was built.
Hope im not hijacking your thread Carl.
Cheers.
Nuno

Not at all Nuno! Thanks for posting the picture, interesting to see the yards as they are today.

Cheers,

Carl

[Mark K]

Thanks Carl if you can find out any other details that would be awsome .

Regards Mark K

[spectre68]

May be a bit off topic, but if they were ever to make a movie about this boat then actor John Turturro would have to be cast as Kptlt.Herbert Brunning. Take a look.

[drmessimer]

Carl: According to Erich Gröner, Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe, 1815-1945, p.. 398, U-642 was destroyed in Toulon during a US air raid on 5 July 1944. The photograph you provided clearly shows her in a dry dock and the registered position, 43.07N/5.55E puts her in Toulon. That's interesting stuff you have. I'm envious. Dwight

[CARL]

Carl: According to Erich Gröner, Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe, 1815-1945, p.. 398, U-642 was destroyed in Toulon during a US air raid on 5 July 1944. The photograph you provided clearly shows her in a dry dock and the registered position, 43.07N/5.55E puts her in Toulon. That's interesting stuff you have. I'm envious. Dwight

Unfortunately Dwight, I am not the owner of the photograph. Having read about U-642, I browsed the internet a little to find one or two images, as I thought that they would flavour the thread, especially when I found such a photograph as the one that you refer to. The information that you posted is similar to what I found, i.e. the position, and the U.S. air raid. I can't seem to find out any more information though, which is a pity...

Regards,

Carl