German submarine U-51 (1938)

German submarine U-51 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. She was ordered on 21 November 1936 and laid down on 26 February 1937 in Kiel. She was launched on 11 June 1938 and commissioned on 6 August 1938.

During her service in the Kriegsmarine, U-51 conducted four war patrols and sank five enemy vessels for a loss of and one auxiliary warship of. She was a member of one wolfpack.

She was sunk on 20 August 1940 in the Bay of Biscay by a torpedo from a British submarine.

Design
German Type VIIB submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIA submarines. U-51 had a displacement of 753 t when at the surface and 857 t while submerged. She had a total length of 66.50 m, a pressure hull length of 48.80 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.50 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two MAN M 6 V 40/46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.9 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 8 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 90 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8700 nmi at 10 kn. U-51 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm anti-aircraft gun The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
U-51 was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 21 November 1936 (as part of Plan Z and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles). She was laid down on 15 September 1938 by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft AG, in Kiel as yard number 586. U-51 was launched on 11 June 1938 and commissioned on 6 August of that same year under the command of Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Ernst-Günther Heinicke.

After being commissioned and deployed, U-51 was stationed in the German port of Kiel. This city was to be her home for the rest of her brief career.

During her service with the Kriegsmarine, she took part in four combat patrols. She joined the 7th U-boat Flotilla on 6 August 1938. She was to remain a part of this flotilla until her loss.

First patrol
The first of U-51's four patrols began on 17 January 1940 when she left Kiel and crossed the North Sea. She negotiated the 'gap' between the Orkney and Shetland Islands and claimed her first success 45 nmi west of Rockall when she sank the Gothia on 22 January. Moving south down the west coast of Ireland, she encountered the Eika west of the Scilly Isles on the 29th and sent her to the bottom. After sailing between the Scottish islands once more, but in the opposite direction, the boat docked at Wilhelmshaven on 8 February after 23 days at sea.

Second patrol
The main incident of note on the submarine's second sortie was when the French submarine FRENCH SUBMARINE Orphée launched two torpedoes at her in the North Sea at 57°N, 5°W on 21 April 1940. They missed. The rest of the patrol was carried out parallel to the Norwegian coast.

Third patrol
For her third foray, the boat entered the Atlantic after passing between the Faroe and Shetland Islands. Having left Kiel on 6 June 1940, she sank the Saranc on the 26th about 270 nmi west southwest of Lands End. U-51 went on to sink the Q-ship HMS Edgehill on the 29th. This ship, used as a decoy, was formidably armed with nine 4-inch guns and four torpedo tubes. Her ballast was given extra buoyancy which meant three 'eels' (U-boat slang for torpedoes), were needed to dispose of the vessel, which still took over an hour to sink.

Fourth patrol
The boat departed Kiel on 9 August 1940. She sank the Sylviafield about 190 nmi west northwest of Rockall. There were 36 survivors, of which 20 were picked up by the Belgian trawler Rubens and landed at Fleetwood on the English west coast. The remainder were recovered by another trawler which was under British Admiralty control and named HMS Newland. Her human cargo was discharged at Tobermory, Isle of Mull.

Fate
U-51 was sunk by a torpedo from the British submarine HMS Cachalot (N83) in the Bay of Biscay on 28 August 1940. Forty-three men died; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks
U-51 took part in one wolfpack, namely:
 * Prien (12 – 17 June 1940)

Summary of raiding history
During her service, U-51 sank five merchant ships for a loss of and one auxiliary warship of.

In fiction
The fourth U-boat in the film The Navy Comes Through has the number U-51.