German submarine U-585

German submarine U-585 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out four patrols, but sank no ships. She was a member of one wolfpack.

The boat was sunk by a drifting German mine in the Barents Sea on 30 March 1942.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-585 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie 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 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-585 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 a 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
The submarine was laid down on 1 October 1940 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 561, launched on 9 July 1941 and commissioned on 28 August under the command of Kapitänleutnant Ernst-Bernward Lohse.

She served with the 6th U-boat Flotilla from 28 August 1941 for training and stayed with that organization for operations until her loss, from 1 December 1941 until 30 March 1942.

First patrol
U-585's first patrol was preceded by a trip to Trondheim then Neidenfjord [west northwest of Murmansk], both in Norway over Christmas and New Year's Eve 1941–42. The patrol itself started in Neidenfjord on 15 January 1942 and finished in Kirkenes on the 21st.

Second patrol
Her second foray was notable for the loss overboard of Fahnrich zur See [midshipman] Eberhard Vollmer on 5 February 1942 in the southern Barents Sea.

Third patrol
The boat was attacked with depth charges by three enemy ships northeast of Kirkenes on 24 March 1942. The damage to the forward torpedo tubes was serious enough to require the submarine to return to her base.

Fourth patrol and loss
While in Varanfjord, the Soviet submarine M-171 fired both of her torpedoes at an unknown, but outbound U-boat. This can only have been U-585, although she did not report any attack.

She was sunk on 30 March 1942 by a German mine that had drifted from the 'Bantos-A' barrage.

Forty-four men died with U-585; there were no survivors.

Previously recorded fate
U-585 was sunk on 29 March 1942 by the British destroyer HMS Fury (H76). It was later ascertained that this attack was against GS U-378 and caused no damage.

The boat was also claimed to be sunk by the Soviet destroyer Gremyashiy on 30 March 1942. This attack was against GS U-435 and was also inconclusive.