German submarine U-93 (1940)

German submarine U-93 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 9 September 1939 at the F. Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel as yard number 598, launched on 8 June 1940 and commissioned on 30 July 1940 under Kapitänleutnant Claus Korth.

She sank eight ships of in seven patrols but was herself sunk by a British destroyer on 15 January 1942.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-93 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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-93 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 boat's first patrol was preceded by a trip from Kiel to Kristiansand in Norway.

First patrol
She left the Norwegian port on 9 September 1940, heading for St. Nazaire in France which she reached, via the North Sea and the gap between the Faroe and Shetland Islands, on 25 October.

On the way, she sank the Hurunui on the 15th, 120 nmi west of the Butt of Lewis, (the most northerly point of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides). Two crew members died, but there were 73 survivors. She was also attacked three times in one day (17 October), twice by ships and once by an aircraft; no damage was caused. She sank the Dokka south of Iceland on the 17th: The survivors were then questioned by the Germans (a fairly common practice). They said that the sunken ship was the Cukna, but Korth saw through this ruse de guerre. U-93 was forced to dive by the presence and gunfire of HMS Folkestone (L22).

After that, the boat headed for mid-ocean before docking at her French Atlantic base.

Second, third and fourth patrols
U-93's second voyage was uneventful, but during her third sortie she sank the Dione II with gunfire, northwest of Northern Ireland. She was also attacked by an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley of No. 502 Squadron RAF. The damage was such that the boat required repairs lasting three months.

The submarine's fourth patrol, which commenced on 12 July 1941, was disrupted when three men were wounded in an accident involving a machine gun. Nevertheless, she sank the Elusa on 21 May south southeast of Cape Farewell (Greenland).

Fifth and sixth patrols
Her fifth patrol took her as far south as a point west of Western Sahara. She was unsuccessfully bombed on the return journey west of Cape St. Vincent in Portugal

The boat's sixth patrol was to an area east of Newfoundland and Labrador on the Canadian side of the Atlantic.

Fate
Her seventh and final sortie began with her departure from St. Nazaire on 23 December 1941. She was sunk by depth charges dropped by HMS Hesperus between Portugal and the Azores on 15 January 1942.

Wolfpacks
U-93 took part in five wolfpacks, namely:
 * West (8 – 26 May 1941)
 * Süd (22 July – 5 August 1941)
 * Schlagetot (23 October – 1 November 1941)
 * Raubritter (1 – 8 November 1941)
 * Seydlitz (27 December 1941 – 15 January 1942)