1st U-boat Flotilla
The 1st U-boat flotilla (German 1. Unterseebootsflottille) also known as the Weddigen flotilla, was the first operational U-boat unit in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine (navy). Founded on 27 September 1935 under the command of Fregattenkapitän Karl Dönitz,[1] it was named in honor of Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen. Weddigen, a U-boat commander during World War I, died on 18 March 1915 after his submarine U-29 was rammed by the British battleship HMS Dreadnought in the North Sea.[2]
| 1st U-boat flotilla | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | Raised 1935, Dissolved 1944 |
| Country | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Kriegsmarine |
| Type | U-boat flotilla |
| Base | Kiel, Brest |
| Nickname(s) | Weddigen flotilla |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Fregattenkapitän Karl Dönitz |
The flotilla at first only consisted of U-9, a Type IIB boat commissioned on 21 August 1935. Later, boats U-1 to U-12 were included in the flotilla, but U-1 to U-6 were only used as training boats and were attached to the U-boat training school in Neustadt.[3] Originally based in Kiel from September 1935 – May 1941, it was moved to Brest, France in June 1941. In September 1944, the flotilla was disbanded and its remaining boats were distributed to other flotillas.
Flotilla commanders
| Duration | Commander |
|---|---|
| September 1935 – October 1936 | Kpt. z. S. Karl Dönitz |
| October 1936 – September 1937 | Kpt. z. S. Otto Loycke |
| October 1937 – September 1939 | Kptlt. Hans-Güther Looff |
| September 1939 – December 1939 | Kptlt. Hans Eckermann m.d.F.b. |
| January 1940 – October 1940 | K.Kapt. Hans Eckermann |
| November 1940 – February 1942 | K.Kapt. Hans Cohausz |
| February 1942 – July 1942 | Kptlt. Heinz Buchholz i.V. |
| July 1942 – September 1944 | K.Kapt. Werner Winter |
U-boats assigned to the flotilla
| U-7 | U-8 | U-9 | U-10 | U-11 | U-12 | U-13 |
| U-14 | U-15 | U-16 | U-17 | U-18 | U-19 | U-20 |
| U-21 | U-22 | U-23 | U-24 | U-56 | U-57 | U-58 |
| U-59 | U-60 | U-61 | U-62 | U-63 | U-79 | U-80 |
| U-81 | U-83 | U-84 | U-86 | U-116 | U-117 | U-137 |
| U-138 | U-139 | U-140 | U-141 | U-142 | U-143 | U-144 |
| U-145 | U-146 | U-147 | U-149 | U-150 | U-201 | U-202 |
| U-203 | U-204 | U-208 | U-209 | U-213 | U-225 | U-238 |
| U-243 | U-247 | U-263 | U-268 | U-271 | U-276 | U-292 |
| U-301 | U-304 | U-305 | U-306 | U-311 | U-331 | U-336 |
| U-353 | U-354 | U-371 | U-372 | U-374 | U-379 | U-392 |
| U-394 | U-396 | U-401 | U-405 | U-413 | U-415 | U-418 |
| U-422 | U-424 | U-426 | U-435 | U-439 | U-440 | U-441 |
| U-456 | U-471 | U-556 | U-557 | U-558 | U-559 | U-561 |
| U-562 | U-563 | U-564 | U-565 | U-566 | U-574 | U-582 |
| U-584 | U-597 | U-599 | U-603 | U-625 | U-628 | U-629 |
| U-632 | U-637 | U-643 | U-651 | U-653 | U-654 | U-656 |
| U-665 | U-669 | U-722 | U-731 | U-732 | U-736 | U-740 |
| U-741 | U-743 | U-754 | U-767 | U-773 | U-821 | U-925 |
| U-956 | U-963 | U-987 | U-1007 | U-1199 |
Notes and references
- 1. Unterseebootsflottille Archived 16 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine. Uboatnet.de. Retrieved 21 July 2006.
- 1st Flotilla. Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 July 2006.
- Gordon Williamson. Wolf Pack: The Story of the U-Boat in World War II, Osprey Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1-84176-872-3
External links
- uboat.net – comprehensive website dedicated to U-boat history.