Before dawn broke over Wilhelmshafen on September 30, Kapitän Leutnant Hagen took his VIIA to Sea, ordered to hunt for shipping in waters around the British Isles.
War had arrived. The assigned hunting grounds were remote and should allow time to drill the crew. Spotting only a lone freighter U-35 surfaced and the 88’s gun crew rushed to ready their gun. Hagen fired 2 torpedoes with no success. The 88 fired a few rounds as the SS Solo turned away. Both shells fell short. A shameful first mission.
November proved only modestly better. U-35’s first score. SS Berganger at 6800t.
As 1940 dawned, U-35 was back in British waters. An unlucky sortie. A RAF Hudson forced an emergency dive. A severe storm in the channel limited opportunities. Heading home, SS Santa Rita at 8400t filled the periscope, and was quickly dispatched.
In March, the crew began mumbling about being a jinxed boat. We spotted nothing. But were forced to dodge RAF Arvo aircraft twice.
Mai was U-35’s first taste of the Happy Times. Scoring four times. SS Tiberton 5200t; Tanker Capulet 8200t; SS Embassage 5000t; SS Empire Crossbill 5500t.
War had arrived. The assigned hunting grounds were remote and should allow time to drill the crew. Spotting only a lone freighter U-35 surfaced and the 88’s gun crew rushed to ready their gun. Hagen fired 2 torpedoes with no success. The 88 fired a few rounds as the SS Solo turned away. Both shells fell short. A shameful first mission.
November proved only modestly better. U-35’s first score. SS Berganger at 6800t.
As 1940 dawned, U-35 was back in British waters. An unlucky sortie. A RAF Hudson forced an emergency dive. A severe storm in the channel limited opportunities. Heading home, SS Santa Rita at 8400t filled the periscope, and was quickly dispatched.
In March, the crew began mumbling about being a jinxed boat. We spotted nothing. But were forced to dodge RAF Arvo aircraft twice.
Mai was U-35’s first taste of the Happy Times. Scoring four times. SS Tiberton 5200t; Tanker Capulet 8200t; SS Embassage 5000t; SS Empire Crossbill 5500t.
Summer was quiet, with only SS West Notus 5500t falling prey to U-35
As Autumn chilled, spirits buoyed. The Ship’s Dr was promoted. As was Hagen, now Korvetten Kapitän. But more joyous were the orders for hunting in the Atlantic!
Dodging escorts, 4 victories were scored. 2 tankers, a large freighter and a small one, totaling 31300t. Cassequel; Santore; AF Corwin; and Oilfield were stricken from the logs. But the jinx had not been idle. Returning home, a Tommie A/C dropped out of the sun, shattering the 88 and it’s crew and damaging the engines. A solemn crew slipped back into the pen.
Again, punished and sent back to hunt British waters. But glory awaited! U-35 caught HMS Avenger in open waters. Braving her escorts U-35 sunk the CVE.
Januar ‘41 brought orders for the Atlantic. But only the SS Gregalia 5900t was torpedoed.
So back the British waters again. RAF patrols are improving. As U-35 sorties it is Wasser bombed, causing minor hull damage and flooding. But there is no turning back. Two lone merchants are sent to the bottom. 10500t. SS Ballader and SS William Bryant.
Success brings orders for the Atlantic, but U-35 finds no victims to hunt.
The boat does a fast refit and in Juli heads back to the Atlantic. Verdammt! Again the RAF is waiting. Collaborators must be signaling them. A fuel tank is damaged beyond repair so an immediate return to port is needed. But the RAF catches on again and scores more hits.
While finishing the year in dockyards, Hagen is again promoted. Now a Fregatten Kapitän.
As 41 closes, U-35 is order into the Mediterranean. Hunting should be good. Shortly after clearing Fortress Gibraltar a Convoy is spotted. Jinx! The escort causes unrepairable damage to the fuel tanks and several crewmen die in the bombing. Again the RAF catches U-35 close to base. Bombs cause more crew casualties and damages the hull.
March 42 is spent in the Atlantic. As SS Santore 7100t is sent to the bottom, it’s Escort depth bombs U-35, severely wounding the ship’s doctor and both torpedo rooms. The doctor passes before port is reached.
As Autumn chilled, spirits buoyed. The Ship’s Dr was promoted. As was Hagen, now Korvetten Kapitän. But more joyous were the orders for hunting in the Atlantic!
Dodging escorts, 4 victories were scored. 2 tankers, a large freighter and a small one, totaling 31300t. Cassequel; Santore; AF Corwin; and Oilfield were stricken from the logs. But the jinx had not been idle. Returning home, a Tommie A/C dropped out of the sun, shattering the 88 and it’s crew and damaging the engines. A solemn crew slipped back into the pen.
Again, punished and sent back to hunt British waters. But glory awaited! U-35 caught HMS Avenger in open waters. Braving her escorts U-35 sunk the CVE.
Januar ‘41 brought orders for the Atlantic. But only the SS Gregalia 5900t was torpedoed.
So back the British waters again. RAF patrols are improving. As U-35 sorties it is Wasser bombed, causing minor hull damage and flooding. But there is no turning back. Two lone merchants are sent to the bottom. 10500t. SS Ballader and SS William Bryant.
Success brings orders for the Atlantic, but U-35 finds no victims to hunt.
The boat does a fast refit and in Juli heads back to the Atlantic. Verdammt! Again the RAF is waiting. Collaborators must be signaling them. A fuel tank is damaged beyond repair so an immediate return to port is needed. But the RAF catches on again and scores more hits.
While finishing the year in dockyards, Hagen is again promoted. Now a Fregatten Kapitän.
As 41 closes, U-35 is order into the Mediterranean. Hunting should be good. Shortly after clearing Fortress Gibraltar a Convoy is spotted. Jinx! The escort causes unrepairable damage to the fuel tanks and several crewmen die in the bombing. Again the RAF catches U-35 close to base. Bombs cause more crew casualties and damages the hull.
March 42 is spent in the Atlantic. As SS Santore 7100t is sent to the bottom, it’s Escort depth bombs U-35, severely wounding the ship’s doctor and both torpedo rooms. The doctor passes before port is reached.
The bloodied crew is now viewed as Veterans by all in the Fleet. And Hagen is awarded the Knights Cross.
Finally in July ‘42 U-35 heads back into the Atlantic. A second Happy Time is this.
3 large freighters and a smaller are sunk totaling 19700t. SS Torny, Royston Gorge, Kennebac, and Treverbyn are stricken.
In late ‘42 U-35 heads back to the now familiar Atlantic Ocean. Again, the veteran crew scores well. 3 small freighters and a larger one. 16200t. SS Kinross, Aviemore, Merisaar, and R.E.Lee are stricken from the rolls.
Finally in July ‘42 U-35 heads back into the Atlantic. A second Happy Time is this.
3 large freighters and a smaller are sunk totaling 19700t. SS Torny, Royston Gorge, Kennebac, and Treverbyn are stricken.
In late ‘42 U-35 heads back to the now familiar Atlantic Ocean. Again, the veteran crew scores well. 3 small freighters and a larger one. 16200t. SS Kinross, Aviemore, Merisaar, and R.E.Lee are stricken from the rolls.
As February ‘43 opens, U-35 heads back into the Atlantic. The crew is confident and joyous to be back at sea. As the boat clears the Bay of Biscay, the RAF pounces. Expert in the anti submarine role, the aircrew lands a 500lb’er directly in the conning tower of U-35. Rolling “box cars” sends U-35 and all its crew to a watery grave.
