German submarine U-32 (1937)

As one of the first ten German Type VII submarines later designated as Type VIIA submarines, U-32 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two MAN M 6 V 40/46 four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to . The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-32 was fitted with five torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), eleven torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. ==Service history==

U-32 conducted nine patrols, sinking 20 ships, for a total of . Five more ships,including the light cruiser HMS Fiji, were damaged for a total of and 8,000 tons. On 28 October 1940 U-32, under the command of Hans Jenisch, sank the 42,348 GRT liner , which had previously been damaged by two 250 kg (550 lb) bombs from a German Focke-Wulf C 200 Condor long-range bomber, commanded by Oberleutnant Bernhard Jope. Empress was the largest ship sunk by a U-boat. ==Fate==

U-32 was sunk northwest of Ireland, in position , by depth charges from the British destroyers and on 30 October 1940. Nine crew members were killed; 33 survived and became prisoners of war, including Jenisch. Jenisch then spent six and a half years in British captivity before returning to Germany in June 1947. Wolfpacks U-32 took part in one wolfpack, namely: • Prien (12 – 17 June 1940) ==Summary of raiding history==