History Of U-568


KPTLT. J. Preuss on the bridge of U-568
Photo courtesy of Debbie Laws, whose Grandfather
was lost onboard the H.M.S. PICOTEE on 12 August 1941

Specifications of VIIC-class U-Boats

U-568 was a Type VII-C U-Boat, of which 636 were constructed during the war. A so-called "Atlantic" boat of 769 tons disp. with 14 torpedos (5 tubes) and a standard crew of 45 men. It was built in Hamburg by the Blohm & Voss shipyard and put into service on May 1, 1941. Training took place in the Baltic Sea and in Norway until August.

1941

Aug. 3Left Drontheim for the first war patrol
Aug. 12HMS PICOTEE torpedoed and sunk off Iceland
Sep.Entering St. Nazaire for repairs, 7. U-Boat Flotilla
Oct.Second patrol in the Atlantic
Oct. 16Encounter with the eastbound convoy SC-48, MS EMPIRE HERON torpedoed and sunk
Oct. 17US destroyer KEARNY torpedoed and damaged
Nov. 7St. Nazaire shipyard
Dec. 4Left port for 3rd patrol
Dec. 11Passed Gibraltar
Dec. 24HMS SALVIA sunk in the eastern Mediterranean by torpedo

1942

Jan. 18U-568 entered new base, La Spezia, 29th U-Boat Flotilla
Mar. 13Left La Spezia for 4th patrol, no success, however, badly damaged by aircraft bombing
Apr.Shipyard La Spezia for repairs
May 24Start for 5th patrol in connection with Rommel's attack on Tobruk
May 27Bombed by airplane, no damage, later attacked by HMS ERIDGE, HURWORTH, and HERO with depth charges
May 28U-568 damaged and sunk after 16 hours of depth charges

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