Weddigen was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II.

Service history

Weddigen was formed in November 1943 off the coast of Portugal, to intercept convoys sailing to and from Gibraltar, Mediterranean and South Atlantic. It was composed of U-boats from the disbanded patrol group Schill, with reinforcements from the North Atlantic and from bases in occupied France.

Weddigen originally numbered seventeen U-boats, though two had been destroyed in recent actions, and two others had to withdraw with damage. On 22 November the thirteen U-boats remaining formed a patrol line west of Portugal to await warning of an Allied convoy.

On 23 November one of the Weddigen boats, U-648, fell in with the frigate HMS Blackwood, of 4th Escort Group accompanying KMS 30 and was destroyed.[1] On 25 November U-600 also fell in with KMS 30, and was attacked by Blackwood and Bazely, and was destroyed by them.[2]

On 27 November the Weddigen boats intercepted convoy SL 140/MKS 31, and attacked it over the next five days, though without success. On 29 November U-86 was destroyed by aircraft from the carrier USS Bogue, while on 28th U-238[3] and U-764 had been attacked and damaged, also by aircraft from Bogue.

On 7 December Weddigen was disbanded, a number of U-boats returning to base, while others formed a cadre of a new patrol group, code-named Borkum.

U-boats involved

The name

Weddigen was named for Otto Weddigen, German World War I U-boat ace.

Notes

  1. ↑ Kemp p159
  2. ↑ Kemp p159
  3. ↑ Kemp p160

References

  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Jak P M Showell U-Boat Warfare: The Evolution of the Wolf-Pack (2002) ISBN 0-7110-2887-7

Helgason, Guðmundur. "Weddigen". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.

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