U-26
Type | IA | |||||||||||||
| Ordered | 17 Dec, 1934 | |||||||||||||
| Laid down | 1 Aug, 1935 | AG Weser, Bremen (werk 904) | ||||||||||||
| Launched | 14 Mar, 1936 | |||||||||||||
| Commissioned | 6 May, 1936 | Kptlt. Werner Hartmann (Knights Cross) | ||||||||||||
| Commanders |
| |||||||||||||
| Career | 7 patrols | 1 May, 1936 - 1 Aug, 1939 2. Flottille (front boat) 1 Sep, 1939 - 31 Dec, 1939 2. Flottille (front boat) 1 Jan, 1940 - 1 Jul, 1940 2. Flottille (front boat) | ||||||||||||
| Successes | 11 ships sunk for a total of 48.645 GRT 1 ship damaged for a total of 4.871 GRT 1 warship damaged for a total of 530 tons | |||||||||||||
| Fate | Scuttled 1 Jul, 1940 southwest of Ireland, in position 48.03N, 11.30W, after heavy damages suffered by depth charges from the British corvette HMS Gladiolus and bombs from an Australian Sunderland aircraft (Sqdn 10/H). 48 survivors (No casualties). | |||||||||||||
See the 13 ships hit by U-26 - View the 7 war patrols
The Sunderland Mk.I (RAAF Sqdn 10/H), piloted by F/L W.N. Gibson, found U-26 on the surface and dropped two sticks of four 250-pound (113 kg) bombs. The U-boat was already severely damaged by eight depth charges from HMS Gladiolus (LtCdr H.M.C. Sanders) the previous day. The damage from the bombs was not fatal but it prevented the boat from diving, so the crew had to scuttle their boat to prevent capture by the enemy. The 48 survivors (entire crew survived) were picked up by HMS Rochester and taken prisoner.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-26 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
 German U-Boat Losses During World War II Niestle, Axel Buy this title at amazon.co.uk See more sellers |
Books dealing with this subject include: German U-Boat Losses During World War II, Niestle, Axel, 1998 Maritime Is Number Ten - The Sunderland Era 1939-45, Baff, K.C. (Flight Lieutenant), 1983 U-Boat Adventures, Wiggins, Melanie, 1999 U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1, Wynn, Kenneth, 1998 U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2, Wynn, Kenneth, 1998 |
There was another U-26 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 16 Oct, 1913 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 20 May, 1914. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about the U 26 during WWI.