List of all U-boats

U-44

Type

IX

 
Ordered21 Nov 1936
Laid down15 Sep 1938 AG Weser, Bremen (werk 949)
Launched5 Aug 1939
Commissioned4 Nov 1939Kptlt. Ludwig Mathes
Commanders
4 Nov 1939 - 13 Mar 1940  KrvKpt. Ludwig Mathes
Career
2 patrols
4 Nov 1939-31 Dec 1939  6. Flottille (training)
1 Jan 1940-13 Mar 1940  2. Flottille (front boat)
Successes8 ships sunk, total tonnage 30,885 GRT
Fate

The boat hit a mine, in minefield Field No 7. laid by the destroyers HMS Express, HMS Esk, HMS Icarus and HMS Impulsive, on or around 13 March 1940. 47 dead (all hands lost). (FDS/NHB, January 1981).

See the 8 ships hit by U-44 - View the 2 war patrols

Previously recorded fate

  • Sunk by the British destroyer HMS Fortune on 20 Mar 1940. (Postwar assessment)
    Notes. This attack was probably against a nonsub target.

Attacks on this boat

13 Mar 1940
The attack by the British destroyer HMS Fortune was mistakenly credited for sinking U-44 but later revised. (Sources: 1981-01-01 , FDS/NHB)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-44 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat! See the emblem page for this boat or view each one below.



Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay


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Books dealing with this subject include

German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Niestle, Axel, 1998.
Hitler's U-boat War. Blair, Clay, 1996.
Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II. Blair, Clay, 1998.
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-44 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 15 Oct 1914 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 7 May 1915. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about the U 44 during WWI.