U-boat patrols

Patrol info for U-131


DepartureArrival / FateDuration
27 Nov 1941Kiel17 Dec 1941Lost21 days

Commander

Officers *


KrvKpt. Arend Baumann

Daily positions, sinkings and allied attacks during the patrol of U-131


We have daily positions for all 21 days on this patrol.

Ships hit by U-131 during this patrol

Date U-boat Commander Name of ship Tons Nat. ConvoyMap
6 Dec 1941U-131Arend Baumann Scottish Trader4,016brSC-56A
 4,016

1 ship sunk (4,016 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.

General Events during this patrol

We have no events listed for this patrol.

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Attacks on U-131 during this patrol

17 Dec 1941
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:
British Martlet fighter (802 Sqn FAA, pilot SubLt George R.P. Fletcher, RNVR)

The sinking of U-131
0925hrs, west of Rabat, Morocco: while shadowing convoy HG-76 the boat was sighted and forced to dive by a Martlet fighter of the British escort carrier HMS Audacity. HMS Stork (Cdr F.J. "Johnnie" Walker) immediately raced to the spot together with four other escorts. About one hour later, HMS Stanley got an asdic contact and HMS Pentstemon carried out several depth charge attacks on U-131, causing serious damage and forcing her to surface due to chlorine gas from the batteries at 1247hrs. Unable to dive, Baumann tried to escape at full speed on the surface. After 20 minutes, a Martlet strafed the boat, but was brought down by flak and crashed into the sea, killing the pilot. In the meantime the escorts began shelling U-131 from a distance of about 7 nautical miles, scoring several hits as they closed in. The boat returned fire at HMS Blankney, but without scoring any hits, and was eventually scuttled by the crew at 1330hrs.

This was the first aircraft shot down by a U-boat in the war.

About this data
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* These are officers that later became commanders themselves.

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