Feldgrau.net

Hello,

Could someone tell me more about the U-40, a type IX-A U-boat? This is what I know so far:

• The U-40 commanded by Korvettenkapitän Wolfgang Barten ran onto a mine in the English Channel ( near Dover ) on October 13, 1939. The men in the front compartments did not survive the explosion or were killed by the incoming water. In the backward compartment of the U-boat, nine men stayed alive. They abandoned the U-40 while sinking and were fortunate to reach the sea surface. In the next 10 hours, another six men died due to the cold water.
  In the end and out of a 45-men crew, only 3 Germans were picked up by an English vessel.
  KK Wolfgang Barten was a good friend of the famous Günther Prien. Prien was informed that his friend did not survive the accident. I don't know if Barten was one of the six men able to get out of the U-40.

Any additional info would be more than welcome. Thank you for your time,
Laurens

Hello LAURENS !

Not much, but Wolfgang Bartens definitely died on 13.10.1939. But it´s not clear, if he managed to be one of the nine, who reached the surface.

position: BF3238 (50°42N 0°15E)

Greetings from Austria
Peter K.

check out this link

http://uboat.net/boats/u40.htm

Thank you Peter and Sam for the reply,

Since Prien knew Barten well, I hope to get some info in regards to Barten. On the other hand, the U-boat only completed 2 patrols and was lost on its first 'real' mission ( the interception of convoy HG.3 ). So it is a fact that this U-boat never achieved any victories.
But that doesn't mean it's less interesting. If anyone have the slightest piece of info what so ever, please let me know.

All the best,
Laurens

This is the BARTEN information from my database.

Barten, Wolfgang 18-08-1909 Minden, Westfalen
Linien Seeoffizier / Crew Jahrgang 1931 Offiziersanwärter 01-04-1931; Fähnrich zur See 01-01-1933; Oberfähnrich zur See 01-01-1935; Leutnant zur See 01-04-1935; Oberleutnant zur See 01-01-1937; Kapitänleutnant 01-10-1939
Eisernes Kreuz II Klasse (Kdt.U-40 21/09/39-13/10/39) 1939

This is great FAlmeida, thank you too!

Cheers
Laurens

Hi,
Theres a picture of U-40 at.
http://home.t-online.de/home/520000808280/T3.jpg
I have crew list if you want?

regards Hubertus

Hello Hubertus,

Thank you very much for the picture. I was informed from a fellow researcher that the U-40 had a red umbrella inside a white circle on the side of the hull. So this one shows the insignia pretty good! It seems like there is also another image on the front of the hull ( two sticks or bones crossed, or something like that )?!?
As for the crew list, it would be more than welcome and I would be very grateful! You may post it here or contact me directly by pressing the e-mail button under my messages.

Best Regards,
Laurens

Hello, Laurens,
Here is list of crew of U-40 when sunk, I dont think the survivors are there, But 5 have no date of death, Theses will have ?.
Meschenmoser, Friedrich. ObLt. 9.10.1915.
Moll, Karl-August. ObLt. 10.2.1914.
Wollersheim, Hubert. KpLt.ing. 4.11.1911.??.
Zaun, Franz. Dr. 12.6.1911. ???.
Wegener, Kurt. Lt. 3.3.1910. ???.
Kruse, Adolf. Obstrm. 11.4.1910. ???.
Mayer, Karl. StabsBts. 17.11.1905. ??.
Maus, Wilhelm. ObMasch. 24.3.1908.
Schreiber, Rudolf. ObMasch. 21.6.1909.
Meyer, Karl. Bts. 17.11.1905.
Alex, Helmut. Maat. 19.19.1914.
Czapski, Albert. Maat. 23.3.1914.
Decker, Gustav. Maat. 15.8.1914).
Hawelsky, Helmut. Maat. 17.2.1915.
Luchs, Otto. Maat. 16.10.1914.
Miltenberger, Helmut. Maat. 26.3.1914.
Pfeifer, Helmut. Maat. 5.12.1914.
Thomas, Friedrich. ObGfr. 27.9.1917.
Piehl, Gerhard. Maat. 2.10.1914.
Threike, Heinrich. Maat. 6.5.1914.
Trinoga, Siegfried. Maat. 19.3.1916.
Briesenick, Willi. ObGfr. 13.2.1919.
Conrap, Heinz. ObGfr. 19.6.1919.
Ferl, Rudolf. ObGfr. 30.3.1919.
Geldner, Robert. ObGfr. 14.9.1916.
Jager, Walter. ObGfr. 1.4.1916.
Kasparek, Wilhelm. ObGfr. 4.7.1916.
Kemper, Wilhelm. ObGfr. 7.4.1917.
Koppler, Bernhard. ObGfr. 9.6.1917.
Kraus, Berthold. ObGfr. 28.7.1915.
Kulitzscher, kurt-Heinz. ObGfr 19.12.1918.
Lork, Robert. ObGfr. 12.6.1918.
Meier, Heinrich. ObGfr. 29.7.1916.
Medritzki, Walter. ObGfr. 24.1.1917.
Preusser, Paul. ObGfr. 28.9.1918.
Schlecker, Max. ObGfr. 22.4.1917.
Schuster, Horst. ObGfr. 11.10.1919.
Wack, Siegfried. ObGfr. 3.10.1915.
Wendel, kurt. ObGfr. 11.4.1917.
Wendte, Adalbert. ObGfr. 31.1.1915.
Wolfrum, Hans. ObGfr. 8.11.1918.
Ledebur, Günter. Gfr. 18.4.1917.
Mai, Willi. Gfr. 12.5.1918.
Rehmisch, Erwin. ObGfr. 12.7.1915.
Schmidt, Adolf. Gfr. 30.4.1916.

Thats what I have got.I hope it is usefull to you.
Would you have the survivors names.?
All the best Hubertus.

Hello again Hubertus,

Let me start by saying your list is highly appreciated!
As for the survivors, it will be very difficult to trace names, perhaps impossible.
The first four names in your list included with Wolfgang Barten, makes a total of 5 commissioned officers. Since a type IX-A U-boat had approx. 4 Offiziere, it could well be that no officers reached the surface. I checked the Volksbund database and all of the five names are listed!
When using the Volksbund database, it also turned out that four men are buried on the German cemetary in Cannock Chase ( Staffordshire, Great-Britain );

• Briesenick, Willi
  Conrad, Heinz
  Wendel, Kurt
  Schmidt, Adolf

To conclude, four names are not listed in the Volksbund database;

• Wegener, Kurt
  Mayer, Karl
  Koppler, Bernhard
  Medritzki, Walter

Since only nine men reached the surface and three of them survived according to history, you see that there is a misunderstanding somewhere.
Anyway, I'm suprised but happy to see a great progress in this post.

Greetings,
Laurens

Hello, Laurens,
Kurt Wegener, Was a Leutnant Marineartillerie Sonderführer (special leader). Don't know what he was doing on u-40. maybe for the mines.?
Also Bernhard's name is, Köppler.

Gives you some thing to think about.
All the best, Hubertus.

Hello to all ; bumping this subject a little.................

The fate of the U-40.

This was an oceangoing submersible type IXA and her story begins on July 29, 1936 when the shipyard DESCHIMAG AG WESER in BREMEN won the contract for her construction (with U-37, U-38 and U-39). Her keel was laid on July 1, 1937 with the work's number 945. She was launched on November 9, 1938 and commissioned on February 11, 1939 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Werner v. Schmidt within the Unterseebootsflottille "Hundius" of KorvKp Werner Hartmann. She carried out two operational patrols, the first from 19 Aug to 18 Sep 1939 with v. Schmidt and the second with Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Barten. He recorded no sinkings.

Sources: KTB U-Bootwaffe. 1923 - 1938 and 1939-09. Das Kriegstagebuch der U-Bootwaffe von Roland Berr.
http://www.ubootarchiv.de/ubootwiki/index.php/U_40

Cheers. Raúl M .

Hello to all ; a little more follows.................

The fate of the U-40.

Patrols against the Enemy. First Patrol.

Following her orders the U 40 (kplt. Werner v. Schmidt, IWO Oblt z. S. Karl-August Moll , IIWO Lt. z. S. Paul-Karl Loeser, LI kplt. Hubert Wollersheim, OStrm Adolf Kruse), sailed from Wilhelmshaven at 00:00 hours on August 19, 1939.

01 Sep 1939.

The U 40 patrolling in Grid CF 8686 and in this day acquired the status of front-boat in the U-flotilla "Hundius" together with U 37, U 38, U 39 (sunk on Sep 14, 1939) and U 41.

03 Sep 1939

At 13:30 hours Dönitz got from the Naval High Command the following order: start immediately hostilities against England. At 14:00 hours the OKM issued the following directive: war on merchant traffic as Operations Order. At 15:50 hours Dönitz radioed to his standing submersibles: initiate hostilities immediately without waiting for enemy attacks.

Sources: KTB U-Bootwaffe. 1923 - 1938 and 1939-09. Das Kriegstagebuch der U-Bootwaffe von Roland Berr.
http://www.ubootarchiv.de/ubootwiki/index.php/U_40

Cheers. Raúl M .

Hello to all ; a little more follows.................

The fate of the U-40.

Patrols against the Enemy. First Patrol.

04 Sep 1939.

The U 40 patrolling in Grid CF 9980.

05 Sep 1939.

All the Submersibles operating in the Atlantic were ordered not to attack any passenger ship, even sailing in a convoy. The U 40 carried out an unsuccessful attack against an enemy escort vessel in Grid CF9790, the torpedo missed its target.

06 Sep 1939.

Order to all submersibles operating in the Atlantic: the situation in France is not clear yet. Actions against the enemy, even if carrying out activities against merchant shipping traffic, only in self-defense. Do not stop French ships and avoid incidents with France.

07 Sep 1939.

The U 40 patrolling in Grid CF 9839; on this day she received orders to return to her home port in Germany (Wilhelmshaven).

09 Sep 1939.

The U 40 sighted several destroyers and torpedo boats in Gid CF3867.

Sources: KTB U-Bootwaffe. 1923 - 1938 and 1939-09. Das Kriegstagebuch der U-Bootwaffe von Roland Berr.
http://www.ubootarchiv.de/ubootwiki/index.php/U_40
Fotoalbum 175 Bilder U-Boot U33 U40 TOP !!! bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 09_05_09 162928 MESZ).

Cheers. Raúl M .

Hello to all ; a little more follows.................

The fate of the U-40.

Patrols against the Enemy. First Patrol.

11 Sep 1939.

The U 40 in position BE 2614 .

14 Sep 1939.

The U 40 in positon AM 2620.

17 Sep 1939.

The U 40 observed U 38 while she was registering a cargo ship in Grid AN 3818; Later both submersibles met in quadrant AN 3857. On this day Kplt Wolfgang Barten (next commander of U 40) left the command of U 52 (Type VIIB).

18 Sep 1939.

The U 40 returned to Wilhelmshaven after completing her first patrol; the submersible was 31 days at sea. After the patrol she would be overhauled in her home port.

Sources: KTB U-Bootwaffe. 1923 - 1938 and 1939-09. Das Kriegstagebuch der U-Bootwaffe von Roland Berr.
http://www.ubootarchiv.de/ubootwiki/index.php/U_40
Fotoalbum 175 Bilder U-Boot U33 U40 TOP !!! bei eBay_de 1918-1945 (endet 09_05_09 162928 MESZ).

Cheers. Raúl M .