From the 12.41 to the 08.43 La Specia (Italy)
From the 08.43 to the 09.44 Toulon (France)
also bases Pola, wearing of Croatia. Base of Marseilles and Salamis in Greece.
52 U-boats were assigned with this flotilla during its service. All from types VIIB and VIIC
U-boat of the type VIIC
Length: 67,10 m; width: 6,20 m
Draught: 4,74 m; height: 9,60 Mr.
Armement: Five torpedo tubes (four with front and one with the back)
DCA: a gun of 37 mm, two double machine-guns of 20 mm
Characteristic on the surface: motorization of 2800 and 3200 Cv
Max. speed: 17 Characteristic nodes in diving: motorization of 750 Cv
Max. speed: 7,6 nodes;
Max. depth approximately 220 m
Crew: 44-52 men
Draught: 4,74 m; height: 9,60 Mr.
Armement: Five torpedo tubes (four with front and one with the back)
DCA: a gun of 37 mm, two double machine-guns of 20 mm
Characteristic on the surface: motorization of 2800 and 3200 Cv
Max. speed: 17 Characteristic nodes in diving: motorization of 750 Cv
Max. speed: 7,6 nodes;
Max. depth approximately 220 m
Crew: 44-52 men
History : The 29th Flotilla was founded in December 1941 pennies the command of Korvkpt. Franz Becker. The operational zone was only the Mediterranean one. The flotilla was congédiée in September 1944, when U-407 was cast on September 19 and the last two boats U-565 and U-596 of the flotilla left precipitately towards the port Salamis (Greece).
Toulon was occupied on November 27, 1942 by the 7th German division of Panzer, the Langemarck battalion (of division " Das-Reich") and of the 10th division of Panzer.
This same day the French fleet is scuttled in the port.
January 20, 1943 Kriegsmarine decides to use Toulon as bases of U-boats. There was no base in Toulon. The head of Kriegsmarine in Italy, the Weichold vice-admiral decides possible transfer of the 29th Flotilla starting from Spezia in Italy towards Toulon.
U-boats used the old French base of submarine of Mourillon before the construction of the new base.
The situation in Italy being very dubious in August 1943 the 29th Flotilla was moved of Spezia in Toulon. The last U-boat which arrived to Toulon after having crossed successfully the Straits of Gibraltar was U-471, April 12, 1944.
November 24, 1943 took place the first bombardment combined on Toulon. 100 planes B-17 (of the bases of Tunis) damaged U-380, U-73, U-450, U-371 and U-593. Only U-410 and U-642 were indemnes. Toulon was bombarded 12 times as from November 1943 at August 1944. Many U-boats were cast.
With the end July the 29th flotilla had only 8 operational U-boats. After the last bombardments of preparation for the execution of the operation Dragoon (landings combined in southernmost France) German reorganized the 29th flotilla then directed it towards the port of Salamis.
U760 in patrol
The Mediterranean was a very dangerous arena for U-boats, all around it there were allied air basic dozen and hundreds of planes radar equipped to drive out them. The Mediterranean or the surface water is very clear and calms made the escape more difficult for U-boats. The Straits of Gibraltar itself was a very dangerous part of the voyage because it is very narrow and the allied ships patrolled day and night. It is the zone by which all the boats entering the Mediterranean one had to cross.
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