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French submarine Laubie (S610)

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Insignia of U-766
Insignia of U-766
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-766
Ordered15 August 1940
BuilderKriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven
Yard number149
Laid down1 March 1941
Launched29 May 1943
Commissioned30 July 1943
Decommissioned24 August 1944
FateSurrendered on 8 May 1945. Transferred to French Navy
France
NameLaubie
NamesakeLouis Laubie
Acquired8 May 1945
Commissioned1946
In service1946
Out of service1961
IdentificationPennant number: S610
FateBroken up in 1963
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length67.10 m (220 ft 2 in)
Beam6.20 m (20 ft 4 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
PropulsionDiesel-electric
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi)
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record (Kriegsmarine)[1]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 53 610
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans-Dietrich Wilke
  • 30 July 1943 – 24 August 1944
Operations:
  • 5 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 23 March – 16 April 1944
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 6 – 15 June 1944
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 26 – 30 July 1944
  • 4th patrol:
  • 2 – 6 August 1944
  • 5th patrol:
  • 8 – 21 August 1944
Victories: None

German submarine U-766 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the navy (Kriegsmarine) of Nazi Germany during World War II. She was later incorporated in the French Navy, where she served as Laubie.

Design

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German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-766 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-766 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

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Kriegsmarine

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U-766 was launched in Wilhelmshaven on 29 May 1943, and was commissioned on 30 July 1943 under the command Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Dietrich Wilke. She was part of the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training until 29 February 1944, when she was transferred to the frontline in the 6th U-boat flotilla.[1]

She sailed five uneventful patrols.[3]

She was de-commissioned at La Rochelle on 24 August 1944, and was surrendered on 8 May 1945.

Marine Nationale

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In May 1945 U-766 was transferred to France and brought into French service under captain Brunet. She was in a poor shape, and pieces of U-415 were used to repair her. In the process, she was also fitted with a snorkel. Her trials were accomplished by a mostly German crew composed of war prisoners, with Wilke acting as first officer.[4]

U-766 was commissioned in 1946 as Laubie (pennant number: S610), in honour of Louis Laubie, an engineer killed in the wreck of the submarine Protée.[5]

Laubie was transferred to Toulon. On 17 July 1950, Laubie was accidentally rammed by the frigate Surprise as she was emerging. She managed to surface and return to Casablanca with a heavily damaged sail.[5]

In 1956, Laubie took part in naval operations of the Suez crisis as a backup to Créole.[6] On 2 May 1960, Laubie was again rammed, this time by the liner Ville de Marseille, off Algiers. Her stern was damaged over 9 metres.[4] She sustained one last accident in September 1961, when she collided with Espadon at periscope depth. Severely damaged, Laubie was decommissioned, and broken up in 1963.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-766". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-766". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  4. ^ a b c "S 610 : LAUBIE - Section RUBIS". www.sectionrubis.fr. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  5. ^ a b "DATES MARQUANTES ET ANECDOTES DU PORT DE LA ROCHELLE-PALLICE". francois.delboca.free.fr. Archived from the original on 1 June 2002. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  6. ^ Paterson, Lawrence (2009). Black Flag: The Surrender of Germany's U-Boat Force. MBI Publishing Company. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-7603-3754-7.

Bibliography

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  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
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