German submarine U-42 (1939)

The German submarine U-42 was a Type VIIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 15 December 1938 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, launched on 11 August 1939 and commissioned on 1 November 1939 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Herbert Wohlfarth.

U-42's operational career was relatively short and largely uneventful compared to some of her sister boats. She primarily patrolled the Atlantic Ocean, participating in the Battle of the Atlantic. While she sank several merchant ships, her overall success rate was modest. Her operational history is relatively poorly documented compared to some other more successful U-boats. Specific details about her patrols, targets sunk, and crew experiences are limited in readily available sources.

The U-42 was eventually lost on 22 May 1940. The circumstances surrounding her sinking remain unclear; however, it is generally accepted that she was likely sunk by depth charges from British destroyers while operating in the North Atlantic. Further details about the exact location and the specifics of the attack are not consistently documented across available historical records. Many details surrounding the loss of the vessel and her crew remain uncertain. The fate of her crew is also not fully documented in widely accessible sources.

Further research into German naval archives may provide more specific details on her operations and ultimate fate. Much of the information available remains fragmented and requires additional historical investigation to provide a more complete picture.