German submarine U-60 (1939)

U-60 was a German Type II C U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 31 March 1939 at the Flender Werke in Lübeck as yard number 277, launched on 6 May 1939 and commissioned on 17 June 1939 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Georg Schewe.

Service History:

U-60 conducted ten war patrols, primarily in the North Sea and the Atlantic. During her service, she sank five ships totaling 15,947 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged two others totaling 7,613 GRT.

Notable actions included:

• Sinking of the Arkleside: On 27 September 1939, U-60 sank the British merchant ship Arkleside in the North Sea.
• Sinking of the Glitrefjell: On 11 October 1939, she sank the Norwegian freighter Glitrefjell in the North Sea, a controversial action as Norway was neutral at the time. This incident caused international concern and strained relations between Germany and Norway.
• Sinking of the Scottish Coaster: On 23 November 1939, she sank the British coaster Scottish Coaster in the North Sea.
• Attacks on Convoy HN-12: U-60 participated in attacks on Convoy HN-12 in January 1940.

Fate:

On 5 March 1940, U-60 was sunk in the North Sea near the Shetland Islands at position 60°54′N 01°47′W by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Antelope and HMS Firedrake. All 28 crew members survived.

Type II C U-boat Characteristics:

Type II C submarines were small, coastal U-boats designed for operations in the relatively shallow waters around the British Isles. They had a surface displacement of 314 tons and a submerged displacement of 364 tons. They were armed with five torpedo tubes (four at the bow and one at the stern) and a 2 cm anti-aircraft gun.