CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>The Type VIIC U-boat U-559 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/layout/2014_06/main2017-10.css" type="text/css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/layout/2014_06/print.css" type="text/css" media="print" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> <meta name="description" content="The U-boat War in World War Two (Kriegsmarine, 1939-1945) and World War One (Kaiserliche Marine, 1914-1918) and the Allied efforts to counter the threat. Over 40.000 pages on the officers, the boats, technology and the Allied efforts to counter the U-boat threat." /> <meta name="keywords" content="U-boat, submarine, boats, technology, XXI, VIIC, XIC, II, XIV, XXIII, Uboote, Unterseeboote, aircraft, escorts, Kriegsmarine, German navy, U-boote, destroyers, corvettes, frigates, battleships, aircraft carriers, trawlers." /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.3.4/dist/leaflet.css" integrity="sha512-puBpdR0798OZvTTbP4A8Ix/l+A4dHDD0DGqYW6RQ+9jxkRFclaxxQb/SJAWZfWAkuyeQUytO7+7N4QKrDh+drA==" crossorigin=""/> <script src="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.3.4/dist/leaflet.js" integrity="sha512-nMMmRyTVoLYqjP9hrbed9S+FzjZHW5gY1TWCHA5ckwXZBadntCNs8kEqAWdrb9O7rxbCaA4lKTIWjDXZxflOcA==" crossorigin=""></script></head> <body>  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-1LBQ8B7HLP"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-1LBQ8B7HLP'); </script> <div id="container">  <div id="banner">  <h1 class="ph">uboat.net</h1>    <div id="navcontainer"> <ul id="navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Home</a></li> <li class="inpath"><a href="/boats.htm" title="The U-boats">The U-boats</a></li> <li><a href="/men/" title="The Men">The Men</a></li> <li><a href="/allies/" title="Allied efforts to fight the U-boats">The Allies</a></li> <li><a href="/maps/" title="Maps">Maps</a></li> <li><a href="/forums/" title="Join our Forums">Forums</a></li> <li><a href="/articles/" title="Articles">Articles</a></li> <li><a href="/gallery/" title="Galleries">Gallery</a></li> <li><a href="/books/" title="Over 2200 books">Books</a></li> <li><a href="/special/movies/" title="Naval Warfare Movies">Movies</a></li> <li><a href="/wwi/" title="World War One">WWI</a></li> </ul> </div>  <span id="breadcrumbs"> <a href="/">Front page</a> - <a href="/boats.htm">The U-boats</a> - <a href="/boats/"><strong>Listing of all U-boats</strong></a> </span> </div>  <div id="sidebar-a"> <div id="submenu"> <h4><a href="/boats.htm">The U-boats</a></h4> <ul id="submenulist"> <li><a href="/boats/">List of all U-boats</a> <ul> <li><a href="/ops/successful_boats.htm">Most successful</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/boats/patrols/">U-boat Patrols</a></li> <li><a href="/types/">U-boat Types</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/">Operations</a> <ul> <li><a href="/ops/convoys/">Convoy battles</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/top_patrols.htm">Successful patrols</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/wolfpacks/">Wolfpacks</a></li> <li><a href="/maps/">Maps</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/combat_strength.html">Combat strength</a></li></ul> </li> <li><a href="/fates/">U-boat Fates</a><ul> <li><a href="/fates/losses/">Losses by year</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/scuttled.htm">Scuttled boats</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/surrendered.htm">Surrenders</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/discovered.html">Discovered boats</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/dive/">Dive sites</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/revised.html">Revised fates</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/flotillas/">Flotillas</a><ul> <li><a href="/flotillas/bases/">U-boat bases</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/technical/shipyards/">Shipyards</a></li> <li><a href="/technical/">Technologies</a></li> <li><a href="/special/emblems/">U-boat Emblems</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>Events on this day</h4> <p><a href="/today.html">What happened on<br>4 December?</a></p> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>Commander file</h4><p class="caption"><a href="/men/commanders/612.html"><img src="/media/men/commanders/kleinschmdt.jpg" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Wilhelm Kleinschmidt</a><br>(<a href="/boats/u111.htm">U-111</a>)</p><p>- <a href="/men/commanders/">More officers</a></p> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>U-boat of the day</h4><a href="/boats/u100.htm">U-100</a> - 6 patrols<br>26 ships sunk (137,819 tons) </div> <div class="item_box"> <h4>U-boat Finder</h4> <form action="/boats/finder.php" method="post"> <input size="8" name="find_boat" class="search-field" />   <input type="submit" value="Search" class="input" /> </form> </div><p><br>Follow us on Twitter<br><a href="http://twitter.com/uboatnet" class="noborder"><img src="/media/layout/images/twitter_newbird_18.gif" alt="Twitter" /></a> <a href="http://twitter.com/uboatnet">@uboatnet</a></p> <br> </div>  <div id="content">  <div id="ga_contentTop728" align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1101670507446460" data-ad-slot="9674187468"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> <div align="center"> <h3><a href="/boats/">List of all U-boats</a></h3><h1>U-559</h1> </div> <div align="center"> <table class="table_subtle width650"><tr> <td class="width100"><h3>Type</h3></td><td class="width95" align="center" class="seperator"><h3><a href="/types/viic.htm" class="header">VIIC</a></h3></td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Ordered</td><td class="seperator">16 Oct 1939</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Laid down</td><td class="seperator">1 Feb 1940</td> <td class="seperator"><a href="/technical/shipyards/blohm.htm">Blohm & Voss, Hamburg</a> (werk 535)</td></tr> <tr><td>Launched</td><td class="seperator">8 Jan 1941</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Commissioned</td><td class="seperator">27 Feb 1941</td><td class="seperator">Oblt. <a href=/men/heidtmann.htm>Hans Heidtmann</a> (<a href=/men/decorations/ritter.htm>Knights Cross</a>)</td></tr> <tr><td>Commanders</td> <td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="width85 right">27 Feb 1941</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">30 Oct 1942</td><td>  </td><td>Kptlt. <a href="/men/heidtmann.htm"> Hans Heidtmann</a> (<a href="/men/decorations/8.html">Knights Cross</a>) </td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Career<br><a href="/boats/patrols/u559.html">10 patrols</a></td><td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="right">27 Feb 1941</td><td>-</td><td class="right">1 Jun 1941</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/1flo.htm">1. Flottille</a> (training)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Jun 1941</td><td>-</td><td class="right">31 Oct 1941</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/1flo.htm">1. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Nov 1941</td><td>-</td><td class="right">14 Apr 1942</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/23flo.htm">23. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">15 Apr 1942</td><td>-</td><td class="right">30 Oct 1942</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/29flo.htm">29. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Successes</td><td colspan="2" class="seperator">4 ships sunk, total tonnage 11,811 GRT<br/>1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,060 tons<br/>2 ships a total loss, total tonnage 6,117 GRT</td></tr> <tr><td class="width100">Fate</td> <td colspan="2" class="width400 seperator"> <p>Sunk on 30 October 1942 in the <a href="/maps/mediterranean.htm">Mediterranean Sea</a> north-east of Port Said, in position 32.30N, 33.00E, by depth charges from the British destroyers <a href="/allies/warships/ship/4489.html">HMS Pakenham</a>, <a href="/allies/warships/ship/4495.html">HMS Petard</a> and <a href="/allies/warships/ship/4402.html">HMS Hero</a> and the British escort destroyers <a href="/allies/warships/ship/4647.html">HMS Dulverton</a> and <a href="/allies/warships/ship/4653.html">HMS Hurworth</a>, after being located by a British Vickers Wellesley aircraft (47 Sqn RAF/F). 7 dead and 38 survivors.</p> </td></tr> <tr><td>Loss position</td> <td colspan="3"> <style media="screen" type="text/css"> #mapFate {width:510px; height: 270px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;} </style> <div id="mapFate" align="center"></div> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> var mymap = L.map('mapFate').setView([33.3, 33.00], 4) L.tileLayer('/map-tiles/{z}/{x}/{y}.png', { attribution: 'map 漏 OpenStreetMap contributors | ship info by uboat.net', maxZoom: 10, }).addTo(mymap); var iconFate = L.icon({ iconUrl: '/media/maps/googlemarkers/orange_Marker.png', iconSize: [20, 34], iconAnchor: [10, 34], }); var marker = L.marker([32.50, 33.00], {icon: iconFate}).addTo(mymap).bindPopup('<strong>U-559</strong>. Sunk on 30 October 1942 in the <a href=\"/maps/mediterranean.htm\">Mediterranean Sea</a> north-east of Port Said, in position 32.30N, 33.00E, by depth charges from the British destroyers <a href=\"/allies/warships/ship/4489.html\">HMS Pakenham</a>, <a href=\"/allies/warships/ship/4495.html\">HMS Petard</a> and <a href=\"/allies/warships/ship/4402.html\">HMS Hero</a> and the British escort destroyers <a href=\"/allies/warships/ship/4647.html\">HMS Dulverton</a> and <a href=\"/allies/warships/ship/4653.html\">HMS Hurworth</a>, after being located by a British Vickers Wellesley aircraft (47 Sqn RAF/F).'); </script> </td> </tr> </table>  <p class="np"><a href="/boats/successes/u559.html">See the 7 ships hit by U-559</a> - <a href="/boats/patrols/u559.html">View the 10 war patrols</a><br></p> </div> <h3>Wolfpack operations</h3> <p>U-559 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career: <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/10.html">Goeben</a> (20 Sep 1941 - 5 Oct 1941) </p> <h3>General notes on this boat</h3><p><strong>30 Oct 1942</strong>. The sinking boat was boarded by three men from <b>HMS Petard</b> who had swum over to her. Two of them went down with the wreck when it foundered, but they had managed to pass out the <a href=/technical/enigma.htm>Enigma</a> code machine, with the current rotor settings, and the cipher books. This allowed the Allies to read naval traffic for several weeks and crack <a href="/technical/enigma.htm">Enigma</a> codes thereafter. </p> <h3>Men lost from U-boats</h3> <p>Unlike <a href="/men/men_lost.htm">many other U-boats</a>, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-559 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.</p> <h3>U-boat Emblems</h3> <p>We have 2 <strong>emblem</strong> entries for this boat. See the emblem page <a href="/special/emblems/u559.html">for this boat</a> or view emblems individually below.</p> <table><tr> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem10.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/flo23f.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>23rd Flotilla</a></td> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem695.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/emblem_missing.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Coat of Arms</a></td> </tr></table><br> <div align="center"> <h3>Media links</h3> <table> <tr> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/2388"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/184832118X.jpg" alt="" /> <br>U-Boat Attack Logs</a><br>Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor</p><div class="left"><br> <img src="/media/images/flags/small/flag-uk_s.gif" alt="" /> <a href="/about/scripts/amazon_co_uk.php?book=184832118X&path=/boats/u559.htm">amazon.co.uk</a> <br>(拢 38.25)</div></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/270"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/u-boat_operations2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2</a><br>Wynn, Kenneth</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/525"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/german_u-boat_losses.jpg" alt="" /> <br>German U-Boat Losses During World War II</a><br>Niestle, Axel</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/537"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/hitlers_uboat_war.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Hitler's U-boat War</a><br>Blair, Clay</p></td></tr> </table> </div> <br><br>  <p class='center'><br/>As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.</p> <div class="adSeperator"></div> <div id="ga_contentFooter728" align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1101670507446460" data-ad-slot="7580936821"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div><br> </div>  <div id="footer"> <div id="footer_navcontainer"> <ul id="footer_navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Front page</a></li> <li><a href="/about/" title="About uboat.net">About</a></li> <li><a href="/about/contact.htm" title="Contact us">Contact us</a></li> <li><a href="/special/faq.htm" title="Frequently Asked Questions">FAQ</a></li> <li><a href="/glossary.htm" title="Glossary pages">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="/new.htm" title="What's new at uboat.net">What's new</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="footer_copyright">  © 1995 - 2024 Guðmundur Helgason </div> </div>  </div>  </body></html>