U-61 's fifth sortie was marked by the sinking of the Sangstad east of Kirkwall (in the Orkney Islands), on 18 February 1940. In between she sank the Sydfold about 120 mi (190 km) east of John O Groats on the 22nd. Her fourth patrol continued the start/finish changing starting in Kiel on 15 January 1940 and was terminated in Wilhelmshaven on the 30th. Patrol number three was the reverse of number two - starting from Wilhelmshaven and finishing in Kiel. Her second effort started in Kiel on 28 November 1939 but finished in Wilhelmshaven on 3 December. She departed Kiel on 24 October 1939 and returned there on 14 November. The U-boat began her first patrol in the North Sea, keeping to the Norwegian side. Service career 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th patrols She was scuttled at Wilhelmshaven in May 1945. She then joined the 21st flotilla as a 'school' or training boat in November 1940 where she remained for the rest of the war. U-61 carried out eleven war patrols, sinking five ships for a total of 19,668 GRT and damaging one of 4,434 tons. U-61 was initially assigned to the 5th U-boat Flotilla during her training period, until 1 January 1940, when she was re-assigned to the 1st flotilla for a front-line combat role. She was launched on 15 June 1939 and commissioned on 12 August under the command of Oberleutnant Jürgen Oesten. Ordered on 21 June 1937, she was laid down on 1 October as 'Werk' 260. She was built by Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel. German submarine U-61 was a Type IIC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine that served in the Second World War. * 22nd U-boat Flotilla (School or training Boat)įive ships sunk, total 19,668 tons one ship of 4,434 tons damaged

* 1st U-boat Flotilla (Front or operational boat) For other ships of the same name, see German submarine U-61.

1939 german u boat watch