U-593
|
Type |
VIIC |
|
|
Laid down |
17 Dec 1940 |
Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
|
Commissioned |
23 Oct 1941 |
Kptlt. Gerd Kelbling (Knights Cross) |
|
Commander |
10.41 - 12.43 |
Kptlt. Gerd Kelbling |
|
Career |
16 patrols |
10.41 - 02.42 8thFlotilla
(Königsberg) |
|
Successes |
13 ships sunk for
a total of 43,005 tons |
|
|
Fate |
Sunk 13 Dec, 1943 after a 32 hour-chase in the western Mediterranean north of Constantine, in position 37.38N, 05.58E, by depth charges from the US destroyer USS Wainwright and the British escort destroyer HMS Calpe. Entire crew survived. |
|
Data from www.uboat.net -- Copied with permission from author.
THE SINKING OF U-593
FROM THE LOG OF U.S.S. WAINWRIGHT
UNITED STATES SHIP WAINWRIGHT (419) Monday 13 December 1943.
ZONE DESCRIPTION -1 REMARKS
0-4
Underway in company with USS BENSON and HMS CALPE conducting anti-submarine search in accordance with Cincmed dispatch 121531A of December, 1943. Steaming on base course 330° (t), (pgc), 341° ' (pso), at 17 knots. Steering various courses in accordance with zig-zag Plan #14X. USS BENSON on starboard beam; HMS CALPE; on port beam; distance 4000 yards. 0003 Sighted USS NIBIACK, and SS SHAWROCK. 0005 USS BENSON left formation and joined with NIBLACK to conduct search in assigned area. 0030 Ceased zig-zagging and resumed base course. 0040 Changed base course to 220° , (t), (pgc), 219° (psc). 0044 Changed base course to 160° (t), (pgc). 0120 Steaming on course 098° (t), (pgc), at various high speeds to investigate submarine sighting report (Com. Algiers 0035 of 13 December 1943). Went to general quarters; set material condition "A". 0216 Arrived in contact area. Changed speed to 14 knots (133 RPM). No contacts made. 0220 Commenced steering various courses returning to former area. 0229 HMS CALPE rejoined formation. 0250 Steadied on course 240° (t), (pgc), 243° (psc) 0305 Commenced steering various courses in accordance with zig-zag plan #l4.
G. A. FULT.IAD@l,
Lieutenant (jg) , USNR.
4-8
Underway. 0730 Ceased zis-zagging and changed course to 000° (t), (pgc), 009° , (psc). 0745 Comnenced steering
various courses in accordance with zig-zag plan
A.P. SIBOLD
Lieutenant (jg) , USN.
8-12
Underway. 0800 Mustered crew at quarters; no unauthorized absentees. 0816
HMS CALPE reported sound contact bearing 3101 (t), and dropped charges. Ceased
zigzagging and commenced steering various courses to screen HMS CALPE. 0835
Contact classified false; changed course to 090° (t), (pgc), 0920 (pso). 0845 Commenced
steering various courses in accordance with ziz,-zag plan #14Z. 0946 Sighted
British trawler 201 in company with three motor launches bearing 069° , (t), distant about 22,000 yards.
1012 Ceased zig-zagging and resumed base course. 1015 Changed course to 000° (t), (psc), 009° , (psc). 1030 Commenced steering
various courses in accordance with zig-zag plan #14Z. Made daily visual inspection
of , magazines and smokeless powder samples; conditions normal.
D. D. Wicks
Ensign, USNR
12-16
Underway. 1243 Ceased zigzagging. Changed course to 090° , (t), (pgc), 095".(psc).1350
HMS CALPE made sound contact. Commenced steaming on various courses at 10
knots to screen CALPE. 1400 Contact classified as false. Changed speed to
14 knots (133 RPM) and resumed base course 090° (t), (pgc), 095° (psc). 1408 Made. sound contact
bearing 015° (t), range 500
yards. Commenced steering various courses to investigate. 1410 Changed speed
to 15 knots (143 RPM). Commenced steering various courses to conduct depth
charge attack. 1415 Commenced dropping depth charges. 1415 1/2 Ceased dropping,
having expended 3 Mk. 6 and 2 Mk. 7 depth charges. 1423 HMS CALPE
made sound contact. 1425 HMS CALPE commenced dropping depth charges. 1435
Regained sound contact bearing 340°
(t), range 1400 yards. Changed speed to 10 knots (092 RPM). 1440 HMS CALPE
made sound contact bearing 345°
(t), range 1300 yards from this vessel. 1444 HMS CALPE commenced dropping
depth charges. 1447 German submarine broke surface bearing 125° (t), range 1800 yards. Commenced
firing at submarine. Changed course- toward submarine. Changed speed to 25
knots. 1448 Went to general quarters; set material condition "A". 1449
Submarine crew commenced abandoning ship. Ceased firing having expended 11
rounds 5"/38 cal. AA Common service projectiles, 11 rounds 5"/38 cal. Powder
cartridges, service, SPD index #2737; 40 rounds 40 MM service ammunition;
and 390 rounds 20 MM He and HET service ammunition. Commenced steaming
on various courses at various speeds conducting rescue operations with HMS
CALPE. 1500 Boarding party left the ship to investigate submarine. 1508 Submarine
sank. 1514 Boarding party returned to the ship. Completed rescue operations.
picked up the following named survivors from German submarine: Kapitanleutnant
GERD KELBLING (Commanding Officer); Lieutnant sur zee (Eng) MARTIN LIEBIG,
(Eng. Officer); HANS HEEP No. 10/159141 (Equiv. Slc); PETER SIEBERICHS, No.
6633/425 (Equiv. Slc); ROBERT DEISTRENG, No. 425/38T (Equiv CMm); GUNTHER
HUBNERT, No. 2376/395 (Equiv TM2c); HERMAN LUDWIG, No. 987/345 (equiv CQm);
OTTO PULZER, No. 259741T (Equiv Slc, Mach. Striker). 1530 Steadied on course
249° (t), (pgc) 250° (psc); speed 15 knots (143 RPM).
1550 Changed speed to 21 knots (206 RPM), enroute to Algiers in company
with HMS CALPE. (Action report forwarded under separate cover).
F.R.S. SELLERS,
Lieutenant, USN
Approved: Examined:W. W.
STROHBEHN, R.C. SMARTCommander, U.S. Navy, Lieutenant,
Commanding.
Michael Lawrenson contributed the pictures below. The pictures were taken by his grandfather Lawrence Edward Lawrenson. Lawrence was head of the forward gun crew on the HMS Calpe. Lawrence and his gun crew fired on U-593 when it surfaced. Lawrenson was severely wounded twice whilst in service in the Mediterranean. After each recovery he was posted back to the HMS Calpe. Althrough Lawrence survived the war, he died in the late 1970's due to affects of the injuries sustained in the war.
U-593 Sinking - It is unknown if the liferaft is the boarding party from the USS Wainwright or some of the U-593 crew.
HMS Calpe docking after sinking U-593. Pictured are both the HMS Calpe Crew along with some of the crew from U-593.
HMS Calpe
The HMS Calpe forward gun crew.
Lawrence Edward Lawrenson is on the left.