Friday, July 27, 2018

U-156-- Part 3: Sank 28 Fishing Boats and Presumed Sunk By a Mine On Way Home


Afterwards, the U-156 headed north to attack the U.S. fishing fleet where it sank 21 ships in the Gulf of Maine area. ranging from the 72-ton schooner Nelson A on August 4 to the 766-ton Dornfonttein on August 2.

On August 5 it sank the tanker Luz Blanca off Halifax and captured the Canadian trawler  Triumph off Nova Scotia.  The crew manned and armed this ship and used it in conjunction with the submarine to capture and sink seven other fishing boats in the Grand Banks area. after which they scuttled the Canadian ship.

After that, the U-156 returned home, but hadn't reported by September 25 and in the days that followed  It is believed that the submarine was negotiating the Northern barrage Mine Field between the United Kingdom and Norway and it is presumed that she struck a mine and sank.

The British almost sank her after they  intercepted a message from it telling its course and a British submarine was sent out to attack  but the U-156 dove and got away.  But it never made it home, nor were any of her crew seen again.

Quite A Story.  --Cooter

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