History of U-Boat U-659, U-659
was a type VIIC U-Boat.
Built by Howaldtswerke in Hamburg, Laid down ion
the 12th February 1941 and launched on the 14th October 1941.
U-659 was commanded by KL Hans Stock until she was sunk on the 4th of
May 1943 with the loss of her captain and 43 crew only three survived.
U-659 served with 5 U-Flottille based at Kiel from
December 1941 until August 1942 and then with 9 U-Flottille based at
Brest.
U-659 did Five Patrols and sank One ship and
damaging three others
U-659's first patrol was to the North Atlantic,
leaving on the 15th August 1942 from Kiel. Joining the Vorwarts
Group of U-Boats, with the Stier Group attacked the Convoy ON127 on the
10th of September 1942. U-659 torpedoed and damaged the Oil Tanker SS
Empire Oil (This tanker was sunk later that day by U-584) at this
time U-659 had been attacked and damaged by the convoy escorts and had
to return to Brest arriving there on the 16th of September 1942.
On the 14th October 1942 U-659 started her second
Patrol, heading the the canaries Islands. On the 30th of October U-659
sank a damaged Oil tanker MV Bulmouth which had earlier been torpedoed
by U-409. After this success U-659 Torpedoed the SS Corinaldo
which had also been previously damaged by U-509 and sank two hours later
when she was again attacked and torpedoed by U-203.
That evening U-659 attacked the Convoy SL125
torpedoing the MV Tasmania damaging the Tasmania which just around
midnight was sunk by U103. During that night and the early
hours of the 31st U-659 was damaged by depth Charge attacks by escorts
and had to return to Brest for repairs. arriving on the 5th of November
1942.
Her third patrol was with the Spitz group taking
part in the attack on the Convoy ONS 154 which lost three ships but no
success for U-659. returning to Brest on the 5th of January 1943.
U-659 fourth patrol was to the North Atlantic
joining the Neptun group. her fifth and final patrol started on
the 25th of April 1943 joining the Drossel group. On the 3rd of May a
reconnaissance aircraft reported a convoy and the group moved in. In bad
weather and stormy seas U-659 started to make its approach for the
attack but while running on the surface U-659 and the U-Boat U -439n
collided. U-659 Sank immediately with only three crew surviving, U-439
was badly holed in the forward areas, and took in water from the
heavy seas and finally sank, with only nine survivors the twelve survivors
from the U-boats were picked up by one of the Escorts of the Convoy.
