30 Flotilla Submarines ( Constanta )

Hello l, my intention is asked if they know some web or other sites where contain information about 30 U-flotilla german that was in Constance in the WW2.

There is little information about this flotilla and his operations in the black sea, maybe you could help me to find more information.

Thank you for his attention.

greetings

In April 1942, the Kriegsmarine decided to bring six class II-B subs in the Black Sea. Because the Bosphorus Straits were closed to military ships, the ships had to be brought from the Baltic through the mainland.

The first three (U-9, U-19 and U-24) were lightened by some 50 tons by removing the Diesel engines, the electric motors and the batteries. From Kiel they were towed on the Northern Baltic Channel, then on the Elba all the way to Dresden. From there the subs were trasported on the highway to Ingolstadt. There they were launched in the Danube and mounted on pontoons. This way they travelled to Linz, where the engines were reinstalled and they travelled on their own to Sulina. The three subs became operational in the Black Sea between 26 October and 9 November 1942. In May-June 1943, teh other three (U-18, U-20 and U-23) arrived. The Flotilla was based at Constanta.

The first attack was made by U-24 (CO Petersen) at Poti on 5 November 1942, but with an unknown result. The first sinking was on 14 February 1943, by U-19, which torpedoed the Krasnii Profintern (4,648 tons) cargoship SE of Tuapse.

Other claims:
1. U-19, 23 March 1943, damaged a 2,000 ton cargo at Gagry
2. U-24, 31 March 1943, sunk the oil tanker Sovietskaya Neft (8,228 tons)
3. U-24, 15 June 1943, sunk an armed fishing ship
4. U-18, 23 JUne 1943, sunk the cargo ship Leningrad (1,783 tons)

During the first 6 months of operations, the subs have been 276 days at sea and were involved in 19 torpedo attacks.

5. U-18, 17 July 1943, sunk the cargo ship Voroshilov (3,908 tons)
6. U-24, 30 July 1943, sunk the cargo ship Emba (7,886 tons)
7. U-24, 22 August 1943, sunk two small motor boats and one tug.
8. U-18, 29 August 1943, sunk a submarine hunter
9. U-9, 29 October 1943, damaged an oil tanker near Soci
and the list could go on.

In 1943, the Flotilla made 30 war patrols, totaling 765 days at sea, with 79 torpedoes launched in 42 attacks, which led to the sinking of six large transports of oil tankers, an armed fishing boat, three narges and three patrol ships (in total 24,850 tons). Further 24, 000 tons were claimed damaged.

See also the thread on Class IIB submarines in the Black Sea.

From uboat.net

Btw, Kplt. Helmut Rosenbaum was the captain of the sub that had sunk the carrier HMS Eagle in the Med.

The surviving U-boats were scuttled along the Turkish coast and these 4 U-boats were recently discovered in excellent condition.

Daily Telegraph website

This post has been edited by Kiwi on December 31, 2008 12:08 pm

The commander of 30 U-Flotilla, Kapitaleutnant Helmut Rosenbaum was lost on May, 10th, 1944 as a result of flight accident near Constantza. Has taken off from Constantza on a call of Donitz and in some minutes after launch the plane crashed. Korvettenkapitän (posthumous).

Do you know details of the Luftwaffe airplane (seaplane?) and its unit, involved in the accident?

Gen. Dénes

Sorry, no.