Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
Kriegsmarine — Submarine

German submarine U-855

Type IXC/40 submarine

Displacement
1,126 long tons (1,144 t)
Length
76.76 m (251.8 ft)
Beam
6.86 m (22.5 ft)
Speed
19 knots (35.2 km/h, 21.9 mph)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

Service

  1. Kriegsmarine as U-8552 August 1943 — 11 September 1944406 days of the war
Type IXC/40 submarine Particulars
Name
U-855
Builder
DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Ordered
5 June 1941
Laid down
21 October 1942
Launched
17 April 1943
Commissioned
2 August 1943
Fate
Missing since 11 September 1944, probably sunk by mine in position 63 on 17 September 1944
By mine (1944)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, surfaced
1,126 long tons (1,144 t)
Displacement, submerged
1,237 long tons (1,257 t)
Length
76.76 m (251.8 ft) OA
Beam
6.86 m (22.5 ft)
Draught
4.67 m (15.3 ft)
Speed
19 knots (35.2 km/h, 21.9 mph)
Range
13,850 nmi (25,650 km)
Complement
48
Main gun
105 mm (4.1 in)

U-855 was a Type IXC/40 submarine built for the Kriegsmarine. DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen laid her keel on 21 October 1942. She entered service on 2 August 1943, having been launched on 17 April 1943.

Her class ran to 142 ships. The class followed the Type I and was succeeded by the Type XXI.

The boat displaced 1,126 long tons surfaced and 1,237 long tons submerged. She measured 76.8 m (252 ft) long with a beam of 6.9 m (23 ft). Her designed speed was 19 knots, and she carried a complement of 48.

Her main battery was one 105 mm (4.1 in) guns.

She was in commission for 406 days of the Second World War.

She was sunk on 11 September 1944 by mine, at 63°10′N 12°30′W. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × diesel engines
  • 2 × electric motors
Power
  • 4400 PS (diesels)
  • 1000 PS (electric)
Armament
  • 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)
  • 22 × 53.3 cm torpedoes
  • 1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds)
  • 1 × 3.7 cm SK C/30 AA gun
  • 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns

Sister ships

117 more in the class

Sources