German submarine U-25 (1936)

German submarine U-25 was one of two Type IA ocean-going submarines produced by the Nazi German Kriegsmarine. Constructed by AG Weser in Bremen as 'werk' 903, U-25 was commissioned on 6 April 1936. It experienced a short, but successful combat career, sinking eight ships and damaging one.

Until 1940, U-25 was primarily used as training vessel and for propaganda purposes by the Nazi government. During its trials it was found that the Type IA submarine was difficult to handle due to its poor stability and slow dive rate. In early 1940, the boat was called into combat duty due to the shortage of available submarines. U-25 participated in five war patrols, sinking eight ships and badly damaging one.

On 17 January 1940, 10 miles north of Shetland, U-25 torpedoed the SS Polzella. The Enid (Captain Wibe), of then-neutral Norway en route to Dublin, went to assist the Polzella. U-25 then shelled and sank Enid. Her crew escaped in their lifeboats. None of Polzella 's crew survived.

U-25 sank eight vessels for a total of and damaged one for :

Fate
Around 1 August 1940, while on a mine-laying mission near Norway, U-25 passed through British mine barrage number seven and struck a mine. The boat sank, taking all hands with it.