German submarine U-95 (1940)

German submarine U-95 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 16 September 1939 by Germaniawerft at Kiel as 'werk' 600 and commissioned on 31 August 1940. In seven patrols, she sank eight ships for a total of 28,415 GRT and damaged four other vessels for a total of 27,916 GRT.

U-95 was sunk by a torpedo from a Dutch submarine on 28 November 1941 in the Mediterranean Sea.

Operational career
U-95 was a member of two wolfpacks.

1st patrol
The boat left Kiel for her first patrol on 20 November 1940. She entered the Northern Atlantic Ocean and damaged the Ringhorn on the 28th with her deck gun, having missed with two torpedoes. The merchantman was hit in the funnel and near the bridge, but the action could not be brought to a successful conclusion because of weather conditions. The Germans, believing the ship would sink, left the area but the crew re-boarded her and sailed to Belfast Lough.

U-95 also damaged the Conch on 2 December. This ship had already been hit by U-47 about 370 mi west of Bloody Foreland (Ireland). The boat fired four torpedoes, one of which struck the vessel. She was eventually sunk by U-99.

The submarine headed for her new French Atlantic base, arriving at Lorient on 6 December.

2nd patrol
U-95 continued the business of damaging ships when she attacked, but did not sink, the Walotira 124 mi northwest of Rockall on 26 December 1940. This vessel met her end due to the actions of U-99 on the 27th.

3rd patrol
The boat left Lorient on 16 February 1941 for her third sortie. She sank the Cape Nelson and the Temple Moat south of Iceland on the 24th.

When the Pacific went down on 2 March north of Rockall, there was only one survivor. The destruction of the neutral Murjek was even more bloody. She went to the bottom with all hands on the 5th.

U-95 returned to France, but to St. Nazaire on 19 March.

4th patrol
The boat maintained her success on her fourth patrol, sinking theTaranger 150 mi southwest of Reykavik in Iceland on 3 May 1941.

5th patrol
For her fifth patrol, U-95 damaged the Palma west southwest of Bantry Bay (Ireland) on 20 July 1941. One hit with her deck gun was reported when three rounds had struck their target.

6th patrol
U-95's only kill on her sixth foray was the Trinidad. The relatively small ship was sunk with 37 rounds from the boat's deck gun due west of La Rochelle on 6 September 1941.

7th patrol and loss
The submarine successfully forced the heavily defended Strait of Gibraltar and entered the Mediterranean Sea. She was sunk by a torpedo from the Dutch submarine HNLMS O 21 southwest of Almeria in Spain on 28 November 1941.

35 men died with the U-boat; there were 12 survivors.