# German submarine U-600

German submarine U-600 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 25 January 1941 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 576, launched on 16 October 1941 and commissioned on 11 December 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Bernhard Zurmühlen.

## Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-600 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-600 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

## Service history

The boat's service began on 11 December 1941 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 3rd Flotilla, operating out of La Pallice, France, on 1 August 1942 for active service in the North Atlantic.
In six patrols she sank five merchant ships, for a total of 28,600 GRT, plus three merchant ships damaged.

### Wolfpacks

U-600 took part in eight wolfpacks, namely:
* Draufgänger (29 November – 11 December 1942)
* Raufbold (11 – 22 December 1942)
* Knappen (19 – 25 February 1943)
* Burggraf (4 – 5 March 1943)
* Raubgraf (7 – 20 March 1943)
* Drossel (29 April – 5 May 1943)
* Schill 1 (16 – 22 November 1943)
* Weddigen (22 – 25 November 1943)

### Fate

U-600 was sunk on 25 November 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 40°31′N 22°07′W﻿ / ﻿40.517°N 22.117°W﻿ / 40.517; -22.117, by depth charges from Royal Navy frigates HMS Bazely and HMS Blackwood. All 45 hands were lost.

## Summary of raiding history

| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate |
| 10 August 1942 | Vivian P. Smith | United Kingdom | 130 | Sunk |
| 13 August 1942 | Delmundo | United States | 5,032 | Sunk |
| 13 August 1942 | Everelza | Latvia | 4,520 | Sunk |
| 8 December 1942 | James McKay | United States | 6,762 | Sunk |
| 24 February 1943 | Ingria | Norway | 4,391 | Damaged |
| 17 March 1943 | Irénée Du Pont | United States | 6,125 | Damaged |
| 17 March 1943 | Nariva | United Kingdom | 8,714 | Damaged |
| 17 March 1943 | Southern Princess | United Kingdom | 12,156 | Sunk |