German submarine U - 44 ( 1939 ) German submarine " U - 44 " was a Type IXA U - boat of the Nazi German " Kriegsmarine " that operated during World War II . She was ordered in November 1936 and laid down in September 1938 in Bremen . She was launched in August 1939 and commissioned in November . During her service in the " Kriegsmarine " , " U - 44 " conducted only two war patrols and sank a total of eight enemy vessels for a loss of 30 , 885 GRT . On 13 March 1940 , she struck a mine that was located in field Number 7 off the north coast of the Netherlands . All 47 of her s crew members went down with the submarine . Construction . " U - 44 " was ordered by the " Kriegsmarine " on 21 November 1936 ( as part of Plan Z and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles ) . She was laid down on 15 September 1938 by AG Weser , in Bremen as " Werk 949 " . " U - 44 " was launched on 5 August 1939 and commissioned on 4 November of that same year under the command of " Korvettenkapitän " Ludwig Mathes . " U - 44 " had two MAN M9V40 / 46 supercharged 9 - cylinder diesel engines , that put out as well as two SSW GU345 / 34 double - acting electric motors that produced and allowed her to travel at while surfaced and submerged . She had a range of at while on the surface and at while submerged . " U - 44 " had six torpedo tubes ( four in the bow , two in the stern ) . She also carried a total of 22 torpedoes and had a 105 mm / 45 deck gun with 110 rounds . She was equipped with the standard 2 cm FlaK 30 anti - aircraft gun . " U - 44 " had a crew of forty seven men , however she could hold up to fifty six . After being commissioned and deployed , " U - 44 " was stationed in the German port of Wilhelmshaven . This city was to be her home for the rest of her short career . History . " U - 44 " had a very short operational life . During her service with the " Kriegsmarine " , she took part in only two combat patrols . After training exercises with the 6th U - boat Flotilla from 4 November to 31 December 1939 , " U - 44 " was assigned as the front boat for the 2nd U - boat Flotilla on 1 January 1940 . She was to remain a part of this flotilla until her loss . First patrol . The first of " U - 44 " s two patrols began on 6 January 1940 when she left Wilhelmshaven for the North Sea , eventually circumnavigating the British Isles , travelling as far south as the Bay of Biscay and Portugal . It was in these two locations that " U - 44 " sank her first ( and last ) merchant ships . Following these victories , she headed north again , travelling just north of the coast of Scotland and back into the North Sea . She then returned to Wilhelmshaven , arriving there on 9 February 1940 . Over a period of thirty - five days , " U - 44 " sank eight merchant ships , for a total loss of 30 , 885 tons . Second patrol . Unlike her first outing , " U - 44 " s second patrol was a disaster , not even lasting through the first day . After spending more than a month in Wilhelmshaven , she began her second patrol on 13 March 1940 . A few hours after leaving port , " U - 44 " entered mine field Number 7 , just off of the northern coast of the Netherlands . This particular minefield was laid by the British destroyers HMS " Esk " , " Express " , " Icarus " , " Faulknor " and " Impulsive " . Upon entering the minefield , " U - 44 " struck one of the devices and sank at . All forty - seven of her crew were lost . Previously recorded fate . Sunk by HMS " Fortune " on 20 March 1940 . Summary of raiding career . During her service , " U - 44 " sank eight commercial ships for a loss of . All of these ships were sunk during her first patrol .