Victory Marking of U-155

 

Image size: 1600 x 1079 pixel. 485 KB
Date: Tuesday, 15 September 1942
Place: Lorient, Brittany, France
Photographer: Unknown

Victory marking were seen far less frequently on the deck guns of U-boats than on Army or Air Force weapons, which were often adorned with rings or silhouettes to represent successes. Our photographs prove that this did, take place on occasion. The submarine is the U-155, which in September 1942 “booked” two sinkings by its 105mm gun in the form of ship silhouettes on the barrel. Commanded by Kapitänleutnant Adolf Cornelius Piening, the IX C boat achieved these sinkings on its third patrol (9 July – 15 September 1942), which took place in the Caribbean. First the Dutch coastal motor ship “Draco” crossed U-155’s path on 5 August 1942. The small freighter (389 GRT) had no chance to escape and apparently was not worth a torpedo to Piening. The freighter was therefore quickly dispatched by the deck gun after the crew had taken to the lifeboats. Five days later U-155 engaged the Dutch “Strabo”, another small ship of just 383 GRT. Piening remained true to his rule, sinking the vessel with its 105mm gun. All told, the U-155 sank ten ships on this patrol totaling 43,514 GRT. Also visible in the photo are two emblems on the conning tower: the first is the emblem of the sponsor city of Schwelm, introduced under Kapitänleutnant Piening. The second the emblem of the 10. Unterseebootsflotille (10th Submarine Flotilla), a type IX boat against a Balkenkreuz (bar cross). This reflected the fact that the 10th Flotilla was equipped exclusively with type IX boats.

Source:

"U-Boot Im Focus" edition no.2 - 2007