Soviet submarine operations 1942

In 1942 the Soviet Baltic Fleet planned large submarine operations against merchant shipping. There were still 33 boats left after the disastrous year 1941. 30 of them were to be repaired and prepared for operations. The boats would sail in three groups with at least 10 boats in every group. Finland and Germany had captured the islands Suursaari, Tytärsaari and Pien-Tytärsaari, but Lavansaari, Peninsaari and Seiskari were in Soviet hands. These islands would form the stepping stone for submarine operations.

The first group had 10 boats: two of M-class, six of Щ-class and two of S-class. They began to sail in the end of May. At first the small M-class boats did reconnaissance, but found out only that a large minefield had been laid across the Gulf of Finland, east from Suursaari. Some sources claim that M 95 was sunk by a Finnish plane 28 May while en route from Kronstadt to Lavansaari. However, Soviet sources deny this. The target was M 97 that sailed following day from Lavansaari to recon. After M-class boats sailed the larger Щ and S boats:

Of the ten boats eight managed to break through the minefields. They sunk eight merchantmen and damaged three. Two Щ class and one M class submarines were lost.

The second group started to sail in August, dark nights and stormy weather assisting them. The group had three M class boats, four Щ class, one S, one L and the former Estonian Lembit:

Of the ten boats nine managed to break through the minefields. They sunk six merchantmen and damaged one. One small M class submarine was lost.

The third and last group was also the largest. It had 16 boats of which seven had already done one patrol. The group had 10 Щ-class boats, three of S-class and one D-class, L-class and M-class boat. Basically they were divided so, that the S-class boats with highest endurance would operate in the Gulf of Bothnia and Щ-boats mostly in the Ahvenanmeri area. The boats began to sail in September, when dark nights and stormy weather would give some help:

The rest of the boats were six Щ-class boats that sailed in October: Of the 16 boats of the last group 8 were lost. They sunk four ships (one of them by mine) and damaged another four.

The total balance of the massive submarine operation is quite negative for the Soviet submarine fleet. 28 boats made 36 war patrols in six months. 30 patrols were destinated to Baltic Sea and six to attack mostly the Helsinki-Tallinn route. Of the 30 boats to Baltic Sea, 23 managed to break through the minefields. Ten boats managed to sink enemy ships, sinking together 18 merchantmen (37 789 tons) by torpedo or gunfire. 10 damaged ships were saved. The only certain loss to Soviet submarine mines is s/s Hindenburg. The Soviet submarine losses were 12 units with six more heavily damaged. Nine of the boats were destroyed before they reached the open Baltic Sea and three boats in Ahvenanmeri by Finnish submarines.

The Soviet submarine operation caused almost a panic in the Baltic Sea area. It had been assumed that the trade routes were safe and so no escorts or convoy systems were prepared. Time consuming coastal routes and loading and unloading in the crowded harbours resulted in loss of sea transport capacity. In addition the best training area of Kriegsmarine in the southern Baltic was no more secure. Soviet boats caused chaos, but they were not very effective. During the six months of Soviet submarine operation approximately 6 000 ships sailed in the Baltic Sea. The submarines managed to sink or damage 28 of them.

Ships sunk by submarines [Ekm86].
Date Ship Nationality BRT Place Submarine
16.6. Argo Fin 2513 Bogskär Щ 317
22.6. Ada Gorthon Swe 2425 Möckleby Щ 317
5.7. Anna Karin Fritzen Ger 676 Memel Щ 320
8.7. Otto Cords Ger 966 Hanöbukten Щ 317
9.7. Margareta Swe 1272 Kråkelund S 7
11.7. Luleå Swe 5611 Idö S 7
30.7. Käthe Ger 1599 Steinort S 7
5.8. Pohjanlahti Fin 683 Uzjava S 7
18.8. C F Liljevalch Swe 5513 Västervik L 3
11.9. Hera Fin 1379 Selkämeri S 13
11.9. Jussi H. Fin 2325 Selkämeri S 13
12.9. Bonden Fin 695 Ahvenanmeri Щ 309
18.9. Anna W. Dutch 290 Kaskinen S 13
28.9. Franz Rudolf Ger 1419 Stolpebank Щ 310
14.10. Jacobus Fritzen Ger 4090 Ystad D 2
26.10. Betty H. Fin 2478 Ahvenanmeri Щ 307
29.10. Bengt Sture Swe 872 Trelleborg Щ 406
1.11. Agnes Fin 2983 Rixhöft Щ 406



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Last modified 18.7.2008.