| Operations information for U-56 |
25.08.1939 - 08.09.1939
First Sailing - active patrol
U-56 left Wilhelmshaven under the command of Wilhelm Zahn on 25th Aug 1939 and arrived at Kiel on 8th Sep 1939 after two weeks.
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12.09.1939 - 19.09.1939
Second Sailing - active patrol
On the 12th Sep 1939, U-56 left Kiel under the command of Wilhelm Zahn and returned to Kiel on 19th Sep 1939 after one week on patrol.
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23.10.1939 - 13.11.1939
Third Sailing - active patrol
U-56 departed under Wilhelm Zahn from Kiel on 23rd Oct 1939 and arrived back at Kiel on 13th Nov 1939 after three weeks on patrol.
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27.11.1939 - 05.12.1939
Fourth Sailing - active patrol
U-56 left Kiel under the command of Wilhelm Zahn on 27th Nov 1939 and returned just over one week later to Kiel on 5th Dec 1939.
Wilhelm Zahn hit two ships on this patrol.-
On 2nd Dec 1939 he sank the Swedish 2,119 ton Rudolf.
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On 2nd Dec 1939 he damaged the British 3,829 ton Eskdene.
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27.12.1939 - 11.01.1940
Fifth Sailing - active patrol
On the 27th Dec 1939, U-56 left Kiel under the command of Wilhelm Zahn and arrived back at Kiel just over two weeks later on 11th Jan 1940.
U-56 laid mines on this patrol. These mines were hit by 1 ship.
The 1,333 ton Finnish Onto was sunk by a mine on 23rd Jan 1940.
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27.01.1940 - 17.02.1940
Sixth Sailing - active patrol
U-56 departed under Otto Harms from Kiel on 27th Jan 1940 and after three weeks arrived at Wilhelmshaven on 17th Feb 1940.
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04.03.1940 - 05.03.1940
Seventh Sailing
U-56 left Wilhelmshaven under the command of Otto Harms on 4th Mar 1940 and arrived back at Wilhelmshaven on 5th Mar 1940 after one day.
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14.03.1940 - 20.03.1940
Eighth Sailing - active patrol
On the 14th Mar 1940, U-56 left Wilhelmshaven under the command of Otto Harms and returned six days later to Wilhelmshaven on 20th Mar 1940.
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04.04.1940 - 26.04.1940
Ninth Sailing - active patrol
U-56 departed under Otto Harms from Wilhelmshaven on 4th Apr 1940 and arrived at Kiel on 26th Apr 1940 after just over three weeks.
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21.05.1940 - 14.06.1940
Tenth Sailing - active patrol
U-56 left Kiel under the command of Otto Harms on 21st May 1940 and after three and a half weeks arrived at Wilhelmshaven on 14th Jun 1940.
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29.06.1940 - 21.07.1940
Eleventh Sailing - active patrol
On the 29th Jun 1940, U-56 left Wilhelmshaven under the command of Otto Harms and arrived at Lorient on 21st Jul 1940 after just over three weeks.
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25.07.1940 - 14.08.1940
Twelfth Sailing - active patrol
U-56 departed under Otto Harms from Lorient on 25th Jul 1940 and returned nearly three weeks later to Lorient on 14th Aug 1940.
Otto Harms hit two ships on this patrol, one was from convoy OB-193.-
On 5th Aug 1940 he sank the British 5,408 ton Boma, sailing with convoy OB-193.
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On 10th Aug 1940 he sank the British 16,923 ton HMS Transylvania.
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19.08.1940 - 15.09.1940
Thirteenth Sailing - active patrol
U-56 left Lorient under the command of Otto Harms on 19th Aug 1940 and arrived at Kiel on 15th Sep 1940 after nearly four weeks.
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