RN SUBMARINES BY NUMBERS
Having made its mark in September 1914, the submarine has since proved a vital component of the Royal Navy. John Ash unpicks the key numerics
158 A XIS WARSHIPS SUNK
Germany operated half of all submarines used in both World Wars and in World War One its 373 U-boats ranked supreme. Combined, they sank 6,000 merchant vessels (some 13,000,000 tonnes) and 90 warships, including ten battleships. The conflict’s 34 highest-scoring submarines were all U-boats, with the U-35’s 224 ships and 539,711 tonnes unsurpassed even today.
In World War Two, 1,170 U-boats sank 148 warships – including two battleships, five carriers, six cruisers, 52 destroyers, nine submarines and at least 2,779 merchant vessels (also some 13,000,000 tonnes). The US Navy’s 263 submarines sank 1,113 merchant ships (5,320,094 tonnes) on 1,587 patrols between 1941-45, as well as 201 warships including a battleship, nine carriers, 15 cruisers and 22 submarines. US subs accounted for 54.6% of Japanese ships (and 25% of Japan’s warships), but with 20% losses – 52 submarines and 3,506 men – the US Submarine Force had the highest casualty rate of any American service branch. Kriegsmarine losses were 784 U-boats and 30…
