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| U-125 | Type IXC |
| Feldpost Number | M 32 765 |
| Construction Yard | Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, (AG Weser) Bremen |
| Yard Number | 988 |
| Ordered | 7th Aug 1939 |
| Keel laid | 10th May 1940 |
| Launched | 10th Dec 1940 |
| Commissioned | 3rd Mar 1941 |
| Baubelehrung | Baubelehrung U-Boote Nordsee, Bremen | | Training, Flotillas and Duties | | 03.41 - 05.43 | 2.U-Flottille, Wilhelmshaven & Lorient
Ausbildungsboot (under training)
Frontboot (operational)
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| Commanders | | 03.41 - 12.41 | KL Günter Kuhnke
see also: U-28 U-853 |
| 12.41 - 05.43 | KL Ulrich Folkers
see also: U-37 |
| Operations information for U-125 | 15.07.1941 - 28.07.1941
First Sailing - active patrol
U-125 left Kiel under the command of Günter Kuhnke on 15th Jul 1941 and arrived at return on 28th Jul 1941 after nearly two weeks.
| 12.08.1941 - 05.11.1941
Second Sailing - active patrol
On the 12th Aug 1941, U-125 left Lorient under the command of Günter Kuhnke and after just over twelve weeks arrived at return on 5th Nov 1941.
| 18.12.1941 - 23.02.1942
Third Sailing - active patrol
U-125 departed under Ulrich Folkers from Lorient on 18th Dec 1941 and arrived at return on 23rd Feb 1942 after nine and a half weeks.
Ulrich Folkers hit one ship on this patrol.-
On 26th Jan 1942 he sank the American 5,666 ton West Ivis.
This patrol was part of the historic Operation Paukenschlag or Drumbeat - the first U-Boat operations in American waters.
| 04.04.1942 - 13.06.1942
Fourth Sailing - active patrol
U-125 left Lorient under the command of Ulrich Folkers on 4th Apr 1942 and after ten weeks arrived at return on 13th Jun 1942.
Ulrich Folkers hit nine ships on this patrol.-
On 23rd Apr 1942 he sank the American 5,102 ton Lammot Du Pont.
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On 3rd May 1942 he sank the 1,973 ton San Rafael.
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On 4th May 1942 he sank the American 5,687 ton Tuscaloosa City.
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On 6th May 1942 he sank the American 1,946 ton Green Island.
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On 6th May 1942 he sank the British 6,404 ton Empire Buffalo.
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On 9th May 1942 he sank the Canadian 11,941 ton Calgarolite.
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On 14th May 1942 he sank the 2,493 ton Comayagua.
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On 18th May 1942 he sank the American 2,616 ton William J Salman.
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On 18th May 1942 he sank the American 8,893 ton Mercury Sun.
| 27.07.1942 - 06.11.1942
Fifth Sailing - active patrol
On the 27th Jul 1942, U-125 left Lorient under the command of Ulrich Folkers and arrived at return on 6th Nov 1942 after fourteen and a half weeks.
Ulrich Folkers hit six ships on this patrol.-
On 1st Sep 1942 he sank the British 815 ton Ilorin.
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On 23rd Sep 1942 he sank the British 5,335 ton Bruyère.
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On 29th Sep 1942 he sank the British 3,391 ton Baron Ogilvy.
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On 30th Sep 1942 he sank the British 5,447 ton Kumsang.
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On 30th Sep 1942 he sank the British 6,015 ton Empire Avocet.
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On 8th Oct 1942 he sank the British 4,412 ton Glendene.
| 09.12.1942 - 19.02.1943
Sixth Sailing - active patrol
U-125 departed under Ulrich Folkers from Lorient on 9th Dec 1942 and after over ten weeks arrived at return on 19th Feb 1943.
| 13.04.1943 - 06.05.1943
Seventh Sailing
U-125 left Lorient under the command of Ulrich Folkers on 13th Apr 1943 and arrived at return on 6th May 1943 after over three weeks.
Ulrich Folkers hit one ship on this patrol from convoy ONS-5.-
On 4th May 1943 he sank the British 4,737 ton Lorient, sailing with convoy ONS-5.
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| Notes for U-125 | Early in the morning on 6th May 1943 HMS Oribi detected U-125 on radar through heavy fog. She ran down the bearing and rammed the surfaced and surprised boat just abaft the conning tower. The force of the collision slewed the boat around and it passed down the destroyer's port side. U-125 submerged but Oribi got asdic contact and a single depth charge was dropped on the target's estimated position.
U-125 managed to escape. Folkers surfaced and radiod BdU at 0550 (German Summer Time) that he had been rammed at 0501 and was unable to dive due to damage. He requested assistance. A few minutes later HMS Snowflake detected U-125 on radar and within minutes commenced firing at the boat, scoring some hits. When Snowflake considered the boat to be mortally damaged she left to investigate another radar contact which turned out to be HMS Sunflower. When Snowflake returned to U-125 it had gone down probably due to scuttling charges. There were survivors in the water.
Around this time Sunflower arrived and radioed the SNO aboard HMS Tay, however the response was Not approved to pick up survivors. Snowflake and Sunflower returned to their escort duties of convoy ONS-5. Folkers and his 54 crewmen were left to die.
Thanks to Axel Niestlé for his generous help with information about the loss of U-125.
We have 111 crew names for this boat. click here for crew names of U 125
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