Type: II-D
Built by: Deutsche Werke (Kiel)
Launched: 16 November, 1940
Commissioned: 2 November, 1940
Feldpost Nr.: M19049
Sunk: 2 June 1941
Sunk by: HMS WANDERER (DD), HMS PERIWINKLE (CV)
Location sunk: NW of Ireland
Position sunk: 56.38N x 10.24W (all hands lost; 26 men)

There were only two Skippers of U-147; REINHARD HARDEGEN (KNIGHTS CROSS with OAK LEAVES) who put her into commission then commanded U-123 where he made history by sinking the first ship in Operation ‘PAUKENSCHLAG’ (DRUMBEAT); then Eberhard Wetjen who was I.W.O. under HARDEGEN, took command 11 December 1941 until the loss of the boat.

U-147 was attached to the 1st U-Bootflottille, then to the 3rd U-Bootflottille as a Frontboot (combat boat). Both the 1st and the 3rd were then based at Kiel.

U-147 had three war patrols in the North Atlantic. She was lost with all hands on her third patrol.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-147 UNDER HARDEGEN
02.03.41	AUGVALD	Norw stmr	4,811 GRT
SHIPS SUNK BY U-147 UNDER WETJEN
27.04.41	RIMFAKSE	Norw stmr	1,334 GRT
31.05.41	GRAVELINES	Brit stmr	2,491 GRT
SHIPS DAMAGED BY U-147 UNDER HARDEGEN
02.06.41	MOKAMBO	Belg mtrshp	4,996 GRT

U-147 was the subject of a fictional television show ‘ONE STEP BEYOND’ on Sunday, 3 July 1983 which we reported in KTB #6. It was purely fiction and had nothing at all to do with the history of U-147. It appeared they just picked that number at random for the story they had.