Type: IX-C40
Built by: AG Weser (Bremen)
Launched: 3 June 1942
Commissioned: 24 September 1942
Feldpost Nr.: M49098
Sunk: 22 October 1947
Sunk by: Royal Canadian Navy
Location sunk: Off Halifax
Position sunk: unknown (no men lost)

U-190 in Canada after the war

Skippers of U-190 include Kapitänleutnant Kurt (Max) Wintermeyer from September 1942 through September 1944, then Oberleutnant zur See Hans Edwin Reith until the boat was surrendered on 12 May 1945.

U-190 was part of the 2nd U-Bootflottille based at Lorient. Her first Feindfahrt (war patrol) was in the North Atlantic. The next was off Cape Hatteras in June 1943; off the NE coast of Brazil over November and December of 1943; then in the Gulf of Guinea over April and May of 1944 plus a snorkel passage from Lorient to Flensburg over August through October of 1944. U-190 was ultimately given over to the Royal Canadian Navy who expended her as a target.

One of the crew was a Member of SHARKHUNTERS; and he did not have anything good to say about his Skipper. Turn the page for an honest opinion from his crewmembers.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-190 UNDER WINTERMEYER
03.08.43	EMPIRE LAKELAND	Brit stmr	7,015 GRT
05.25.43	unidentified	???? stmr	???? GRT
(They fired two torpedoes at a freighter and heard the torpedo hit without detonating.)
04.12.44	unidentified	???? stmr	5,000 GRT
(They heard an end of run detonation of their Gnat torpedo after more than 13 minutes. No confirmation.)
SHIPS SUNK BY U-190 UNDER REITH
04.16.45	ESQUIMALT	Cana minesweep	590 GRT

Photo on the right is the snorkel head arrangement of U-190.

Photos are compliments of BILL HARVEY (995-1989) and he sends the account of George Ryning who writes:

“I was an airframe tech. in the RCAF, at Gander (Newfoundland) when the war in Europe ended. After the initial celebration (!!!), our B-24 Liberators of the #10 Bomber-Reconnaissance Squadron RCAF resumed their patrols of the Atlantic. Within a day or two, one of our ‘Lib’s’ came across a German sub, on the surface and headed for Europe with all great haste! Our aircraft opened their bomb doors and flew low over the sub to show that they meant business. There must have been a radio communication established for the sub was told to go to St. John’s.

On the 10th of June 1945 our squadron was moved to Torbay, just out of St. John’s. The word got around that a German sub was tied up in the harbour so on the first week end, I remember going down to the docks with my friends. This would date the photos to be around the middle of June 1945.”

Memories of one of the crew – not pleasant!

WERNER HIRSCHMANN (1325-1989) wrote:

“U-505 was a sister ship to my own U-190 and we were from the same 2nd U-Bootflottille in Lorient. The difference between U-190 and U-505 was the electrical machinery. On U-505 it was from Brown & Bovery with large knife main switches, whereas U-190 had AEG equipment with rotary switches. Aboard U-190 we followed her demise through reception of her short wave signals sent during her final engagement. In 1944 any coded signal picked up by us at sea containing the message ‘Being attacked by air and surface forces’ meant the certain end of that U-boat.

Here is a statement by my own commanding, but not very respected, officer telling the world that he was the youngest submarine captain during the war. Nothing I or the other members of our crew, could say about that man would be very flattering! Ah well – the never-ending battle of the over inflated egos! Is it really important? Doesn’t it reflect the sorry state of our navy in 1944 when most of the men had died and mere kids, including me, were sent out to do a man’s job, not always very effectively?”

He was referring to Oblt. Reith, who was actually 23 years of age when he commanded U-190…definitely not the youngest at all.

WERNER sent another letter in which he states:

U-190 – note the cutaway foredeck. This gave these boats much quicker diving times.

“My captain on U-190, Reith, claiming to be the youngest captain ever. Apart from being the most pompous ass I ever had the misfortune to serve with, his appointment to command U-190 in August 1944 was simply a case of succession – he had been I.W.O. on that boat but later in P.o.W. camp, a tribunal suggested to his officers including myself, to charge him with cowardice in the face of the enemy, if there was ever going to be a suitable environment to do so.”

We know there were Skippers in all navies who weren’t well liked by their crews, some looked on with contempt. Such is life and war.