Type: IX-D2
Built by: AG Weser (Bremen)
Launched: 21 May 1942
Commissioned: 10 October 1942
Feldpost Nr.: M49177
Sunk: 20 August 1943
Sunk by: RAF A/C of Squadrons 259 and 265
Location sunk: South of Madagascar
Position sunk: 28º 40’S x 42º 36’E (all hands lost, 67 men)

Here is a drawing to celebrate their patrol in the fabled South Pacific with images of the old sailing ships in the background. What is so interesting is the fact that the Skipper was a Kapitänleutnant and the Chief Engineer was also a Kapitänleutnant, a fairly high ranking officer for that position.

The only C. O. of U-197 was Korvettenkapitän Robert Bartels. He had also commanded U-139 and U-561 and was lost with his crew when U-197 was destroyed.

U-197 was lost on her first patrol, which was to take her to Capetown and into the Indian Ocean.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-197 UNDER BARTELS
05.20.43	BENAKAT	Neth tnkr	4,763 GRT
07.24.43	PEGASUS	Swed tnkr	9,583 GRT
8.17.43	EMPIRE STANLEY	Brit mtrshp	6,921 GRT

On 30 July 1943, U-197 also damaged the American tanker WILLIAM ELLERY. She was a new ship, built in 1942, owned by WSA and operated by the Pope & Talbot line. Her Master was David S. McDonald and she drew 16 feet under her cargo of generalmerchandise. Her armament included one four inch and one three inch deck gun, and eight 20mm automatic guns and she was making 11.5 knots when attacked.

She departed Basra, Iraq on 9 July bound for Durban, South Africa. She was but 300 miles from that port when Bartels spotted her and fired one torpedo, which struck portside at the #4 hatch. The concussion was so great that the ship swerved to port, probably due to the added drag of the huge hole in her side.

As the ship’s compliment of eight officers, thirty-one men and twenty-seven Armed Guards went to their boat stations, another torpedo was seen to pass down the port side and under the stern but it did not explode.

The Chief Engineer told the Master that they could keep the ship afloat if they went to work immediately. They did, and with the ship still making nine knots, they secured the watertight doors, shored them up and the ship made port in Durban with no injuries. She was repaired there and returned to service.