7th U-boat Flotilla

7th U-boat Flotilla
150px The emblem of 7th Flotilla, adopted in 1941.
Active	Raised 1938, Dissolved 1944
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Kriegsmarine
Type	U-boat flotilla
Garrison/HQ	Kiel, St. Nazaire
Nickname(s)	Wegener Flotilla
Commanders
Notable commanders	Korvettenkapitän Hans-Rudolf Rösing Korvettenkapitän Adolf Piening

The 7th U-boat Flotilla (German 7. Unterseebootsflottille), also known as Wegener Flotilla, was the seventh operational U-boat combat unit in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. Founded on June 25, 1938 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Werner Sobe, it was named in honour of Kapitänleutnant Bernd Wegener. Wegener, a U-boat commander during World War I, died on August 19, 1915 after his submarine U-27 was sunk by British Q-ship HMS Baralong, which was an atrocity and war crime itself.

The flotilla, under the name "Wegener Flotilla", was founded in Kiel in June 1938. In September 1940, the flotilla left its base in Kiel and moved to St. Nazaire in France. After the change in location, the flotilla was renamed "7th U-boat Flotilla".

This flotilla had one of the most famous emblems from World War II. The "snorting bull" emblem was first used by U-47, which is famous for sinking the British battleship HMS Royal Oak in October 1939. The emblem, based on a picture seen in a comic book, was adopted by the flotilla while based in St. Nazaire.

Flotilla commanders

Duration	Commander
June 1938 – December 1939	Korvkpt. Ernst Sobe
January 1940 – May 1940	Korvkpt. Hans-Rudolf Rösing
May 1940 – September 1940	Kptlt. Herbert Sohler (in deputize)
September 1940 – February 1942	Korvkpt. Herbert Sohler
March 1944 – May 1945	Korvkpt. Adolf Piening

U-boats assigned to 7. Unterseebootsflottille

Type	Number assigned
Type VIIB	19
Type VIIC	89
Type VIIC/41	1
Type U-A (Foreign Boat)	1