Naval Action in the Atlantic Ocean
Information
carelessly provided by the sole survivor of the Cordelia who was picked
after the U-632 torpedoed and sank the British motor tanker Cordelia was
used by the BdU Operationsabteilung, the U-boat Tactical Command based
in France, to home in on convoy SC-118.
The
Soviet submarine K-22 struck a mine and sank near the Kongsfjord,
northern Norway in the northern Atlantic Ocean while on her 8th war
patrol.
U-Boat LossesThe
U-265, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Leonhard Auffhammer, was sunk
south of Iceland by depth charges from an RAF 220 Squadron B-17 Fortress
aircraft. All 46 of the crew died. During its
career under Oberleutnant zur See
Auffhammer the
U-265 sank or damaged no ships.The
U-187, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Ralph Münnich, was sunk in the
northern Atlantic Ocean by depth charges from the destroyers HMS Vimy
and (D 33) and HMS Beverley (H 64). 9 of the crew died and 45 survivors
were picked up. During its career under
Kapitänleutnant Münnich the
U-187 sank or damaged no ships.The
U-414, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Walther Huth, was attacked in
the northern Atlantic Ocean by a Curtiss aircraft and damaged so badly
that she had to return to base.The
U-267, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Tinschert, was attacked in the
North Atlantic Ocean by escorts with depth charges. The boat was damaged
so severely that it had to return to base, reaching St. Nazaire on
February 18.The
U-403 was strafed and attacked with 6 bombs by a Canadian Canso aircraft
from RCAF Squadron 5 off Newfoundland in the western Atlantic Ocean and
received moderate damage.The
U-609, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Klaus Rudloff, was sunk in the
northern Atlantic Ocean, by depth charges from the Free French
corvette FFL Lobelia (K 05). Of the 47 man crew, all hands were lost.
During its career under
Kapitänleutnant Rudloff the
U-609 sank 2 merchant ships for
a total of 10,288 tons.The
U-624, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Graf Ulrich von Soden-Fraunhofen,
was sunk in the northern Atlantic Ocean, by depth charges from an RAF
220 Squadron B-17 Fortress. Of the 45 man crew, all hands were lost.
During its career under Kapitänleutnant
von Soden-Fraunhofen the
U-624 sank 3 warships, sank or
5 merchant ships for a total of 39,855 tons, and damaged 1 merchant ship
for a total of 5,432 tons.The
U-442, commanded by Fregattenkapitän Hans-Joachim Hesse, was sunk by
depth charges from a British Hudson aircraft west of Cape St. Vincent,
Portugal in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. All of the ship’s complement of
48 died. During its career under
Fregattenkapitän Hesse the
U-442 sank 2 merchant ships for
a total of 10,288 tons.The
U-620, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinz Stein, was sunk by 5 depth
charges from a British Catalina aircraft north-west of Lisbon, Portugal
in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. All of the ship’s complement of 48 died.
During its career under Kapitänleutnant Stein
the U-620 sank 1 merchant ship for a total of 6,983 tons.The
U-201, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günther Rosenberg, was sunk by depth
charges from the British destroyer HMS Viscount (D 92) in North Atlantic
Ocean. All of the ship’s complement of 49 died.
During its career under two commanders the U-201 sank 2 auxiliary
warships, sank 22 merchant ships for a total of 102,697 tons, and
damaged 2 merchant ship for a total of 13,386 tons.The
U-529, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Georg-Werner Fraatz, was sunk by
depth charges from a British B-24 Liberator aircraft in the North
Atlantic Ocean. All of the ship’s complement of 48 died. During its
career under Kapitänleutnant Fraatz the U-529 sank or damaged no ships.The
U-69, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Ulrich Gräf, was sunk by depth
charges from the British destroyer HMS Fame (H 68) in the North Atlantic
Ocean east of Newfoundland. All of the ship’s complement of 46 died.
During its career under two commanders the U-69
sank or damaged irreparably 18 merchant ships for a total of 72,960
tons, and damaged 1 merchant ship for a total of 4,887 tons.The
U-268, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Heydemann, was sunk by
depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft in the Bay of Biscay
west of Nantes, France. All of the ship’s complement of 44 died.
During its career under Oberleutnant zur See
Heydemann the U-268 sank 1 merchant ship for a total of 14,547 tons.The
U-623, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Hermann Schröder, was sunk by 6
depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft in the North Atlantic
Ocean. All of the ship’s complement of 46 died.
During its career under Oberleutnant zur See Schröder the U-623 sank
or damaged no ships.The
U-225, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Leimkühler, was sunk
by depth charges from the British corvette HMS Dianthus in the North
Atlantic Ocean. All of the ship’s complement of 46 died.
During its career under Oberleutnant zur See
Leimkühler the U-225 sank 1 merchant ship for a total of 5,273 tons, and
damaged 4 merchant ships for a total of 24,672 tons.The
U-606, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Heinrich Döhler, was sunk
by depth charges from the U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Campbell and the
Polish destroyer Burza in the North Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship’s
complement, 36 died and 11 survived. During its
career under Oberleutnant zur Döhler the U-606 sank or damaged
irreparably 3 merchant ships for a total of 20,527 tons, and damaged 2
merchant ships for a total of 21,925 tons.
Attacks on Allied and Neutral Merchant ShipsThe
French motor fishing vessel Joseph Elise was shelled and sunk off the
western coast of Africa in the eastern Atlantic Ocean by the U-66,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Markworth, after a torpedo had
missed. Of the ship’s complement, 1 died and 11 survived.
Sailing
with Convoy SG-19, the American steam passenger ship Dorchester was
torpedoed and sunk by the U-223, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Karl-Jürg
Wächter, south of Greenland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of the
ship’s complement and passengers, 675 died and 229 survivors were picked
up by the U.S. coast guard cutters USCGC Escanaba (WPG 77) and USCGC
Comanche (WPG 76) and USCGC Tampa (WPG 48). The sinking is best known
for the Four Chaplains. They helped other soldiers board lifeboats and
gave up their own life jackets when the supply ran out. The chaplains
joined arms, said prayers, and sang hymns as they went down with the
ship. The chaplains, who all held the rank of lieutenant, were the
Methodist Reverend George L. Fox, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, the Roman
Catholic Priest John P. Washington and the Reformed Church in America
Reverend Clark V. Poling. The 5,649 ton Dorchester was carrying mail and
parcel post, lumber and general cargo as well as the troops and was
headed for Narsarssuak, Greenland.
There are many memorials to the Four Chaplains including the stained
glass depiction (left) at the Heroes Chapel Window in the National
Cathedral in Washington, D.C.The
British motor tanker Cordelia was torpedoed and sunk by the U-632,
commanded by Kapitänleutnant Hans Karpf, location south of Iceland in
the northern Atlantic Ocean. All but one of the ship’s complement of 47
died. The sole survivor, chief engineer I.C. Bingham, was taken prisoner
by the U-boat and carelessly mentioned the convoy SC-118 which was
reported to BdU Operationsabteilung, the U-boat Tactical Command based
in France. The convoy was subsequently attacked with the loss of nine
ships. The survivor landed at Brest on 14 February and was taken to the
German POW camp Milag Nord. The 8,190 ton Cordelia was carrying
Admiralty fuel oil and was headed for Clyde, United Kingdom.The
unescorted British steam merchant Rhexenor was torpedoed and sunk by the
U-217, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Kurt Reichenbach-Klinke, southeast
of Bermuda in the western Atlantic Ocean. Of the ship’s complement, 3
died and 67 survivors were picked up by the armed yacht HMS Conqueror or
made landfall in lifeboats. The 7,957 ton Rhexenor was carrying cocoa
beans and was headed for England.A
straggler from Convoy SC-118, the American steam merchant West Portal
was torpedoed and sunk by the U-413, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Gustav
Poel, location. All of the ship’s complement of 77 died. The 5,376 ton
West Portal was carrying general cargo, army stores, and mail and was
headed for Liverpool, England.A
straggler from Convoy SC-118, the Polish steam merchant Zagloba was
torpedoed and sunk by the U-262, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Heinz
Franke, in the northern Atlantic Ocean. All of the ship’s complement of
26 died. The 2,864 ton Zagloba was carrying general cargo and was headed
for Manchester, England.A
straggler from Convoy SC-118, the Greek steam merchant Polyktor was
torpedoed and sunk by the U-266, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Ralf von
Jessen, in the northern Atlantic Ocean. All of the ship’s complement
died except for the master and one crew member, who were taken prisoner
by the U-266. The 4,077 ton Polyktor was carrying grain and government
stores and was headed for Avonmouth, England.Sailing
with Convoy SC-118, the British motor merchant Afrika was torpedoed and
sunk by the U-402, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Siegfried von Forstner,
southeast of Cape Farewell, Greenland in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Of
the ship’s complement, 23 died and 37 survivors were picked up by the
corvettes HMS Campanula (K 18) and HMS Mignonette (K 38). The 8,597 ton
Afrika was carrying steel, government and general cargo, including grain
and explosives and was headed for Liverpool, England.
Sailing
with Convoy SC-118, the Greek steam merchant Kalliopi was torpedoed and
sunk by the U-402
southeast of Cape Farewell. Of
the ship’s complement, 4 died and there were 320 survivors. The 4,965
ton Kalliopi was carrying steel and lumber and was headed for London,
England.
Axis Merchant Shipping Lossesxx.
Other Battle of the Atlantic Eventsxx.
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