German submarine U-413

Summary

German submarine U-413 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-413
Ordered15 August 1940
BuilderDanziger Werft, Danzig
Yard number114
Laid down25 April 1941
Launched15 January 1942
Commissioned3 June 1942
FateSunk on 20 August 1944 in the Cornish corridor, 15 miles off the coast near Padstow, by a naval mine. 45 dead and one survivor[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 03 918
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 7 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • a. 22 – 24 October 1942
  • b. 28 October – 25 November 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 27 December 1942 – 17 February 1943
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 29 March – 13 June 1943
  • 4th patrol:
  • a. 4 – 5 September 1943
  • b. 8 – 18 September 1943
  • c. 27 – 28 September 1943
  • d. 2 October – 21 November 1943
  • 5th patrol:
  • 26 January – 27 March 1944
  • 6th patrol:
  • 6 – 9 June 1944
  • 7th patrol:
  • 2 – 20 August 1944
Victories:
  • 5 merchant ships sunk
    (36,885 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (1,100 tons)

She was laid down on 25 April 1941 at the Danziger Werft (as yard number 114), launched on 15 January 1942 and commissioned on 3 June, with Oberleutnant zur See Gustav Poel in command. Poel commanded her (receiving promotion to Kapitänleutnant), until 19 April 1944, when he was relieved by Oberleutnant zur See Dietrich Sachse who commanded her until her loss. She conducted seven patrols in World War II, sinking six ships totalling 36,885 gross register tons (GRT) and 1,100 tons.

Design edit

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-413 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-413 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history edit

First and second patrols edit

The U-boat departed Kiel on 22 October 1942, on her first patrol.

 
Warwick Castle in 1931

On 14 November 1942, she sank the 20,107 GRT troop transport ship MV Warwick Castle (one of the largest sunk in World War II).

At 08:44, the ship, under the command of Henry Richard Leepman-Shaw in Convoy MKF-1X was hit by one of two torpedoes fired, about 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) NW of Cape Espichel, Portugal. The U-boat hit her again at 08:57, causing the ship to sink about one hour later. The master, 61 crew members and 34 service personnel died. 201 crew members, 29 gunners and five naval and 131 service personnel were rescued by HMS Achates, HMS Vansittart, HMCS Louisburg, and the British MV Leinster. The latter ship had been in Convoy KMF-1 for Operation Torch (the invasion of North Africa).

On 19 November 1942, U-413 was attacked by a British Lockheed Hudson aircraft with five bombs and was damaged so severely that she had to return to a new base - Brest in occupied France.

Her second patrol was marked by sinking the American ship West Portal in mid-Atlantic on 5 February 1943; there were no survivors. She also attacked and sank the Greek Mount Mycale on 22 January 1943, northeast of Newfoundland.

Third and fourth patrols edit

Her third patrol saw her leave Brest on 29 March 1943, once more for the Atlantic. There, she sank the British vessel Wanstead south of Greenland, whose survivors were picked up by the corvette HMS Poppy and the ASW (anti-submarine warfare) HMS Northern Gift.

Her fourth sortie was a frustrating one; it was split into three parts, but she failed to sink any ships.

Fifth and sixth patrols edit

On 20 February 1944, she sank the British 1,100 tons destroyer HMS Warwick about 15 miles off Trevose Head, north Cornwall. This was Poel's last patrol. He moved to the Naval Academy Mürwik in Flensburg.

Seventh patrol and sinking edit

Her last victory was when she sank Saint Enogat on 19 August 1944 in the English Channel.

U-413 did not suffer any casualties until 20 August 1944, when she was sunk, by one of the 115 strategically placed Naval Mines in the Cornish corridor 15 miles off the coast from Padstow. 45 of her crew were killed; there was one survivor.

The wreck of U-413 was located and identified by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2000 close to the official sinking position.

Wolfpacks edit

U-413 took part in 15 wolfpacks, namely:

  • Westwall (8 – 19 November 1942)
  • Jaguar (10 – 31 January 1943)
  • Pfeil (1 – 9 February 1943)
  • Adler (11 – 13 April 1943)
  • Meise (13 – 27 April 1943)
  • Star (27 April – 4 May 1943)
  • Fink (4 – 6 May 1943)
  • Naab (12 – 15 May 1943)
  • Donau 2 (15 – 26 May 1943)
  • Schlieffen (14 – 22 October 1943)
  • Siegfried (22 – 27 October 1943)
  • Siegfried 2 (27 – 30 October 1943)
  • Körner (30 October – 2 November 1943)
  • Tirpitz 2 (2 – 8 November 1943)
  • Eisenhart 8 (9 – 11 November 1943)

Trivia edit

Neal Stephenson's novel Cryptonomicon features a fictitious U-413, a milchkuh (supply boat).

Summary of raiding history edit

Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[3]
14 November 1942 Warwick Castle   United Kingdom 20,107 Sunk
22 January 1943 Mount Mycale   Greece 3,556 Sunk
5 February 1943 West Portal   United States 5,376 Sunk
21 April 1943 Wanstead   United Kingdom 5,486 Sunk
21 April 1944 HMS Warwick   Royal Navy 1,100 Sunk
19 August 1944 Saint Enogat   United Kingdom 2,360 Sunk

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations edit

  1. ^ Kemp 1999, p. 212.
  2. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit U-413". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.

Bibliography edit

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. p. 145. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • McCartney, Innes (2002). Lost patrols : submarine wrecks of the English Channel. Penzance: Periscope. ISBN 978-1-90438-104-4.
  • Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.

External links edit

  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-413". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.

Röll, p.282 50°21′N 00°01′W / 50.350°N 0.017°W / 50.350; -0.017