German submarine U-270
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-270 |
Ordered | 20 January 1941 |
Builder | Bremer-Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen |
Yard number | 35 |
Laid down | 15 October 1941 |
Launched | 11 July 1942 |
Commissioned | 5 September 1942 |
Fate | Sunk on 13 August 1944 in the Bay of Biscay, by an Australian aircraft[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement |
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Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Test depth |
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Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[1][2] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 50 815 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: |
1 warship total loss (1,370 tons) |
German submarine U-270 was a
In six patrols, she caused one British warship of 1370 tons to be declared a total loss. She was a member of seven wolfpacks.
She was sunk on 13 August 1944 in the Bay of Biscay by an Australian aircraft.
Design
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).
Service history
After training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, the boat became operational on 1 April 1943 when she was transferred to the 6th flotilla.
First and second patrols
U-270's first patrol began when she departed
For her second sortie, the boat moved through the Atlantic waters off northwest Spain.
Third and fourth patrols
She attacked the British frigate HMS Lagan which caused the warship to be declared a total loss. During an attack on a convoy in mid-Atlantic, the boat's pressure hull was cracked by depth charges dropped by the escorts; the submarine was forced to return to base.
U-270 was attacked by a British
Fifth patrol
The submarine was returning to base after being attacked and badly damaged by a Vickers Wellington of No. 172 Squadron RAF, when she was attacked by a second Fortress, this time from 53 Squadron. This B-17 was also shot down, but did not cause any further damage to the boat. Among the casualties here were Bert Peters, a former Victorian Football League player.
Sixth patrol and loss
U-270 departed Lorient for the last time on 10 August 1944. In the Bay of Biscay, she was attacked and sunk by an Australian Sunderland flying boat of No. 461 Squadron RAAF on the 13th.
There were no deaths; seventy-one men survived. The German version of U 270 reports of 10 men dead and 71 survived; the boat was overloaded with staff, being evacuated. U 270
Wolfpacks
U-270 took part in seven wolfpacks, namely:
- Löwenherz (4 – 10 April 1943)
- Lerche (10 – 16 April 1943)
- Specht (21 April – 4 May 1943)
- Fink (4 – 5 May 1943)
- Leuthen (15 – 23 September 1943)
- Borkum (18 December 1943 – 3 January 1944)
- Borkum 1 (3 – 6 January 1944)
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[4] |
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20 September 1943 | HMS Lagan | Royal Navy | 1,370 | Total loss |
References
Notes
- gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
- ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-270". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-270". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-270". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
Bibliography
- 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). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (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. pp. 216, 217, 219, 220. 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.
- Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-270". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 270". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.