German submarine U-263
History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | U-263 |
Ordered | 15 August 1940 |
Builder | Bremer-Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen |
Yard number | 28 |
Laid down | 8 June 1941 |
Launched | 18 March 1942 |
Commissioned | 6 May 1942 |
Fate | Sunk, 20 January 1944 in the Bay of Biscay during a deep dive trial[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement |
|
Length |
|
Beam |
|
Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range | |
Test depth |
|
Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
|
Service record[1][2] | |
Part of: |
|
Identification codes: | M 02 258 |
Commanders: |
|
Operations: |
|
Victories: |
2 merchant ships sunk (12,376 GRT) |
German submarine U-263 was a
In two patrols, she sank two ships of 12,376 gross register tons (GRT). She was a member of one wolfpack.
She was sunk on 20 January 1944 in the Bay of Biscay, during a deep dive trial.
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 November 1942 when she was transferred to the 1st flotilla.
First patrol
U-263's first patrol began when she departed Kiel on 27 October 1942. She entered the Atlantic Ocean after negotiating the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. There followed a series of attacks west of Gibraltar, first by the U-boat on two freighters, then on the submarine by surface ships (on 20 November), aircraft (on 24 November) and a submarine (on 26 November), all of which she was lucky to survive. Even so, the damage sustained needed 13 months of repairs. She arrived at La Pallice / La Rochelle in occupied France on 29 November.
Second patrol and loss
The boat departed La Pallice on 19 January 1944. She was sunk the next day in the Bay of Biscay during a deep dive trial.
Fifty-one men died; there were no survivors.
Summary of raiding history
Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage ( GRT )
|
Fate[4] |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 November 1942 | Grangepark | ![]() |
5,132 | Sunk |
20 November 1942 | Prins Harald | ![]() |
7,244 | Sunk |
References
- ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-263". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-263". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-263". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 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.
- 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.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-263". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 263". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.