German submarine U-314

Coordinates: 73°41′N 24°30′E / 73.683°N 24.500°E / 73.683; 24.500
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-314
Ordered25 August 1941
BuilderFlender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number314
Laid down9 June 1942
Launched17 April 1943
Commissioned10 June 1943
FateSunk on 30 January 1944 by British warships[1]
General characteristics
Class and type
Type VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
  • 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in)
    o/a
  • 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in)
    pressure hull
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[1][2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 46 712
Commanders:
  • Kptlt.
    Georg-Wilhelm Basse
  • 10 June 1943 – 30 January 1944
Operations:
  • 2 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 22 December 1943 – 14 January 1944
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 25 – 30 January 1944
Victories: None

German submarine U-314 was a

Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 9 June 1942 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 314, launched on 17 April 1943 and commissioned on 10 June under the command of Kapitänleutnant
Georg-Wilhelm Basse.

During her short career, the U-boat sailed on two combat patrols, but sank no ships before she was sunk on 30 January 1944. She was a member of four wolfpacks.[1]

Design

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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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).[3]

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).

anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]

Service history

The boat's service life began with training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from June 1943. She was then transferred to the 11th flotilla for operations on 1 January 1944.

First patrol

U-314's first patrol took her to the

Bear Island. She departed from Trondheim in Norway on 22 December 1943; the patrol finished at Hammerfest, northeast of Narvik
, on 14 January 1944.

Second patrol and loss

The boat left Hammerfest on 25 January 1944. She was sunk on the 30th by depth charges dropped by the British destroyers HMS Whitehall and Meteor southeast of Bear Island.[4]

Forty-nine men died; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-314 took part in four wolfpacks, namely:

  • Eisenbart (24 December 1943 - 5 January 1944)
  • Isegrim (5 – 13 January 1944)
  • Isegrim (25 – 27 January 1944)
  • Werwolf (27 – 30 January 1944)

See also

  • Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945)

References

  1. ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-314". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-314". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  4. ^ Hofmann, Markus. "U 314". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.

Bibliography

External links

73°41′N 24°30′E / 73.683°N 24.500°E / 73.683; 24.500