German submarine U-268

German submarine U-268 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-268
Ordered20 January 1941
BuilderBremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number33
Laid down4 September 1941
Launched9 June 1942
Commissioned29 July 1942
FateSunk by a British aircraft, 19 February 1943
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[1][2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 14 594
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Ernst Heydemann
  • 29 July 1942 – 19 February 1943
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 10 January – 19 February 1943
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship sunk
    (14,547 GRT)
  • 3 warships sunk
    (873 tons)

Commissioned on 29 July 1942, she served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla for training and later served with the 1st U-boat Flotilla from 1 to 19 February 1943.

Design

edit

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-268 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).[3] 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-268 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 two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]

Service history

edit

U-268 departed Bergen on 10 January 1943 on her first and only patrol. On 17 January she sank the 14,547 GRT Norwegian whale factory ship Vestfold, which was laden with 17,386 tons of fuel oil, and three British landing craft - HMS LCT-2239, LCT-2267 and LCT-2344 (each 291 tons) - as deck cargo. Before sinking, Vestfold, which had been abandoned with her engines still running, steamed in circles, almost colliding with another ship.[4]

Fate

edit

On 19 February 1943 while returning to her new base in occupied France, U-268 was sunk in the Bay of Biscay, west of Saint Nazaire, at position 47°03′N 05°56′W / 47.050°N 5.933°W / 47.050; -5.933 by depth charges dropped from a Vickers Wellington bomber of No.172 Squadron RAF. All 44 hands were lost.[1]

Wolfpacks

edit

U-268 took part in five wolfpacks, namely:

  • Habicht [de] (10 – 15 January 1943)
  • Falke (15 – 19 January 1943)
  • Haudegen (19 January – 2 February 1943)
  • Nordsturm (2 – 9 February 1943)
  • Haudegen (9 – 10 February 1943)

Summary of raiding history

edit
Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[5]
17 January 1943 Vestfold   Panama 14,547 Sunk
17 January 1943 HMS LCT-2239[Note 2]   Royal Navy 291 Sunk
17 January 1943 HMS LCT-2267[Note 2]   Royal Navy 291 Sunk
17 January 1943 HMS LCT-2344[Note 2]   Royal Navy 291 Sunk

References

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  2. ^ a b c Carried by Vestfold.

Citations

edit
  1. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-268". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-268". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Vestfold (Whale factory ship)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-268". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.

Bibliography

edit
edit
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-268". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 268". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.