German submarine U-314 explained

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.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-314 had a displacement of 769t when at the surface and 871t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.1m (220.1feet), a pressure hull length of 50.5m (165.7feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), and a draught of 4.74m (15.55feet). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of NaNPS for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23abbr=onNaNabbr=on propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-314 was fitted with five 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

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-314s first patrol took her to the Barents Sea, then south of 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 and southeast of Bear Island.[1]

Forty-nine men died; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-314 took part in four wolfpacks, namely:

See also

Bibliography

External links

73.6833°N 54°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: U 314. Hofmann. Markus. Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de. de. 26 December 2014.