Actions of 7–8 May 1945
Thelast actionsin British coastal waters and the last actions of theBattle of the Atlantictook place on7–8 May 1945.
Background[edit]
During the first five months of 1945, theU-boat Arm(UbW) of Nazi Germany'sKriegsmarinedispatched 125U-boatpatrols to the Atlantic, operating principally in British coastal waters. By 5 May 1945, just 29 were still at large.
Actions[edit]
On the morning of 7 May 1945,U-320— a modifiedType VIIC/41boat under O/L H Emmerich — was two days into her first operational patrol and running submerged, when she was detected by anRAFCatalinaunder Flt/Lt KM Murray of210 Squadron,Coastal Command.Murray attacked immediately with a pattern of depth charges.U-320was damaged but not destroyed; Murray sighted oil, andsonobuoysdropped by the Catalina detected hammering. Murray was unable to continue the attack and by mid-afternoon, at his Prudent Limit of Endurance (PLE), was forced to abandon the hunt. Emmerich meanwhile headed forNorway,abandoning his crippled boat the following day. Emmerich and all his crew survived. U-320was the last U-boat to be sunk in action during the Battle of the Atlantic.
Also on 7 May 1945,U-1023— a modified Type VIIC/41 under K/LH Schroeteler— sighted a group ofNorwegianminesweepersoffPortland Bill.In his first successful attack since the patrol started, in March, he struck. His torpedoes hitNYMS 382,which sank with the loss of 22 men.
At around the same time,U-2336— aType XXIIIunder O/L E Klusmeier seven days into her first operational patrol — sighted a British convoy in theFirth of Forth.Firing his two torpedoes, Klusmeier hitfreightersSnelandandAvondale Park,which both sank. Nine men were lost altogether. Both U-boats escaped.
These actions took place in the evening of 7 May 1945, just hours before theGerman surrender.
Conclusion[edit]
These were the last ships to be sunk by enemy action in the Battle of the Atlantic, nearly five and a half years after the first shot was fired.
References[edit]
- Dan van der Vat:The Atlantic Campaign(1988)ISBN0-340-37751-8
- Stephen Roskill:The War at Sea 1939-1945Vol III pt 2 (1959) ISBN (none)
- Kemp, Paul (1997).U-Boats Destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars.Arms and Armour.ISBN1-85409-515-3.
- Niestle, Axel (1998).German U-Boat Losses During World War II.Greenhill.ISBN1-85367-352-8.