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German submarineU-338

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History
Nazi Germany
NameU-338
Ordered21 November 1940
BuilderNordseewerke,Emden
Yard number210
Laid down4 April 1941
Launched20 April 1942
Commissioned25 June 1942
Nickname(s)Wildesel( "Wild Donkey" )
FateSunk on 20 September 1943[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIICsubmarine
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
  • 8,500nmi(15,700km;9,800mi) 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[2][3]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 06 256
Commanders:
  • Kptlt.Manfred Kinzel
  • 25 June 1942 – 20 September 1943
Operations:
  • 3 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 23 February – 24 March 1943
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 15 – 21 June 1943
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 25 August – 20 September 1943
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk
    (21,927GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (7,134GRT)
  • 1Halifaxbomber shot down

German submarineU-338was aType VIICU-boatofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarineduringWorld War II.Thesubmarinewaslaid downon 4 April 1941 at theNordseewerkeyard atEmden,launchedon 20 April 1942, andcommissionedon 25 June 1942 under the command ofOberleutnant zur SeeManfred Kinzel.[2]

Design

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German Type VIIC submarineswere preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-338had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[4]She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hulllength of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeamof 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraughtof 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerftF46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel enginesproducing 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, twoAEGGU 460/8–27double-acting electric motorsproducing 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).[4]

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).[4]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-338was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes(four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes,one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun,220 rounds, and a2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplementof between forty-four and sixty.[4]

Service history

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U-338was nicknamedWildesel( "Wild Donkey" ) after an incident on the day of its launch, when the U-boat broke free from its moorings and struck a small tug boat, sinking it.[2]After training with the8th U-boat FlotillaatDanzig,U-338was transferred to the7th U-boat Flotillafor front-line service on 1 March 1943.[2]

First patrol

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U-338sailed fromKielon 23 February 1943 under the command ofKapitänleutnantManfred Kinzel, and out into the north Atlantic where she joined thewolfpack'Stürmer' on 11 March for an attack onConvoy SC 122.[5]On 17 March at 03:05,U-338fired two torpedoes at the convoy southeast ofCape Farewell, Greenlandand hit and sank two British merchant ships; the 4,898 GRTKingsbury,[6]and the 5,072 GRTKing Gruffydd.[7]After a minute, two more torpedoes were fired, one of which struck the 7,886 GRT Dutch merchantmanAlderamin,which later sank.[8]A single torpedo was then fired from the stern tube aimed at theAlderamin,but it missed and struck the 7,134 GRT British merchant shipFort Cedar Lake.The ship, badly damaged, fell behind the convoy and was sunk byU-665around noon.[9]U-338attacked the convoy again at 14:52 with another salvo of torpedoes, one of which hit the 4,071 GRT Panama-registered American shipGranville,which broke in two amidships and sank within 15 minutes.[10]

On 22 March 1943,U-338was in theBay of Biscay,heading for its new home port ofSaint-Nazairein France, when it was attacked by a BritishHalifaxbomber fromNo. 502 Squadron RAF.Anti-aircraft fire from the submarine hit the starboard outer engine and fuselage of the aircraft, causing its bombs to fall wide and cause only slight damage to the U-boat. The aircraft was seen to crash into the sea some distance away, killing all but one of the eight-man crew, who was picked up byU-338and taken prisoner.[2]Two days later, on 24 March, the U-boat arrived at St. Nazaire.[3]

Second patrol

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U-338sailed from St. Nazaire on 15 June 1943, but the patrol was cut short when she was attacked on the 17th by aB-17 Flying FortressfromNo. 206 Squadron RAF.The U-boat was damaged, theObersteuermann( "Navigator" ) killed, and three men were wounded. The U-boat returned to port on 21 June.[11]

Third patrol and loss

[edit]

U-338sailed from St. Nazaire again on 25 August 1943 into the mid-Atlantic, joining the wolfpack 'Leuthen' on 15 September.[12]The U-boat was lost on 20 September during an attack onConvoy ON 202.After being spotted by aB-24 Liberatorpatrol aircraft, the CanadiancorvetteHMCSDrumhellerapproached at speed firing her4-inch gun.The U-boat dived, and was located byDrumheller'sASDIC(sonar). As the corvette prepared to attack withdepth chargesshe observed a large underwater explosion. No further contact withU-338was made, and it is assumed that she was destroyed as a result of damage caused byDrumheller's shell fire.[13]

Previously recorded fate

[edit]

U-338was originally thought to have been sunk on 20 September 1943 southwest of Iceland at position57°40′N29°48′W/ 57.667°N 29.800°W/57.667; -29.800by a homing torpedo from a British B-24 Liberator of Squadron 120/F. This attack was actually againstU-386,inflicting no damage.[citation needed]

Summary of raiding history

[edit]
Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT) 		Fate[14]
17 March 1943 Alderamin Netherlands 7,886 Sunk
17 March 1943 Fort Cedar Lake United Kingdom 7,134 Damaged
17 March 1943 Granville Panama 4,071 Sunk
17 March 1943 King Gruffydd United Kingdom 5,072 Sunk
17 March 1943 Kingsbury United Kingdom 4,898 Sunk

References

[edit]
  1. ^Kemp 1999,p. 146.
  2. ^abcdeHelgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC U-boatU-338".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  3. ^abHelgason, Guðmundur."War Patrols by German U-boatU-338".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  4. ^abcdGröner 1991,pp. 43–46.
  5. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Patrol of U-boatU-338from 23 February 1943 to 24 March 1943 ".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  6. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Kingsbury".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  7. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."King Gruffydd".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  8. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Alderamin".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  9. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Fort Cedar Lake".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  10. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Granville".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  11. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Patrol of U-boatU-338from 15 Jun 1943 to 21 Jun 1943 ".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  12. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Patrol of U-boatU-338from 25 Aug 1943 to 20 Sep 1943 ".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved1 June2010.
  13. ^"Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945:U-338"(in German).Retrieved1 June2010.
  14. ^Helgason, Guðmundur."Ships hit by U-338".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved6 July2014.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • 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.ISBN1-55750-186-6.
  • 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.ISBN3-8132-0514-2.
  • 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.ISBN0-85177-593-4.
  • Kemp, Paul (1999).U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars.London: Arms & Armour.ISBN1-85409-515-3.
[edit]

Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-338".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.Retrieved26 December2014.

  • Hofmann, Markus."U 338".Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de(in German).Retrieved26 December2014.
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