German submarine U-431 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 4 January 1940 by Schichau-Werke in Danzig as yard number 1472, launched on 2 February 1941 and commissioned on 5 April 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Dommes (Knight's Cross).
History | |
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Name | U-431 |
Ordered | 23 September 1939 |
Builder | Schichau-Werke, Danzig |
Yard number | 1472 |
Laid down | 4 January 1940 |
Launched | 2 February 1941 |
Commissioned | 5 April 1941 |
Fate | Sunk on 21 October 1943 near Algiers at position 37°23′N 00°35′E / 37.383°N 0.583°E by depth charges from a RAF Wellington bomber of 179 Squadron. All hands were lost. |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Test depth |
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Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[1] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 40 228 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: |
Design
editGerman Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-431 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] 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 460/8-276 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).[2]
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).[2] 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-431 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
Service history
editThe boat's service began on 5 April 1941 for training as part of the 3rd U-boat Flotilla. Afterwards she transferred to the 29th flotilla operating in the Mediterranean on 1 January 1942. In 16 patrols she sank or damaged 11 ships in total.[1]
Wolfpacks
editShe took part in one wolfpack, namely:
- Brandenburg (15 September – 1 October 1941)
Fate
editShe was sunk on 21 October 1943 in the Mediterranean off Algiers at position 37°23′N 00°35′E / 37.383°N 0.583°E by depth charges dropped from a RAF Wellington bomber of 179 Squadron, operating out of Gibraltar. All hands were lost.[1]
Summary of raiding history
editDate | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[3] |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 October 1941 | Hatasu | 3,198 | Sunk | |
13 December 1941 | Myriel | 3,560 | Damaged | |
29 January 1942 | HMS Sotra | 313 | Sunk | |
20 May 1942 | Eocene | 4,216 | Sunk | |
15 June 1942 | HMS LCT-119 | 450 | Damaged | |
10 November 1942 | HMS Martin | 1,920 | Sunk | |
13 November 1942 | HNLMS Isaac Sweers | 1,628 | Sunk | |
23 January 1943 | Alexandria | 100 | Sunk | |
25 January 1943 | Mouyassar | 47 | Sunk | |
25 January 1943 | Omar el Kattab | 38 | Sunk | |
26 January 1943 | Hassan | 80 | Sunk |
See also
editReferences
editNotes
edit- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
edit- ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-431". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-431". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
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. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- 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. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
External links
edit- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-431". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.