German submarine U-361 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-361 |
| Ordered | 7 December 1940 |
| Builder | Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, Flensburg |
| Yard number | 480 |
| Laid down | 12 September 1941 |
| Launched | 9 September 1942 |
| Commissioned | 18 December 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk by a British aircraft on 17 July 1944, west of Narvik |
| 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 49 274 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | None |
She carried out three patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships.
She was a member of six wolfpacks.
She was sunk by a British aircraft west of Narvik on 17 July 1944.
Design
editGerman Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-361 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 460/8–27 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).[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-361 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.[2]
Service history
editThe submarine was laid down on 12 September 1941 at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft yard at Flensburg as yard number 480, launched on 9 September 1942 and commissioned on 18 December under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hans Seidel.
She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 18 December 1942 and the 11th flotilla from 1 March 1944.
First patrol
editU-359's first patrol took her from Kiel in Germany to Narvik in Norway.
Second patrol
editHer second foray was toward Bear Island in the Barents Sea, then into the Norwegian Sea.
Third patrol and loss
editU-361 left Narvik for the last time on 27 June 1944. On 17 July, she was attacked by a British Catalina flying boat of No. 210 Squadron RAF. On the initial attack, the Catalina's depth charges failed to release, and U-361s crew were able to fire their anti-aircraft gun, hitting the aeroplane as it attacked again, killing the navigator and injuring four others. The first pilot, John Cruickshank, was hit in seventy-two places, with two serious wounds to his lungs and ten penetrating wounds to his lower limbs. In this second attack, Cruikshank's depth charges hit the U-361, sinking her. For his heroism in the attack, and in the five and a half hours until the Catalina returned to Sullum Voe, Cruickshank was awarded the Victoria Cross. There were no survivors of the U-boat's crew, all 52 men died.[3]
Previously recorded fate
editU-361 was originally noted as sunk on 17 July 1944 by a British B-24 Liberator of 86 Squadron. This attack sank U-347.[1]
Wolfpacks
editU-361 took part in six wolfpacks, namely:
- Boreas (29 February – 10 March 1944)
- Thor (10 – 26 March 1944)
- Blitz (2 – 5 April 1944)
- Keil (5 – 20 April 1944)
- Donner & Keil (20 – 23 April 1944)
- Trutz (28 June – 10 July 1944)
References
edit- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-361". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ Hofmann, Markus. "U 361". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 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-361". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 361". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.