German submarine U-311

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-311
Ordered5 June 1940
BuilderFlender Werke, Lübeck
Yard number311
Laid down21 March 1942
Launched20 January 1943
Commissioned23 March 1943
FateSunk on 22 April 1944 by Canadian warships[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
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
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) 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[1][2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 50 908
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Joachim Zander
  • 23 March 1943 – 22 April 1944
Operations:
  • 2 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 25 November 1943 – 26 January 1944
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 7 March – 22 April 1944
Victories: 1 merchant ship sunk
(10,342 GRT)

German submarine U-311 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 21 March 1942 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 311, launched on 20 January 1943 and commissioned on 23 March under the command of Kapitänleutnant Joachim Zander.

During her short career, the U-boat sailed on two combat patrols, sinking a single ship, before she was sunk on 22 April 1944.[1]

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-311 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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).[3]

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).[3] 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-311 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.[3]

Service history

First patrol

After training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, U-311 was transferred to the 1st U-boat Flotilla based at Brest in France, for front-line service on 25 November 1943.[1] On that day she departed Kiel and sailed out into the middle of the Atlantic, via the North Sea and the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands.[4] She operated as part of 8 wolfpacks[1] before arriving at Brest on 26 January 1944.[2]

Second patrol and loss

U-311 sailed from Brest on 7 March 1944. On the 19th, she sank the Seakay 375 nautical miles (694 km; 432 mi) west of Fastnet. On 22 April, she was sunk by depth charges dropped by the Canadian frigates HMCS Matane and Swansea.[5]

Previously recorded fate

The boat was previously thought to have been sunk southwest of Ireland on 24 April 1944 by a Canadian Sunderland flying boat of 423 Squadron, RCAF.[6][7]

Wolfpacks

U-311 took part in eight wolfpacks, namely:

  • Coronel (7 – 8 December 1943)
  • Coronel 1 (8 – 14 December 1943)
  • Coronel 2 (14 – 17 December 1943)
  • Amrum (18 – 23 December 1943)
  • Rügen 5 (23 December 1943 – 2 January 1944)
  • Rügen 4 (2 – 7 January 1944)
  • Rügen (7 – 19 January 1944)
  • Preussen [de] (19 – 22 March 1944)

Summary of raiding history

Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT) 		Fate[8]
19 March 1944 Seakay  United States 10,342 Sunk

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-311". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-311". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-311 from 25 Nov 1943 to 26 Jan 1944". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-311 from 7 Mar 1944 to 22 Apr 1944". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-311". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  7. ^ Hofmann, Markus. "U 311". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  8. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-311". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.

Bibliography

  • 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). 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. 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.
  • Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-311". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 311". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.

52°09′N 19°07′W / 52.150°N 19.117°W / 52.150; -19.117