German submarine U-711

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History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-711
Operator: Kriegsmarine
Ordered: 7 December 1940
Builder: H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg
Yard number: 777
Laid down: 31 July 1941
Launched: 25 June 1942
Commissioned: 2 September 1942
Fate: Sunk 4 May 1945 at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
General characteristics
Class & type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.74 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 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Test depth:
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 44–60 officers & ratings
Armament:

German submarine U-711 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Ordered 7 December 1940, she was laid down 31 July 1941 and launched 25 June 1942. She had a relatively brief career from 2 September 1942 till 1 April 1943 as part of a training flottila, and then went on to active service from 1 April 1943 till 24 April 1943. During this time she was commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Günther Lange (who was awarded the Knights Cross).

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-711 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[1] 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).[1]

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).[1] 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-711 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 an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]

Service history

During her active service career, U-711 sunk or damaged three ships, 1 ship sunk 10 GRT, 1 warship sunk, total tonnage 925 tons, one ship damaged, total tonnage 20 GRT.

U-711 attacked and sank the British corvette HMS Bluebell on 17 February 1945.

On 4 May 1945 the U boat was sunk during the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Operation Judgement, which was actually aimed at the depot ships Black Watch and Senja lying at Kilbotn, south of Harstad, Norway. Bombs from Avenger aircraft, operating off HMS Trumpeter and HMS Queen, destroyed her, leaving 40 dead and 12 survivors. She sank after attempts by Hans-Günther Lange and ten other crew members to separate her from the Black Watch and to keep her afloat. The rest of the crew had already gone on board the Black Watch and were killed as she went down.

Only a few hours earlier the captain had received the signal from Germany ordering all U-boats to cease attacks on allied shipping.[2]

Wolfpacks

U-711 took part in nine wolfpacks, namely.

  • Wiking (1 August – 20 September 1943)
  • Blitz (24 March – 5 April 1944)
  • Keil (11–14 April 1944)
  • Donner & Keil (24 April – 3 May 1944)
  • Grimm (31 May - 6 June 1944)
  • Trutz (8 June – 7 July 1944)
  • Greif (3–18 August 1944)
  • Rasmus (9–13 February 1945)
  • Hagen (15–21 March 1945)

Summary of raiding history

Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[3]
13 April 1944 Solvoll  Norway 10 Sunk
17 February 1945 HMS Bluebell  Royal Navy 925 Sunk
22 March 1945 BPS-5  Soviet Navy 20 Damaged

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
  2. ↑ Harald Isachsen (2009), Operation Judgement: Angrepet på <<Black Watch>>, Kilbotn 4 Mai 1945, ISBN 978-82-998024-2-0
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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