German Submarine U-358

German submarine ''U-358'' was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's ''Kriegsmarine'' during World War II.

She carried out five patrols before being sunk north of the Azores by British warships on 1 March 1944.

She sank four ships and one warship.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. ''U-358'' had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . ''U-358'' was fitted with five torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 25 June 1940 at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft yard at Flensburg as yard number 477, launched on 30 April 1942 and commissioned on 15 August under the command of ''Oberleutnant zur See'' Rolf Manke.

First patrol

The boat's first patrol was in two parts; it began with her departure from Kiel on 12 January 1943. During the second part, which began with her departure from Kristiansand in Norway on the 16th, she negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and sank the ''Neva'' west of these islands on the 22nd. On the 26th, she sank the ''Nortind'' east of Cape Farewell, (Greenland). She arrived at St. Nazaire in occupied France on 8 March.

Second patrol

Having left St. Nazaire (which would be her base for the rest of her career) on 11 April 1943, ''U-358'' sank the ''Bristol City'' and the ''Wentworth''; she was attacked south of Cape Farewell by the British corvette commanded by Lieutenant Robert Atkinson and badly damaged. (This attack had originally credited ''Pink'' with the destruction of .)

Third patrol

The submarine's third foray took her south, as far as the Gulf of Guinea, off the west African coast. At 84 days, it was her longest patrol.

Fourth patrol

Sortie number four saw the boat northeast of the Azores.

Fifth patrol and loss

''U-358'' had left St. Nazaire on 14 February 1944. From the 29th, she was hunted by the British frigates , , and north of the Azores. ''Gore'' and ''Garlies'' had to break off the assault and sail to Gibraltar to re-fuel. The U-boat sank ''Gould'' on 1 March, but ''Affleck'' persisted with the attack, sinking ''U-358'' with gunfire after the submarine was forced to the surface.

50 men died in the U-boat; there was one survivor, Alfons Eckert.

Wolfpacks

''U-358'' took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely:
* Haudegen (27 January – 2 February 1943)
* Nordsturm (2 – 9 February 1943)
* Haudegen (9 – 15 February 1943)
* Taifun (15 – 20 February 1943)
* Without name (15 – 18 April 1943)
* Specht (19 April – 4 May 1943)
* Fink (4 – 6 May 1943)
* Schill (2 – 16 November 1943)
* Schill 1 (16 – 22 November 1943)
* Weddigen (22 November – 7 December 1943)
* Preussen (22 February – 1 March 1944)

Summary of raiding history

References

Notes

Citations

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{{DEFAULTSORT:U0358
German Type VIIC submarines
U-boats commissioned in 1942
U-boats sunk in 1944
U-boats sunk by British warships
1942 ships
Ships built in Flensburg
World War II submarines of Germany
Maritime incidents in March 1944