Background
During the first five months of 1945, the U-boat Arm (UbW) of Nazi Germany's ''Kriegsmarine'' dispatched 125 U-boat patrols to the Atlantic, operating principally in British coastal waters. By 5 May 1945, just 29 were still at large.Actions
On the morning of 7 May 1945, — a modified German Type VII submarine, Type VIIC/41 boat under O/L H Emmerich — was two days into her first operational patrol and running submerged, when she was detected by an Royal Air Force, RAF PBY Catalina, Catalina under Flt/Lt KM Murray of No. 210 Squadron RAF, 210 Squadron, Coastal Command. Murray attacked immediately with a pattern of depth charges. ''U-320'' was damaged but not destroyed; Murray sighted oil, and sonobuoys dropped by the Catalina detected hammering. Murray was unable to continue the attack and by mid-afternoon, at his Prudent Limit of Endurance (PLE), was forced to abandon the hunt. Emmerich meanwhile headed for Norway, abandoning his crippled boat the following day. Emmerich and all his crew survived. ''U-320'' was the last U-boat to be sunk in action during the Battle of the Atlantic. Also on 7 May 1945, — a modified Type VIIC/41 under K/L Heinrich Schroeteler, H Schroeteler — sighted a group of Royal Norwegian Navy, Norwegian Minesweeper (ship), minesweepers off Portland Bill. In his first successful attack since the patrol started, in March, he struck. His torpedoes hit ''NYMS 382'', which sank with the loss of 22 men. At around the same time, — a German Type XXIII submarine, Type XXIII under O/L E Klusmeier seven days into her first operational patrol — sighted a British convoy in the Firth of Forth. Firing his two torpedoes, Klusmeier hit cargo ship, freighters SS Sneland I, ''Sneland'' and SS Avondale Park, ''Avondale Park'', which both sank. Nine men were lost altogether. Both U-boats escaped. These actions took place in the evening of 7 May 1945, just hours before the End of World War II in Europe, German surrender.Conclusion
These were the last ships to be sunk by enemy action in the Battle of the Atlantic, nearly five and a half years after the first shot was fired.References
* Dan van der Vat : ''The Atlantic Campaign'' (1988) * Stephen Roskill : ''The War at Sea 1939-1945'' Vol III pt 2 (1959) ISBN (none) * *External links