U-218

Type

VIID

Ordered

16 Feb 1940

Laid down

17 Mar 1941

F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 650)

Launched

5 Dec 1941

Commissioned

24 Jan 1942

Oblt. Richard Becker

Commanders

24 Jan 1942	-	Aug, 1944		Kptlt. Richard Becker (German Cross in Gold)
Aug, 1944	-	12 May 1945		Kptlt. Rupprecht Stock (German Cross in Gold)

Career
10 patrols

24 Jan 1942	-	31 Aug 1942	5. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1942	-	30 Sep 1944	9. Flottille (active service)
1 Oct 1944	-	1 Mar 1945	8. Flottille (active service)
1 Mar 1945	-	8 May 1945	11. Flottille (active service)

Successes

2 ships sunk, total tonnage 346 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 7,361 GRT
1 auxiliary warship damaged, total tonnage 7,177 GRT

Fate

Surrendered on 12 May 1945 at Bergen, Norway (Waller & Niestlé, 2010).

Transferred to Loch Ryan, Scotland on 2 June 1945.

Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info)
Sunk on 4 Dec, 1945 8,9 nm of Inishtrabull, Northern Ireland in roughly position 55.28N, 07.18W.

Final location

See the 4 ships hit by U-218 - View the 10 war patrols

This boat is a dive site

Innes McCartney dove on this boat in 2001 (see his report).

Depth: 196 feet (60 meters)
Position (lat, long): 55.28, -7.18

See more U-boat dive sites.

Wolfpack operations

U-218 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Vorwärts (4 Sep 1942 - 15 Sep 1942)
   Natter (2 Nov 1942 - 8 Nov 1942)
   Westwall (8 Nov 1942 - 15 Nov 1942)
   Rochen (27 Jan 1943 - 25 Feb 1943)
   Naab (12 May 1943 - 15 May 1943)
   Donau 2 (15 May 1943 - 19 May 1943)
   Mosel (19 May 1943 - 24 May 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

12 Sep 1942
An attack by escorts from convoy ON 127 caused such severe damage that U-218 was forced to make for Brest for repair. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 31.)

15 Nov 1942
The mine-layer attempted to sink an Allied destroyer and was attacked by aircraft and surface ships. Damage severe, and U-218 returned to France. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 113)

22 May 1943
Already damaged by previous action, U-218 suffered more damage when attacked by surface ships. The boat escaped and reached France on June 2. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 337)

2 Aug 1943
Six men were wounded in an attack by a Wellington bomber (547 Sqdn RAF/B). The U-boat sustained only minor damage from the depth charges dropped, but abandoned the mine-laying mission due to the casualties, arriving at Brest on 6 August.

U-218 under attack

15 Jun 1944
After leaving France on 13 June to lay mines off Falmouth, U-218 was hunted mercilessly for 60 hours, but eventually managed, with great difficulty, to elude her attackers. After laying mines on 1 July she returned to France, arriving at Brest 10 July. (Date of attack is approximate). (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 589)

5 recorded attacks on this boat.