U-242
Type | VIIC | |||||
| Ordered | 10 Apr, 1941 | |||||
| Laid down | 30 Sep, 1942 | Germaniawerft, Kiel (werk 676) | ||||
| Launched | 20 Jul, 1943 | |||||
| Commissioned | 14 Aug, 1943 | Oblt. Karl-Wilhelm Pancke | ||||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 7 patrols | 14 Aug, 1943 - 31 May, 1944 5. Flottille (training) 1 Jun, 1944 - 5 Jul, 1944 3. Flottille (front boat) 6 Jul, 1944 - 31 Jul, 1944 5. Flottille (training) 1 Aug, 1944 - 15 Feb, 1945 8. Flottille (front boat) 16 Feb, 1945 - 23 Mar, 1945 5. Flottille (training) 24 Mar, 1945 - 5 Apr, 1945 5. Flottille (front boat) | ||||
| Successes | 2 ships sunk for a total of 2.095 GRT 1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 500 GRT | |||||
| Fate | Sunk on 5 April, 1945 at 0715hrs by a mine in the mine barrage QZX in the St. Georg-Channel in position 52.02,9N, 05.46,8W. 44 dead (all hands lost). | |||||
See the 3 ships hit by U-242 - View the 7 war patrols
Previously recorded fate (Last revised by Axel Niestlé during January 1991). More on revised fates
Sunk 30 April, 1945 in the Irish Sea west of Blackpool, in position 53.42N, 04.53W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Hesperus and HMS Havelock after being discovered by a British Sunderland aircraft (Sqdn. 201).
This attack was in fact against the already sunken wreck of U-246 and it brought personal belongings of a crew member of U-246 to the surface.
Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in March 1945 but it was of course installed prior to that date. Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-242 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
 German U-Boat Losses During World War II Niestle, Axel Buy this title at amazon.co.uk See more sellers |
Books dealing with this subject include: German U-Boat Losses During World War II, Niestle, Axel, 1998 U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1, Wynn, Kenneth, 1998 U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2, Wynn, Kenneth, 1998 |