U-257

Type

VIIC

Ordered

23 Dec, 1939

Laid down

22 Feb, 1941

Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 22)

Launched

19 Nov, 1941

Commissioned

14 Jan, 1942

Oblt. Heinz Rahe

Commanders

14 Jan, 1942 - 24 Feb, 1944

Kptlt. Heinz Rahe

Career

6 patrols

14 Jan, 1942 - 30 Sep, 1942 5. Flottille (training)
1 Oct, 1942 - 24 Feb, 1944 3. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Sunk 24 Feb, 1944 in the North Atlantic, in approximate position 47.19N, 26.00W, by depth charges from the Canadian frigate HMCS Waskesiu and the British frigate HMS Nene. 30 dead and 19 survivors.

View the 6 war patrols

According to a crew member on the HMCS Waskesiu the HMS Nene only participated in picking up survivors while the Canadian frigate dropped the depth charges, after both frigates had picked up an ASDIC signal that the Canadians insisted was a U-boat, that sank the boat.

Wolfpack operations

U-257 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Luchs (1 Oct, 1942 - 7 Oct, 1942)
   Falke (31 Dec, 1942 - 22 Jan, 1943)
   Landknecht (22 Jan, 1943 - 28 Jan, 1943)
   Seewolf (25 Mar, 1943 - 30 Mar, 1943)
   Adler (7 Apr, 1943 - 12 Apr, 1943)
   Meise (20 Apr, 1943 - 27 Apr, 1943)

Attacks on this boat

14 Jun, 1943
At 16.05 hours, U-257 in a group of 3 outbound boats with U-600 and U-615 was strafed and attacked with 3 depth charges by a British Whitley aircraft (10 OTU RAF/P, pilot P/O Orr) in the Bay of Biscay. One crewman was wounded. Another Whitley aircraft from the same unit (10 OTU RAF/E, pilot Sgt Manson) exchanged gunfire with this group shortly afterwards, but the aircraft had used up its depth charges in an earlier attack. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman/Rohwer)

14 Jun, 1943
At 09.48 hours, a group of 3 outbound boats (U-257, U-600 and U-615) was unsuccessfully attacked with 3 depth charges by the British Sunderland aircraft JM687 (228 Sqdn RAF/V, pilot F/O S. White) in the Bay of Biscay. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

2 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

On 5 October, 1942, while closing on convoy HX-209, U-257 was attacked by an aircraft which dropped 6 bombs. The U-boat suffered such severe damage that it had to return to base.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-257 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.