U-418
Type | VIIC | |||
| Ordered | 20 Jan 1941 | |||
| Laid down | 21 Oct 1941 | Danziger Werft AG, Danzig (werk 119) | ||
| Launched | 11 Jul 1942 | |||
| Commissioned | 21 Oct 1942 | Oblt. Gerhard Lange | ||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 1 patrol | 21 Oct 1942 - 30 Apr 1943 8. Flottille (training) 1 May 1943 - 1 Jun 1943 1. Flottille (front boat) | ||
| Successes | No ships sunk or damaged | |||
| Fate | Sunk 1 June, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 47.05N, 08.55W, by rockets from a British Beaufighter aircraft (Sqdn. 236/B). 48 dead (all hands lost). | |||
Attacks on this boat
30 May 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Catalina FP101 (210 Sqdn RAF/G, pilot F/L David William Eadie)
At 09.55 hours, an U-boat was attacked by the Catalina in the outer Bay of Biscay. The boat was most probably the inbound U-418, which was lost shortly afterwards without reporting the attack. AA fire hit the bow of the aircraft during the attack run and killed the front gunner and wounded two other crew members, but the pilot carried on and dropped the depth charges. The aircraft made it home but was so "holed" that it sank on landing at Pembroke Dock. Later salvaged.
(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)1 recorded attack on this boat.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-418 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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