U-453

Type

VIIC

Ordered

30 Oct 1939

Laid down

4 Jul 1940

Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 284)

Launched

30 Apr 1941

Commissioned

26 Jun 1941

Kptlt. Gert Hetschko

Commanders

26 Jun 1941	-	8 Jul 1941	Kptlt. Gert Hetschko
9 Jul 1941	-	6 Dec 1943	Kptlt. Egon Reiner Freiherr von Schlippenbach (Knights Cross)
7 Dec 1943	-	21 May 1944	Oblt. Dierk Lührs

Career
17 patrols

26 Jun 1941	-	1 Nov 1941	7. Flottille (training)
1 Nov 1941	-	31 Dec 1941	7. Flottille (active service)
1 Jan 1942	-	21 May 1944	29. Flottille (active service)

Successes

9 ships sunk, total tonnage 23,289 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 835 tons
2 ships damaged, total tonnage 16,610 GRT
1 warship a total loss, total tonnage 1,705 tons

Fate

Sunk on 21 May 1944 in the Ionian Sea north-east of Cape Spartivento, in position 38.13N, 16.36E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Termagent and HMS Tenacious and the British escort destroyer HMS Liddesdale. 1 dead and 51 survivors.

Loss position

See the 13 ships hit by U-453 - View the 17 war patrols

Attacks on this boat and other events

12 Dec 1942
U-453 sustained so much damage during a depth charge attack in the Mediterranean that she was forced to return to base.

24 Apr 1943

Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British Hudson bomber AM781 (RAF Sqdn 500/N, pilot W/O R. Obee)

00.12 hrs: the Hudson illuminated the boat with flares after obtaining a radar contact off Oran and then attacked. The aircraft was hit by flak during the initial strafing run, killing the pilot. No depth charges were released as the nose gunner struggled to save the aircraft (misidentified as a Hampden) from crashing. The navigator then flew the aircraft to base at Tafaraoui, where the surviving four aircrew bailed out and allowed it to crash because they were unable to land safely.This aircraft was formerly credited with sinking U-602 in this action, but the actual target, U-453, far from being sunk, escaped unscathed.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

4 Feb 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:South African Ventura 565 (SAAF Sqdn 17/Y, pilot Lt A. de Jong)

19.44 hrs, S of Cyprus: the Ventura (misidentified as a Mosquito) made a first attack using the Leigh Light, then dropped four bombs in a second attack, but the port engine caught fire after being hit by flak and the aircraft was seen by the Germans to crash into the sea about 1000m away, killing all four aircrew. The bombs landed off the port side, causing no damage. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

3 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

13 Oct 1942
One man was killed and three wounded in an accident with the machine gun. [Matrosengefreiter Horst Saupe + on 13th Oct., Steuermannsgefreiter Helmut Lorenz died 2 months later]

24 Feb 1944
During test firing of the machine gun at base in Salamis, Greece, two men (not U-453 crew) were killed .

Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -