List of all U-boats

U-501

Type

IXC

 
Ordered25 Sep 1939
Laid down12 Feb 1940 Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 291)
Launched25 Jan 1941
Commissioned30 Apr 1941Korvkpt. Hugo Förster
Commanders
30 Apr 1941 - 10 Sep 1941  KrvKpt. Hugo Förster
Career
1 patrol
30 Apr 1941-31 Aug 1941  2. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1941-10 Sep 1941  2. Flottille (active service)
Successes1 ship sunk, total tonnage 2,000 GRT
Fate

Sunk at 2330hrs on 10 September 1941 in the Denmark Strait south of Angmagsalik, Greenland, in position 62.50N, 37.50W, by depth charges and ramming from the Canadian corvettes HMCS Chambly and HMCS Moosejaw. 11 dead and 37 survivors.

Loss position

See the 1 ships hit by U-501 - View the 1 war patrol

After the first depth charge run U-501 surfaced right next to HMCS Moosejaw during her turn. Then something really amazing happened; the commander of U-501 leaped some 9 feet from his boat and onto the deck of HMCS Moosejaw without even getting his feet wet!

Fearing another boarding attempt the corvette opened the range and, as the U-boat passed her bows, rammed the U-boat causing enough damage to cause her to start sinking. The Canadians attempted to board the boat but they found its insides totally trashed either from the depth charges or by the German crew. One Canadian did not manage to escape the boat as she sank.

Wolfpack operations

U-501 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Grönland (10 Aug 1941 - 27 Aug 1941)
   Markgraf (27 Aug 1941 - 10 Sep 1941)

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-501 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Hippo

Media links


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1

Wynn, Kenneth


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay


Attack and Sink!

Edwards, Bernard


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