U-518

Type

IXC

Ordered

14 Feb 1940

Laid down

12 Jun 1941

Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 314)

Launched

11 Feb 1942

Commissioned

25 Apr 1942

Fregkpt. Hans-Günther Brachmann

Commanders

25 Apr 1942 - 18 Aug 1942	FrgKpt. Hans-Günther Brachmann
19 Aug 1942 - 13 Jan 1944	Kptlt. Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann
13 Jan 1944 - 22 Apr 1945	Oblt. Hans-Werner Offermann

Career

7 patrols

25 Apr 1942 - 30 Sep 1942  4. Flottille (training)
1 Oct 1942 - 31 Oct 1944  2. Flottille (front boat)
1 Nov 1944 - 22 Apr 1945  33. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

9 ships sunk for a total of 55,747 GRT
3 ships damaged for a total of 22,616 GRT

Fate

Sunk 22 April, 1945 in the North Atlantic north-west of the Azores, in position 43.26N, 38.23W, by depth charges from the US destroyer escorts USS Carter and USS Neal A. Scott. 56 dead (all hands lost).

See the 12 ships hit by U-518 - View the 7 war patrols

Attacks on this boat

2 Nov 1942
While entering the Gulf of St. Lawrence via the Cabot Strait an radar-equipped Canadian aircraft attacked the boat with depth charges but the boat escaped unharmed. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 50.)

21 Nov 1942
The boat was seriously damaged while attacking convoy ON 145 - presumably from allied escorts as the convoy had no air cover at the time. He sank one and damaged two ships. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 51.)

27 Jun 1943
At 12.35 hours, the outbound boat was strafed and attacked with four depth charges by the British Sunderland aircraft W6005 (201 Sqdn RAF/P, pilot F/O Brian E.H. Layne, RNZAF) west of Cape Finisterre. U-518 was damaged so badly that she had to return to base and subsequently survived another air attack 3 days later while inbound. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

30 Jun 1943
At 11.05 hours, the already damaged and inbound boat was attacked by an Australian Sunderland aircraft (10 Sqdn RAAF/T, pilot F/L H.W. Skinner) in the Bay of Biscay. Two attacks were made, but the five depth charges dropped in the second run overshot and AA fire badly damaged the wings and rear part of the aircraft, mortally wounding the rear gunner. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

9 Aug 1944
Allied escorts attacked a submerged U-boat that was probably the U-518 but she got away without damages. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 622)

5 recorded attacks on this boat.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in July 1944 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-518 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.