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 (active service)
1 Nov 1944	-	22 Apr 1945	33. Flottille (active service)

Successes

9 ships sunk, total tonnage 55,747 GRT
3 ships damaged, total tonnage 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).

Loss position

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

Wolfpack operations

U-518 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Panther (7 Oct 1942 - 11 Oct 1942)
Seewolf (14 Apr 1945 - 22 Apr 1945)

Attacks on this boat and other events

2 Nov 1942
While entering the Gulf of St. Lawrence via the Cabot Strait, U-518 was depth-charged by a radar-equipped Canadian aircraft, but escaped unharmed. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 50.)

21 Nov 1942
At 04.26 hours, U-518 was forced to crash dive after a successful attack on convoy ON-145 when the U-boat was taken under fire by several ships in bright moonlight about 200 miles southeast of Sydney, Nova Scotia. HMCS Buctouche headed for the tracer fire and obtained Asdic contact, carrying out an immediate attack with four depth charges set to 100 feet at 04.42 hours. A whistle effect was heard afterwards, but as the contact had been lost and classified as non-sub she rejoined the convoy. The depth charges caused no damage, but unknown to them U-518 was in serious troubles because the mounting of the plug for the heating in the third torpedo tube broke loose due to a material defect, causing an uncontrollable flooding of the bow torpedo room through a thick jet of water as the bow cap could not be closed. At 05.18 hours, the U-boat was forced to surface and escaped undetected to the north. It took almost three hours to pump the bow room empty and U-518 returned to base because they were no longer ready for combat. (Sources: ADM 199/1268)

27 Jun 1943
12.35 hrs, outbound, west of Finisterre: British Sunderland W6005 (RAF Sqdn 201/P, pilot F/O Brian E.H. Layne, RNZAF) strafed U-518 and dropped four depth charges. U-518 was damaged so badly she was forced to return to base, and survived another air attack 3 days later while en route. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

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

9 Aug 1944
Allied escorts attacked a submerged U-boat in mid-Atlantic which was probably U-518, but the boat escaped unscathed. (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.