U-537

Type

IXC/40

Ordered

10 Apr 1941

Laid down

10 Apr 1942

Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 355)

Launched

7 Nov 1942

Commissioned

27 Jan 1943

Kptlt. Peter Schrewe

Commanders

27 Jan 1943

9 Nov 1944

Kptlt. Peter Schrewe

Career
3 patrols

27 Jan 1943	-	31 Jul 1943	4. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1943	-	30 Sep 1944	10. Flottille (active service)
1 Oct 1944	-	9 Nov 1944	33. Flottille (active service)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Sunk 9 Nov, 1944 in the Java Sea east of Surabaya, in position 07.13S, 115.17E, by torpedoes from the US submarine USS Flounder. 58 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

View the 3 war patrols

Attacks on this boat

31 Oct 1943
A Canadian Hudson aircraft (Sqdn 11) fired eight rockets at the boat which missed their mark. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 459)

10 Nov 1943
A Canadian Catalina aircraft (Sqdn 5) dropped four depth charges on the boat off Cape Race, Canada. The boat escaped unharmed. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 459)

11 Nov 1943
A Canadian Catalina aircraft (Sqdn 5) dropped 4 depth chages, causing slight damage. Ships called in to hunt her failed to locate the boat and she reached port on December 8. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 459)

5 Mar 1944
While outbound from France the boat was attacked by an unidentified Allied aircraft and damaged so badly she was forced to return to Lorient, arriving 6 March. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 538)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

22 Oct 1943. U-537 set up an automatic weather station in Martin Bay, Labrador. See Weather station Kurt erected in Labrador in 1943.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-537 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.