U-617

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

31 May 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 593)

Launched

14 Feb 1942

Commissioned

9 Apr 1942

Kptlt. Albrecht Brandi (Knights Cross)

Commanders

9 Apr 1942 - 12 Sep 1943

Kptlt. Albrecht Brandi (Knights Cross)

Career

7 patrols

9 Apr 1942 - 31 Aug 1942  5. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1942 - 30 Nov 1942  7. Flottille (front boat)
1 Dec 1942 - 12 Sep 1943  29. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

8 ships sunk for a total of 25,879 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 810 GRT
2 warships sunk for a total of 3,700 tons

Fate

Ran aground under British aerial attack by Hudons (Sqdn 48 and 233) and 2 Swordfish aircraft (FAA Sqdn 833 and 886) on 12 Sept, 1943 in the Mediterranean near Melilla, in position 35.38N, 03.27W. Wreck destroyed by gunfire from the British corvette HMS Hyacinth and the Australian minesweeper HMAS Wollongong. 49 survivors (No casualties).

See the 11 ships hit by U-617 - View the 7 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-617 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Pfeil (13 Sep 1942 - 25 Sep 1942)
Delphin (10 Nov 1942 - 17 Nov 1942)

Attacks on this boat

12 Sep 1943
The sinking of U-617At 01.50 hours, the boat was attacked with depth charges by a Leigh Light equipped British Wellington aircraft (179 Sqdn RAF/P, pilot S/L D.B. Hodgkinson, RCAF) off the Moroccan coast. Another Wellington (179 Sqdn RAF/J, pilot P/O W.H. Brunini) was homed in and dropped its depth charges in a Leigh Light attack in 35°17N/03°20W. AA fire had hit the aircraft in several places, fatally wounding the rear gunner but this remained unnoticed by the crew during the action. The Wellington crew saw flames in the conning tower of U-617 and circled the boat for 45 minutes until she beached herself near Melilla, Spanish Morocco.

All 49 crew members abandoned ship and were interned by Spain and later repatriated to Germany. U-617 was finished off by several air attacks of British aircraft from Gibraltar (Hudsons of 48 and 233 Sqdn RAF and two Swordfish of 833 and 886 Sqdn FAA) and finally the wreck was destroyed by gunfire from HMS Hyacinth and HMAS Wollongong.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-617 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.