U-711

Type

VIIC

Ordered

7 Dec 1940

Laid down

31 Jul 1941

H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg (werk 777)

Launched

25 Jun 1942

Commissioned

26 Sep 1942

Oblt. Hans-Günther Lange (Oak Leaves)

Commanders

26 Sep 1942

4 May 1945

Kptlt. Hans-Günther Lange (Knights Cross)

Career
12 patrols

26 Sep 1942	-	31 Mar 1943	5. Flottille (training)
1 Apr 1943	-	31 May 1943	11. Flottille (active service)
1 Jun 1943	-	4 May 1945	13. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 10 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 925 tons
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 20 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 4 May 1945 at Kilbotn, near Harstad, Norway, in position 68.43,7N, 16.34,6E, by bombs from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (846, 853 and 882 Sqn FAA) of the British escort carriers HMS Searcher, HMS Trumpeter and HMS Queen. 40 dead and 12 survivors.

Loss position

See the 3 ships hit by U-711 - View the 12 war patrols

U-711 was damaged while alongside the depot ship Black Watch, probably by two near misses - or hits on the Black Watch.

A skeleton crew of 12 men - probably those on watch aboard the U-boat cut her loose and sailed off, but the boat sank a couple of hundred meters away from the depot ship. 40 members from the U-711 were on board the Black Watch and they were killed when the she blew up. The ship received 7 direct hits and 4 near misses by bombs dropped from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft of 846, 853 and 882 Squadrons FAA operating from the three British escort carriers mentioned above.

All twelve men aboard U-711 managed to escape, this is important, as this means that she is not a war grave. She lies at 45 meters depth, and can be dived by experienced amature divers using Trimix gas or decompression stops.

According to a recent report, she is in excellent condition, war damage to rear of tower and deck before the tower, but otherwise good shape, deck planks still intact, even ropes still knotted around the bollards - indicating that mooring ropes to the Black Watch was cut, not untied. The 88mm gun had been removed, probably in summer of 1944, possibly when she was fitted with the schnorkel, twin 20mm AA gun is still mounted to the rear of the tower.

The U-711 was the last U-boat sinking by the Royal Fleet Air Arm.

For the following sequence of photographs that show U-711 being attacked shortly before sinking would like to thank Commander Henning Sulen (Head of Education Dep. Royal Norwegian Navy Academy)

U-711 alongside Black Watch.

The ship close to the wing is former Norwegian coastal battleship HNoMS Harald Haarfagre in German service as anti-aircraft ship Thetis.

This boat is a dive site

This is a very well documented dive-site. It was probably been dived since roughly 1979-80 and also 2-3 years ago. The u-boat is standing on the seabed at approximately 50 meters depth, the deepest part being the stern.

The boat is looking good, except for the rear part of the tower which is damaged from the sinking. The U-711 is located in Kilbotn, near Harstad (North Norway) in position N 68 deg. 43,717`, E 016 deg. 34,600`.

Depth: 150 feet (46 meters)
Position (lat, long): 68.43, 16.34

See more U-boat dive sites.

Wolfpack operations

U-711 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Wiking (1 Aug 1943 - 20 Sep 1943)
   Blitz (24 Mar 1944 - 5 Apr 1944)
   Keil (11 Apr 1944 - 14 Apr 1944)
   Donner & Keil (24 Apr 1944 - 3 May 1944)
   Grimm (31 May 1944 - 6 Jun 1944)
   Trutz (8 Jun 1944 - 7 Jul 1944)
   Greif (3 Aug 1944 - 18 Aug 1944)
   Rasmus (9 Feb 1945 - 13 Feb 1945)
   Hagen (15 Mar 1945 - 21 Mar 1945)