U-1172

Type

VIIC/41

Ordered

16 Jul 1942

Laid down

7 Jun 1943

Danziger Werft AG, Danzig (werk 144)

Launched

3 Dec 1943

Commissioned

20 Apr 1944

Oblt. Jürgen Kuhlmann

Commanders

20 Apr 1944

27 Jan 1945

Oblt. Jürgen Kuhlmann

Career
1 patrol

20 Apr 1944	-	30 Nov 1944	8. Flottille (training)
1 Dec 1944	-	27 Jan 1945	11. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 1,599 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 7,429 GRT
1 warship a total loss, total tonnage 11,400 tons

Fate

Sunk on 27 January 1945 in St George's Channel, in position 52.24N, 05.42W, by depth charges from the British frigates HMS Tyler, HMS Keats and HMS Bligh. 52 dead (all hands lost). (FDS/NHB, April 1984).

Loss position

See the 3 ships hit by U-1172 - View the 1 war patrol

Previously recorded fate

Sunk 26 Jan, 1945 in the Irish Sea south of the Isle of Man, in position 53. 39N, 05. 23W, by ramming and depth charges from the British frigates HMS Aylmer, Calder, Bentinck and Manners. (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack was actually responsible for sinking the U-1051.

General notes on this boat

On 15 Jan, 1945 the boat claimed two torpedo attacks. They are believed to have been against the British escort carrier HMS Thane and the Norwegian tanker Spinanger which were both hit by torpedoes and damaged.

These ships were previously believed to have been hit by the U-482 but that boat was almost certainly lost in early December, 1944.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat

This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in December 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-1172 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.