U-228

Type

VIIC

Ordered

7 Dec 1940

Laid down

18 Oct 1941

F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 658)

Launched

30 Jul 1942

Commissioned

12 Sep 1942

Oblt. Erwin Christophersen

Commanders

12 Sep 1942	-	Aug, 1944		Kptlt. Erwin Christophersen (German Cross in Gold)
Aug, 1944	-	4 Oct 1944		Kptlt. Herbert Engel (German Cross in Gold)

Career
6 patrols

12 Sep 1942	-	28 Feb 1943	5. Flottille (training)
1 Mar 1943	-	4 Oct 1944	6. Flottille (active service)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Sunk on 4 October 1944 in the Laksevaag shipyard at Bergen, by bombs during a British air raid (RAF Bomber Command).

The wreck was raised in November 1944 and cannibalized for spare parts. The hulk was captured at Bergen by British forces in May 1945 and broken up.

View the 6 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-228 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Burggraf (24 Feb 1943 - 5 Mar 1943)
   Westmark (6 Mar 1943 - 11 Mar 1943)
   Oder (17 May 1943 - 19 May 1943)
   Mosel (19 May 1943 - 24 May 1943)
   Trutz (1 Jun 1943 - 16 Jun 1943)
   Trutz 1 (16 Jun 1943 - 29 Jun 1943)
   Geier 1 (30 Jun 1943 - 12 Jul 1943)
   Schill (1 Nov 1943 - 16 Nov 1943)
   Schill 1 (16 Nov 1943 - 22 Nov 1943)
   Weddigen (22 Nov 1943 - 7 Dec 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

7 May 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Halifax bomber HR792 (RAF Sqdn 58/A, pilot Sgt N.F. Robertson, RAAF)

10.50 hrs, Bay of Biscay, outbound: The Halifax was forced to break off an initial attack by heavy flak, but then made a strafing attack from the bow and released six depth charges, which overshot the boat and detonated about 25m (82ft) astern. The detonations gave U-228 a severe shaking and wounded the II WO and one seaman. The Germans observed several AA hits on the aircraft (misidentified as a Lancaster) and saw it emit smoke before they dived. The Halifax and its crew of seven failed to return to base and presumably crashed shortly after this attack.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

8 Jul 1943
19.40 hrs, Atlantic W of Portugal: the boat was attacked by a British Catalina flying boat (RAF Sqdn 210/G, pilot F/O D.H. Clarke). The aircraft had used all its depth charges in an attack on U-641 two hours earlier, but made a strafing run on U-228 when she was spotted on the surface. Its gunners fired 240 rounds and saw hits all over the hull, while the Germans claimed to observe AA hits on the aircraft before they dived. They reported a Catalina probably shot down, but it was in fact undamaged. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

11 Jun 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Sunderland (Sqdn 228)

3 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 August 1944 but it was of course installed prior to that date.

Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.