U-249

Type

VIIC

Ordered

5 Jun 1941

Laid down

23 Jan 1943

F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 683)

Launched

23 Oct 1943

Commissioned

20 Nov 1943

Oblt. Rolf Lindschau

Commanders

20 Nov 1943	-	16 Jul 1944		Oblt. (R) Rolf Lindschau
17 Jul 1944	-	10 May 1945		Uwe Kock

Career
2 patrols

20 Nov 1943	-	1 Jan 1945	5. Flottille (training)
1 Jan 1945	-	8 May 1945	5. Flottille (active service)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Surrendered on 10 May 1945 at Portland, UK (Waller & Niestlé, 2010).

Commissioned as research vessel N 85 in the Royal Navy on 29 May 1945, later transferred to Loch Ryan, Scotland.

Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info)
Sunk on 13 Dec, 1945 in position 56.10N, 10.05W

Final location

View the 2 war patrols

Surrender: The boat surfaced on 9 May 1945 and, flying the required black flag, signalled its surrender to a PB4Y-1 Liberator aircraft of the Fleet Air Wing of the USN based at Dunkeswell, Devon. U-249 was then escorted to Portland where it surrendered as first U-boat in a British harbor.

Attacks on this boat and other events

24 Mar 1945
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British Mosquito FB Mk.VI HR434 (235 Sqn RAF/Q, pilot F/Lt J.R. Williams)

1324hrs, about 10 miles north-west of Fedje, Norway: the boat was attacked by a Mosquito on a reconnaisance patrol between Utsira and Utvaer, but managed to shoot it down by AA fire. The navigator was lost and the pilot rescued by U-249 which transferred him to the Vorpostenboot V 1703 Unitas 5 before continuing its patrol. The pilot was landed at Bergen and handed over to the local authorities, who executed him.

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat

This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in December 1944.

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

Men lost from the boat

3 Oct 1944
A crew member was washed overboard during exercises off Danzig at 1410hrs. He was rescued and given artificial respiration, but could not be revived. [Matrosenobergefreiter Franz Albrecht]

Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -