U-270

Type

VIIC

Ordered

20 Jan 1941

Laid down

15 Oct 1941

Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 35)

Launched

11 Jul 1942

Commissioned

5 Sep 1942

Oblt. Paul-Friedrich Otto

Commanders

5 Sep 1942	-	25 Jun 1944		Kptlt. Paul-Friedrich Otto (German Cross in Gold)
16 Jul 1944	-	13 Aug 1944		Oblt. Heinrich Schreiber

Career
6 patrols

5 Sep 1942	-	31 Mar 1943	8. Flottille (training)
1 Apr 1943	-	13 Aug 1944	6. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 warship a total loss, total tonnage 1,370 tons

Fate

Decommissioned on 25 June 1944 at Lorient and laid up in U-boat pen, later repaired and returned to service in August 1944.

Sunk at 0010hrs on 13 August 1944 in the Bay of Biscay west of La Rochelle, in position 46.19N, 02.56W, by depth charges from an Australian Sunderland aircraft (461 Sqn RAAF/A). 10 dead and 71 survivors.

Loss position

See the 1 ships hit by U-270 - View the 6 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-270 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Löwenherz (4 Apr 1943 - 10 Apr 1943)
   Lerche (10 Apr 1943 - 16 Apr 1943)
   Specht (21 Apr 1943 - 4 May 1943)
   Fink (4 May 1943 - 5 May 1943)
   Leuthen (15 Sep 1943 - 23 Sep 1943)
   Borkum (18 Dec 1943 - 3 Jan 1944)
   Borkum 1 (3 Jan 1944 - 6 Jan 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

22 Sep 1943
The pressure hull was cracked by depth charges in an attack by convoy escorts in mid Atlantic, forcing the boat to return to base. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 423)

6 Jan 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British Fortress FA705 (206 Sqn RAF/U, pilot F/L A.J. Pinhorn)

1911hrs, NNE of the Azores: the Fortress made two strafing runs without dropping bombs. After dropping four depth charges ahead of the boat during a third run, the starboard inner engine was hit by flak and the aircraft crashed into the sea, killing all eight aircrew. U-270 ran into the detonations, damaging all bow torpedo tubes, the sonar and batteries, and was forced to return to base.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

13 Jun 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Fortress (53 Sqn RAF/C)

Bay of Biscay, due south of Brest. U-270 was not damaged in this attack, but was already returning to base after being seriously damaged by a British Wellington aircraft (172 Sqn RAF/Y). The damage was so severe that the boat was paid off on 25 June 1944.

3 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

U-270 was paid off on 1 July 1944 due to extensive damage from aircraft attack (see Attacks). She was however re-commissioned in early August and sent on patrol, her last.