U-437

Type

VIIC

Ordered

16 Oct 1939

Laid down

16 Apr 1940

F Schichau GmbH, Danzig (werk 1479)

Launched

26 Jul 1941

Commissioned

25 Oct 1941

Kptlt. Werner-Karl Schulz

Commanders

25 Oct 1941	-	20 Dec 1942		Kptlt. Werner-Karl Schulz
21 Dec 1942	-	5 Oct 1944		Kptlt. Hermann Lamby (German Cross in Gold)

Career
11 patrols

25 Oct 1941	-	1 Apr 1942	6. Flottille (training)
1 Apr 1942	-	5 Oct 1944	6. Flottille (active service)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Badly damaged on 4 October 1944 in the Laksevaag shipyard at Bergen, Norway, by bombs during British air raid (RAF Bomber Command). The boat capsized in a floating dock.

Decommissioned on 5 October 1944 and cannibalized for spare parts. The hulk was captured by British forces in May 1945 and broken up in 1946.

View the 11 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-437 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Endrass (12 Jun 1942 - 17 Jun 1942)
   Blitz (22 Sep 1942 - 26 Sep 1942)
   Tiger (26 Sep 1942 - 30 Sep 1942)
   Luchs (1 Oct 1942 - 6 Oct 1942)
   Panther (6 Oct 1942 - 12 Oct 1942)
   Leopard (12 Oct 1942 - 19 Oct 1942)
   Veilchen (27 Oct 1942 - 4 Nov 1942)
   Robbe (16 Feb 1943 - 20 Feb 1943)
   Rossbach (6 Oct 1943 - 9 Oct 1943)
   Schlieffen (14 Oct 1943 - 22 Oct 1943)
   Siegfried (22 Oct 1943 - 27 Oct 1943)
   Siegfried 2 (27 Oct 1943 - 30 Oct 1943)
   Jahn (30 Oct 1943 - 2 Nov 1943)
   Igel 2 (15 Feb 1944 - 17 Feb 1944)
   Hai 1 (17 Feb 1944 - 22 Feb 1944)
   Preussen (22 Feb 1944 - 22 Mar 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

29 Apr 1943
00.30 hrs, Bay of Biscay, outbound: a British Wellington bomber (RAF Sqdn 172/H), piloted by Peter H. Stembridge dropped six bombs on U-437 in a Leigh Light attack. The boat was heavily damaged and requested immediate help, and was assisted to base by U-455. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 276)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat

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

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-437 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.