List of all U-boats

U-46

Type

VIIB

 
Ordered21 Nov 1936
Laid down24 Feb 1937 F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 581)
Launched10 Sep 1938
Commissioned2 Nov 1938Kptlt. Herbert Sohler
Commanders
2 Nov 1938 - 21 May 1940  Kptlt. Herbert Sohler
22 May 1940 - 24 Sep 1941  Kptlt. Engelbert Endrass (Knights Cross)
Oct, 1941 - 19 Nov 1941  Oblt. Peter-Ottmar Grau (German Cross in Gold)
20 Nov 1941 - Mar, 1942  Oblt. Konstantin von Puttkamer
Mar, 1942 - Apr, 1942  Oblt. Kurt Neubert
20 Apr 1942 - May, 1942  Oblt. Ernst von Witzendorff
May, 1942 - Jul, 1942  Ltn. Franz Saar
Aug, 1942 - 30 Apr 1943  Oblt. Joachim Knecht
1 May 1943 - Oct, 1943  Oblt. Erich Jewinski
Career
13 patrols
2 Nov 1938-31 Aug 1939  7. Flottille (active service)
1 Sep 1939-31 Dec 1939  7. Flottille (active service)
1 Jan 1940-1 Sep 1941  7. Flottille (active service)
2 Sep 1941-31 Mar 1942  26. Flottille (training)
1 Apr 1942-1 Jul 1942  24. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1942-Oct 1943  24. Flottille (training)
Successes20 ships sunk, total tonnage 85,792 GRT
2 auxiliary warships sunk, total tonnage 35,284 GRT
4 ships damaged, total tonnage 25,491 GRT
1 ship a total loss, total tonnage 2,080 GRT
Fate

Decommissioned at Neustadt in October 1943 and used as instructional boat.

Scuttled on 5 May 1945 at Flensburg in Kupfermühlen Bay, in position 54.50N, 09.29E.

Final location

See the 27 ships hit by U-46 - View the 13 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-46 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Rösing (12 Jun 1940 - 15 Jun 1940)
   West (19 May 1941 - 6 Jun 1941)

Attacks on this boat and other events

13 Apr 1940
During the Battle of Narvik, Norway, the boat was depth charged and severely damaged by British destroyers escorting the Elizabeth Class battleship HMS Warspite. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 152)

3 Aug 1940
The British submarine HMS Triad (Cdr. E.R.J. Oddie, DSO, RN), returning from patrol, encountered the outbound U-46 (Endrass) off Fedjeosen, north of Bergen. Triad surfaced at 22.30 hrs after failing to achieve a torpedo attack position and engaged U-46 with her 4 inch gun. Endrass decided not to respond and dived. Triad also dived and tried to track U-46, but both boats lost contact. HMS Triad was lost in action six weeks later.

25 Oct 1940
Three Hudson bombers from RAF Squadron 228 attacked U-46. One man wounded who died the following day. [Matrosengefreiter Plaep]

8 Jun 1941
After torpedoing the British tanker Ensis, U-46 was rammed by her victim. The conning tower and periscope were damaged, forcing a return to base. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 306)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

3 Apr 1941. On 3 April, 1941 U-46 had to return to base due to serious problems with the torpedo tube bow caps.

Men lost from the boat

27 Sep 1940
The boat lost two men during an unintentional dive.[Oberbootsmaat Heinrich Schenk, Matrosenobergefreiter Wilhelm Reh]

25 Oct 1940
Three Hudson bombers from RAF Squadron 228 attacked U-46. One man wounded who died the following day. [Matrosengefreiter Plaep]

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

U-boat Emblems

We have 4 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


The Snorting Bull - U-47
Skull and Crossbones
Mickey Mouse using Umbrella against Bombs
Gent with inverted umbrella

Media links


German U-Boat Losses During World War II
Niestle, Axel


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1
Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War
Blair, Clay


Narvik
Dickens, Peter and Grove, Eric J.

There was another U-46 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 18 May 1915 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 17 Dec 1915. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about SM U 46 during WWI.




As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.