U-518

Type

IXC

Ordered

14 Feb 1940

Laid down

12 Jun 1941

Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 314)

Launched

11 Feb 1942

Commissioned

25 Apr 1942

Fregkpt. Hans-Günther Brachmann

Commanders

25 Apr 1942	-	18 Aug 1942	FrgKpt. Hans-Günther Brachmann
19 Aug 1942	-	13 Jan 1944	Kptlt. Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann
13 Jan 1944	-	22 Apr 1945	Oblt. Hans-Werner Offermann (German Cross in Gold)

Career
7 patrols

25 Apr 1942	-	30 Sep 1942	4. Flottille (training)
1 Oct 1942	-	31 Oct 1944	2. Flottille (active service)
1 Nov 1944	-	22 Apr 1945	33. Flottille (active service)

Successes

9 ships sunk, total tonnage 55,747 GRT
3 ships damaged, total tonnage 22,616 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 22 April 1945 in the North Atlantic north-west of the Azores, in position 43.26N, 38.23W, by depth charges from the US destroyer escorts USS Carter and USS Neal A. Scott. 56 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

See the 12 ships hit by U-518 - View the 7 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-518 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Panther (7 Oct 1942 - 11 Oct 1942)
Seewolf (14 Apr 1945 - 22 Apr 1945)

Attacks on this boat and other events

2 Nov 1942
While entering the Gulf of St. Lawrence via the Cabot Strait, U-518 was depth-charged by a radar-equipped Canadian aircraft, but escaped unharmed. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 50.)

21 Nov 1942
04.26 hrs, approx 200 miles (322km) SE of Sydney, Nova Scotia: following a successful attack on convoy ON 145, U-518 was forced to dive when taken under fire by several ships in bright moonlight.

HMCS Buctouche made for the tracer fire, obtained an Asdic contact at 04.42 hrs and carried out an immediate attack with four depth charges set at 100 ft (30m). A whistle effect was heard afterwards, but as the contact had been lost and classified as non-sub, the escort rejoined the convoy.

The depth charges caused no damage, but unknown to the crew, U-518 was in serious trouble, because the mounting of the heating plug in the third torpedo tube had broken loose, causing uncontrollable flooding of the bow torpedo room from a thick jet of water, as the bow cap could not be closed. At 05.18 hrs, the boat was forced to surface, and escaped undetected to the north. It took almost three hours to pump the compartment out, and U-518 was forced to return to base because the damage left her unfit for combat. (Sources: ADM 199/1268)

27 Jun 1943
12.35 hrs, outbound, west of Finisterre: British Sunderland W6005 (RAF Sqdn 201/P, pilot F/O Brian E.H. Layne, RNZAF) strafed U-518 and dropped four depth charges. U-518 was damaged so badly she was forced to return to base, surviving another air attack on the way three days later. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

30 Jun 1943
11.05 hours, Bay of Biscay, inbound: the already damaged boat was attacked by an Australian Sunderland flying boat (RAAF Sqdn 10/T, pilot F/L H.W. Skinner). Two attacks were made, but the five depth charges dropped on the second run overshot. The wings and aft section of of the aircraft were badly damaged by flak, mortally wounding the stern gunner. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

9 Aug 1944
Allied escorts attacked a submerged U-boat in mid-Atlantic which was probably U-518, but the boat escaped unscathed. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 622)

5 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 July 1944 but it was of course installed prior to that date.

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-518 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.