U-534

Type

Sunk at 1243hrs on 5 May 1945 in the Kattegat east of Anholt, in position 56.45N, 11.52E, by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (86 Sqn RAF/G). 3 dead and 49 survivors. (FDS/NHB, June 1985).

Post war information (see more post-war boats):
U-534 was raised from the Kattegat, between Denmark and Sweden, in 1993. She was taken to Birkenhead, England in May 1996 and is now part of a small museum run by Merseytravel, the local transport executive.

Loss position

View the 3 war patrols

U-534 was first attacked by a Liberator (547 Sqn RAF/E), which was shot down with the loss of five of the crew of six. Then another Liberator (86 Sqn RAF/G) attacked. On the first run none of the depth charges detonated, but one lodged on the casing just aft of the conning tower. Explosions from near misses in the second run dislodged it, and it exploded beneath the hull.

All the crew escaped, but one died through exhaling while ascending to the surface from the sunken boat, and two from exposure in the water, one of whom, the radio operator, was Argentinean. They were rescued by lifeboats from the Anholt lightship approximately one mile away, as was the surviving crew member of the downed Liberator.

The pilot of G for George, Warrant Officer John D. Nicol, was awarded the DFC. The bombardier was Flying Officer Neville Baker.

Previously recorded fate

Sunk by British Liberator aircraft (RAF 206/T) on 5 May, 1945 in position 56.59N, 11.48E. (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack instead severely damaged the U-3523.

Attacks on this boat and other events

27 Aug 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Wellington (Sqdn 172/B)

5 May 1945
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Liberator (Sqdn 547/E). The boat was sunk by another aircraft during this attack.

2 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

Her Salvage in 1993

U-534 was raised from the Kattegat, between Denmark and Sweden, in 1993 and almost ended up in a scrapyard before being taken over by the Warship Preservation Trust. She was taken to England in May 1996 and put on display at the Nautilus Maritime Museum, Birkenhead until 2008. She was then cut into five pieces and moved to the Woodside Ferry Terminal across the river Mersey from Liverpool, and exhibited as part of a small museum by Merseytravel, the local transport executive.

Check out U-534's Gallery page with over 20 photos

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat

This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in August 1944 but it was of course installed prior to that date.

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

Annoucements related to this boat

U-534 being broken up into 4 pieces (6 Feb 2008)
U-534\'s future in doubt (22 Jan 2006)

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-534 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.