German submarine U-413

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-413
Ordered	15 August 1940
Builder	Danziger Werft AG, Danzig
Yard number	114
Laid down	25 April 1941
Launched	15 January 1942
Commissioned	3 June 1942
Fate	Sunk on 20 August 1944 in the English Channel, by depth charges. 45 dead and one survivor
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	list error: <br /> list (help); 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	list error: <br /> list (help); 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	list error: <br /> list (help); 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draft	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	list error: <br /> list (help); 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	list error: <br /> list (help); 2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors
Speed	list error: <br /> list (help); 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	list error: <br /> list (help); 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	list error: <br /> list (help); 230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	list error: mixed text and list (help); 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × G7e torpedoes; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); various AA guns;
Service record
Part of:	list error: <br /> list (help); Kriegsmarine 8th U-boat Flotilla (Training); 3 June – 31 October 1942; 1st U-boat Flotilla (Front [operational] Boat); 1 November 1942 – 20 August 1944
Identification codes:	M 03 918
Commanders:	list error: <br /> list (help); Kptlt. Gustav Poel; 3 June 1942 — 19 April 1944; Oblt.z.S. Dietrich Sachse; 20 April – 20 August 1944
Operations:	Eight patrols
Victories:	list error: <br /> list (help); Five ships sunk for a total of 36.885 GRT; one warship sunk for a total of 1.100 tons

U-413 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

She was commissioned in mid 1942, with Oberleutnant zur See Gustav Poel in command. Poel commanded her (receiving promotion to Kapitänleutnant), until 19 April 1944, when he was relieved by Oberleutnant zur See Dietrich Sachse who commanded her until her loss.

U-413 was laid down on 25 April 1941 at the Danziger Werft (as yard number 114), launched on 15 January 1942 and commissioned on 3 June. She conducted eight patrols in World War II, sinking six ships totalling 37,985 gross register tons (GRT).

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-413 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[2] It had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 shaft horsepower (760 PS; 560 kW) for use while submerged. It had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[2] When submerged, it could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-413 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at its bow and one at its stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. It had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

1st and 2nd patrols

The U-boat departed Kiel on 22 October 1942, on her first patrol.

On 14 November 1942, she sank the 20,107-ton troop transport ship MV Warwick Castle (one of the largest sunk in World War II).

At 08:44 am, the ship, under the command of Henry Richard Leepman-Shaw in Convoy MKF-1X was hit by one of two torpedoes fired, about 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) NW of Cape Espichel, Portugal. The U-boat hit her again at 08:57 am, causing the ship to sink about one hour later. The master, 61 crew members and 34 service personnel died. 201 crew members, 29 gunners and five naval and 131 service personnel were rescued by HMS Achates, HMS Vansittart, HMCS Louisburg, and the British MV Leinster. The latter ship had been in Convoy KMF-1 for Operation Torch, (the invasion of North Africa).

On 19 November 1942, U-413 was attacked by a British Lockheed Hudson aircraft with five bombs and was damaged so severely that she had to return to a new base - Brest in occupied France.

Her second patrol was marked by sinking the American ship West Portal in mid-Atlantic on 5 February 1943; there were no survivors. She also attacked and sank the Greek Mount Mycale on 22 January 1943, northeast of Newfoundland.

3rd and 4th patrols

Her third patrol saw her leave Brest on 29 March 1943, once more for the Atlantic. There, she sank the British vessel Wanstead south of Greenland, whose survivors were picked up by the corvette HMS Poppy and the ASW (anti-submarine warfare) HMS Northern Gift.

Her fourth sortie was a frustrating one; it was split into three parts, but she failed to sink any ships.

5th and 6th patrols

On 20 February 1944, she sank the British 1,100 ton destroyer HMS Warwick about 15 miles off Trevose Head, north Cornwall. This was Poel's last patrol. He moved to the Marineschule (naval academy) at Mürwik in Flensburg.

7th patrol and sinking

Her last victory was when she sank Saint Enogat on 19 August 1944 in the English Channel.
U-413 did not suffer any casualties until 20 August 1944, when she was sunk, also in the English Channel, by depth charges from the British escort destroyer HMS Wensleydale and the destroyers HMS Forester and Vidette. 45 of her crew were killed; there was one survivor.

The wreck of U-413 was located and identified by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2000 close to the official sinking position.

Wolfpacks

U-413 took part in 15 wolfpacks, namely.

Westwall (8–19 November 1942)
Jaguar (10–31 January 1943)
Pfeil (1–9 February 1943)
Adler (11–13 April 1943)
Meise (13–27 April 1943)
Star (27 April – 4 May 1943)
Fink (4–6 May 1943)
Naab (12–15 May 1943)
Donau 2 (15–26 May 1943)
Schlieffen (14–22 October 1943)
Siegfried (22–27 October 1943)
Siegfried 2 (27–30 October 1943)
Körner (30 October – 2 November 1943)
Tirpitz 2 (2–8 November 1943)
Eisenhart 8 (9–11 November 1943)

Trivia

Neal Stephenson's novel Cryptonomicon features a fictitious U-413, a milchkuh (supply boat).

Summary of raiding career

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate
14 November 1942	Warwick Castle	Vereinigtes Königreich	20,107	Sunk
22 January 1943	Mount Mycale	Griechenland	3,556	Sunk
21 April 1943	Wanstead	Vereinigtes Königreich	5,486	Sunk
21 April 1944	HMS Warwick	Royal Navy	1,100	Sunk
19 August 1944	Saint Enogat	Vereinigtes Königreich	2,360	Sunk

References

^ Kemp 1999, p. 212.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Gröner 1985, pp. 72–74.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. p. 145. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
Gröner, Erich (1985). U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher (in German). Vol. III. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-4802-4. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Innes McCartney (2002). Lost Patrols: Submarine Wrecks of the English Channel.
Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-413". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.

Röll, p.282 50°21′N 00°01′W / 50.350°N 0.017°W / 50.350; -0.017

[FOOTNOTEKemp1999212-1] Kemp 1999, p. 212.

[FOOTNOTEGröner198572–74-2] Gröner 1985, pp. 72–74.

[1]

[2]

v t e Type VII submarines
Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36
Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102
Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210
Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1011 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308
Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218
Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062
Preceded by: Type II Followed by: Type IX List of U-boats of Germany