Patrol info for U-256
| Departure | Arrival / Fate | Duration | ||
| 28 Jul 1942 | Kiel | 3 Sep 1942 | Lorient | 38 days |
Commander | Officers * |
Kptlt. Odo Loewe |
Daily positions, sinkings and allied attacks during the patrol of U-256
Legend
indicates an Allied attack on the boat.
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We have daily positions for all 38 days on this patrol.
Departure from Kiel on 28 Jul 1942.
29 Jul 1942 - 30 Jul 1942 - 31 Jul 1942 - 1 Aug 1942 - 2 Aug 1942 - 3 Aug 1942 - 4 Aug 1942 - 5 Aug 1942 - 6 Aug 1942 - 7 Aug 1942 - 8 Aug 1942 - 9 Aug 1942 - 10 Aug 1942 - 11 Aug 1942 - 12 Aug 1942 - 13 Aug 1942 - 14 Aug 1942 - 15 Aug 1942 - 16 Aug 1942 - 17 Aug 1942 - 18 Aug 1942 - 19 Aug 1942 - 20 Aug 1942 - 21 Aug 1942 - 22 Aug 1942 - 23 Aug 1942 - 24 Aug 1942 - 25 Aug 1942 - 26 Aug 1942 - 27 Aug 1942 - 28 Aug 1942 - 29 Aug 1942 - 30 Aug 1942 - 31 Aug 1942 - 1 Sep 1942 - 2 Sep 1942 -
Arrival at Lorient on 3 Sep 1942.
Wolfpack operations during this patrol
U-256 operated with the following Wolfpacks during this patrol
Steinbrinck (7 Aug 1942 - 11 Aug 1942)
Lohs (11 Aug 1942 - 25 Aug 1942)
Ships hit by U-256 during this patrol
No entries found.
General Events during this patrol
We have no events listed for this patrol.
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Attacks on U-256 during this patrol
25 Aug 1942
At 02.42 hours, HNoMS Eglantine obtained a Radar contact when she approached the survivors of Trolla astern of convoy ONS-122 and had to leave them behind to investigate the contact, which proved to be U-256 that crash-dived when the area was illuminated with star shells. At 02.47 hours, the corvette attacked with depth charges but only dropped one because both throwers misfired and the trap jammed. Nevertheless it was very accurate and a leak in an exhaust pipe caused the stern heavy U-256 to fell to a depth of about 200 meters. The corvette made two more attacks with eight and ten depth charges, but then had to return to the convoy at 02.58 hours. The U-boat managed to surface about 30 minutes later and had to abort the patrol due to the damage sustained. (Sources: ADM reports, KTB U-256)
2 Sep 1942
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:
British Whitley Z9515 (77 Sqdn RAF/H, pilot P/O A. Cassie)
At 08.30 hours, the inbound boat was attacked by the Whitley (misidentified as Wellington) in the Bay of Biscay. The aircraft strafed the boat and dropped 2 or 3 bombs that fell about 15 metres astern. The Germans observed AA hits in the cockpit area and saw the Whitley flying away very low with a smoke trail. Its crew sent a SOS and probably ditched, but the 5 men crew was lost. U-256 was badly damaged in the attack and limped into Lorient the next day, some damage found on deck were apparently caused by the propeller of the aircraft.
(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)About this data
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* These are officers that later became commanders themselves.
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