U-203

Type

VIIC

Ordered

23 Sep 1939

Laid down

28 Mar 1940

F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 632)

Launched

4 Jan 1941

Commissioned

18 Feb 1941

Kptlt. Rolf Mützelburg (Oak Leaves)

Commanders

18 Feb 1941	-	11 Sep 1942	Kptlt. Rolf Mützelburg (Knights Cross)
11 Sep 1942	-	20 Sep 1942	Oblt. Hans Seidel
21 Sep 1942	-	25 Apr 1943	Kptlt. Hermann Kottmann

Career
11 patrols

18 Feb 1941	-	1 May 1941	1. Flottille (training)
1 May 1941	-	25 Apr 1943	1. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

21 ships sunk for a total of 94,270 GRT
3 ships damaged for a total of 17,052 GRT

Fate

Sunk 25 April, 1943 south of Cape Farewell, Greenland, in position 55.05N, 42.25W, by depth charges from Swordfish aircraft off the British escort carrier HMS Biter (Sqdn 811/L) and by the British destroyer HMS Pathfinder. 10 dead and 38 survivors.

See the 24 ships hit by U-203 - View the 11 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-203 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Schlagetot (20 Oct 1941 - 1 Nov 1941)
   Raubritter (1 Nov 1941 - 5 Nov 1941)
   Seydlitz (27 Dec 1941 - 7 Jan 1942)
   Ziethen (7 Jan 1942 - 22 Jan 1942)
   Iltis (6 Sep 1942 - 10 Sep 1942)
   Streitaxt (20 Oct 1942 - 30 Oct 1942)
   Raufbold (11 Dec 1942 - 22 Dec 1942)
   Spitz (22 Dec 1942 - 31 Dec 1942)
   Lerche (10 Apr 1943 - 16 Apr 1943)
   Meise (16 Apr 1943 - 22 Apr 1943)
   Specht (23 Apr 1943 - 25 Apr 1943)

Attacks on this boat

28 Jul 1941
The boat was depth charged by British corvettes HMS Rhododendron and HMS Fleur de Lys but escaped without damages. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 329)

26 Sep 1941
The boat was attacked with 26 depth charges by HMS Larkspur after a successful attack on convoy HG-73, but was not damaged. (Sources: ADM/KTB)

22 Oct 1941
An aircraft dropped two bombs on U-203 in the North Atlantic; the boat survived but suffered some damage.

11 Nov 1941
At 14.15 hours, the inbound boat was attacked by a British Hudson aircraft (RAF Sqdn 53/D) in the Bay of Biscay. Four depth charges were dropped on the crash-diving U-203, which limped into Brest the next day. One engine and the aft diving planes had been damaged by the explosions. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

11 Sep 1942
The commander of U-203 (Kptlt. Rolf Mützelburg) died in a unique incident on 11 Sept. He allowed his crew to swim in the sea and when he was about to dive from the tower the boat moved and he hit the saddle tank being badly wounded. He died the next day.