U-241

Type

VIIC

Ordered

10 Apr, 1941

Laid down

4 Sep, 1942

Germaniawerft, Kiel (werk 675)

Launched

25 Jun, 1943

Commissioned

24 Jul, 1943

Ltnt. Arno Werr

Commanders

24 Jul, 1943 - 18 May, 1944

Oblt. Arno Werr

Career

1 patrol

24 Jul, 1943 - 31 Mar, 1944 5. Flottille (training)
1 Apr, 1944 - 18 May, 1944 3. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Sunk 18 May, 1944 north-east of the Faeroes, in position 63.36N, 01.42E, by depth charges from a British Catalina aircraft (Sqdn. 210/S). 51 dead (all hands lost).

View the 1 war patrol

Attacks on this boat

17 May, 1944
While off Trondheim, Norway the boat was attacked by a Norwegian Catalina aircraft (Sdqn 333/C, pilot Harald E. Hartmann). The flak from the boat damaged the aircraft and killed one airman (P/O Kyrre Berg). The boat was sunk the next day. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 578. Niestle.)

1 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

The book Steuermann durch Krieg und Frieden (Helmsman through War and Peace) by Hans Schmid covers the loss of U-241. According to the book its author and 2 other men survived the sinking and were saved and put into POW camp.

This is a total nonense according to our sources. No German document is known which holds information about the rescue of any crew members of U-241. This boat sank with all hands according to all the offical documents. In only a handful of cases did survivors from sunk German U-boats off Norway get resuced by the Germans (or the Allies). German control of the waters around Norway ended at about 10 miles out.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus but the date of fitting or sailing date with the equipment is unknown. 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-241 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.