List of all U-boats

U-256

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered23 Dec 1939
Laid down15 Feb 1941 Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 21)
Launched28 Oct 1941
Commissioned18 Dec 1941Oblt. Odo Loewe
Commanders
18 Dec 1941 - 30 Nov 1942  Kptlt. Odo Loewe
16 Aug 1943 - 27 Jun 1944  Oblt. Wilhelm Brauel
2 Sep 1944 - 18 Oct 1944  KrvKpt. Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Knights Cross)
Career
5 patrols
18 Dec 1941-31 Jul 1942  8. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1942-5 Oct 1944  9. Flottille (front boat)
Successes1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,300 tons
Fate

Heavily damaged on 31 August, 1942 and stricken in November 1942. Converted to U-Flak 2 in May, 1943, second time in commission on 16 August, 1943. From December 1943 again a regular combat boat U-256.

Left her base in Brest, France on 4 September 1944 for Norway.

Stricken on 23 October, 1944 in Bergen, Norway. Captured there and cannibalized. Broken up later.

See the 1 ships hit by U-256 - View the 5 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-256 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Steinbrinck (7 Aug 1942 - 11 Aug 1942)
   Lohs (11 Aug 1942 - 25 Aug 1942)
   Igel 2 (3 Feb 1944 - 17 Feb 1944)
   Hai 1 (17 Feb 1944 - 22 Feb 1944)
   Preussen (22 Feb 1944 - 13 Mar 1944)

Attacks on this boat

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)

8 Oct 1943
At 03.34 hours, the outbound boat was attacked by the Leigh Light equipped British Wellington aircraft HF190 (612 Sqdn RAF/J, pilot P/O M.H. Paynter, RAAF) in the Bay of Biscay. U-256 was not damaged by the straddle of 6 depth charges and escaped by crash-diving. AA fire had hit the starboard elevator and the rear turret of the aircraft but it returned safely to base. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

16 Nov 1943
At 02.08 hours the inbound boat encoutered a Halifax Mk.II aircraft (502 Sqdn RAF/D, pilot F/O F.T. Culling-Mannix, RNZAF) in the Bay of Biscay. The aircraft passed about 200 metres behind U-256, was damaged by AA fire at the starboard wing tip and turned away. When the Halifax returned to the area the U-boat already escaped by crash-diving. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

11 Mar 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: Canadian Wellington HF311 (407 Sqdn RCAF/H, pilot P/O E.M. O’Donnell)

At 21.48 hours, the boat witnessed an aircraft crashing into the sea close to her. The Germans had not fired at the aircraft, which apparently crashed on its own during preparations for the low attack run. All six crewmen were lost.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

19 Mar 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British Liberator (224 Sqdn RAF/F, pilot F/L R. Dunn)

At 23.12 hours, the inbound boat was illuminated by Leigh Light and strafed by the Liberator in the Bay of Biscay. The Germans observed hits in the right wing from the 20mm AA guns and the fuselage from the 37mm AA gun. Flames were seen coming from the bomb bay and one of the engines when the aircraft passed at the height of 50 meters behind U-256, dropped six depth charges and crashed into the sea 500 meters away, killing all 10 crewmen. The boat was not damaged in the attack.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

7 Jun 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British B-24 Liberator (Sqdn 224/M).

7 recorded attacks on this boat.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in June 1944. 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-256 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

U-boat Emblems

We have 2 emblem entry for this boat! See the emblem page for this boat or view each one below.



Sailors' Journey Into War

Maher, Robert and Wise, James


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Books dealing with this subject include

German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Niestle, Axel, 1998.
Hitler's U-boat War. Blair, Clay, 1996.
Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II. Blair, Clay, 1998.
Sailors' Journey Into War. Maher, Robert and Wise, James, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.