U-415

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

12 Jul 1941

Danziger Werft AG, Danzig (werk 116)

Launched

9 May 1942

Commissioned

5 Aug 1942

Oblt. Kurt Neide

Commanders

5 Aug 1942	-	16 Apr 1944		Kptlt. Kurt Neide
17 Apr 1944	-	14 Jul 1944		Oblt. Herbert A. Werner

Career
7 patrols

5 Aug 1942	-	28 Feb 1943	8. Flottille (training)
1 Mar 1943	-	14 Jul 1944	1. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 4,917 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,340 tons
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 5,486 GRT

Fate

Sunk at 0915hrs on 14 July, 1944 near Brest, France, west of the torpedo-net barrier, in position 48.24N, 04.30W, by a mine. 2 dead, unknown number of survivors.

Loss position

See the 3 ships hit by U-415 - View the 7 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-415 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Seeteufel (21 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)
   Meise (11 Apr 1943 - 24 Apr 1943)
   Coronel (4 Dec 1943 - 8 Dec 1943)
   Coronel 2 (8 Dec 1943 - 14 Dec 1943)
   Coronel 3 (14 Dec 1943 - 17 Dec 1943)
   Borkum (18 Dec 1943 - 26 Dec 1943)
   Preussen (7 Mar 1944 - 17 Mar 1944)

Attacks on this boat

1 May 1943
08.20 hrs, NW of Corunna, Spain inbound: 6 depth charges from a British Halifax bomber (RAF Sqdn 502/C, pilot F/O R. Houston) caused serious damage. (Sources: Norman Franks)

1 May 1943
11.36 hrs: an Australian Sunderland flying boat (RAAF Sqdn 461/M, pilot F/Lt E.C. Smith) depth charged the boat. No damage. (Sources: Norman Franks)

1 May 1943
At 17.35 hours, the boat was attacked by a British Whitley aircraft (RAF Sqdn 612 / E, pilot F/Sgt Norman Earnshaw). She dived and the aircraft made two runs, first 6 depth charges without results and then a better run with 2 depth charges which seriously damaged the boat, which was able to limp into Brest on 5 May. (Sources: Norman Franks)

14 Jun 1943
In the afternoon, a British Whitley bomber (RAF OTU 10/E, pilot Sgt Manson) found a group of three outbound boats (U-159, U-415 and U-634) and sent a contact report instead of attacking. When the boats dived, the aircraft attacked, dropping four depth charges on U-415 at 15.54 hrs. No damage. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

24 Jul 1943
While attacking a convoy off Trinidad the boat was itself attacked by a "corvette", but escaped. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 366)

30 Oct 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British Wellington HF205 (RAF Sqdn 612/C, pilot F/O R.S. Yeadon)

05.42 hrs, Bay of Biscay north of Cape Ortegal, outbound: the Wellington made a strafing run and dropped four depth charges using the Leigh Light, but was hit by flak and crashed into the sea about 50m astern of U-415, killing the crew of six. Damage to U-415 forced her to return to base.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

5 Jan 1944
During the night a British Halifax bomber (Sqdn 58, pilot I.J.M. Christie) dropped 6 depth charges, but failed to sink the boat, which returned fire and dived to escape. U-415 arrived at Brest the following day. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 486)

16 Mar 1944
Severe damage caused by escorts and aircraft from the large tanker convoy CU-17 forced the boat to return to base, reaching Brest, France on 31 March. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 507)

7 Jun 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British B-24 Liberator (Sqdn 224/B). U-415 had probably already been damaged by British Wellington G for George from 179 Sqdn. at 02.02 hrs earlier in the day.

9 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-415 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.