U-415

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug, 1940

Laid down

12 Jul, 1941

Danziger Werft, 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 (front boat)

Successes

1 ship sunk for a total of 4.917 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 1.340 tons
1 ship damaged for a total of 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.

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 (20 Apr, 1943 - 27 Apr, 1943)

Attacks on this boat

1 May, 1943
At 08.20 hours, the inbound boat was attacked with 6 depth charges by a British Halifax aircraft (RAF Sqdn 502 / C, pilot F/O R. Houston) and suffered serious damages. (Sources: Norman Franks)

1 May, 1943
At 11.36 hours, the boat was attacked with depth charges by an Australian Sunderland aircraft (RAAF Sqdn 461 / M, pilot F/Lt E.C. Smith), but was not damaged. (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 aircraft (10 OTU RAF/E, pilot Sgt Manson) found a group of 3 outbound boats (U-159, U-415 and U-634) and sent a contact report instead of attacking. When the boats dived, the aircraft attacked and dropped 4 depth charges on U-415 at 15.54 hours. No damages. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

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

30 Oct, 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Wellington (Sqdn 612/C)

No survivors from aircraft, the boat had to abort its patrol due to damages sustained.

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
The boat was attacked by escorts and aircraft from big tanker convoy CU 17 and severely damaged and had to abort its patrol - reaching Brest, France on March 31.. (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/179 Sqdn. at 0202 hours on this 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.