U-427
Type | VIIC | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Ordered | 5 Jun 1941 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Laid down | 27 Jul 1942 | Danziger Werft AG, Danzig (werk 128) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Launched | 6 Feb 1943 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Commissioned | 2 Jun 1943 | Oblt. Carl-Gabriel Graf von Gudenus | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Commanders |
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Career 5 patrols |
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Successes | No ships sunk or damaged | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Fate | Surrendered at Narvik, Norway on 8 May, 1945. Transferred to Loch Eriboll, Scotland, on 19 May and later to Loch Ryan for Operation Deadlight. Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info) | |||||||||||||||||||||
The U-boats that were in the Narvik area at the end of the war were all moved to the Skjomenfjord upon Allied orders to avoid conflicts with the Norwegians on 12 May. On 15 May, a German convoy of four ships (the fleet tender Grille with the staff of FdU Norwegen aboard, the fleet oiler Kärnten and the depot ships Huascaran and Stella Polaris) and 15 U-boats (U-278, U-294, U-295, U-312, U-313, U-318, U-363, U-427, U-481, U-668, U-716, U-968, U-992, U-997 and U-1165) left for transfer to Trondheim, but was intercepted after two days by the 9th Escort Group off the Norwegian coast and officially capitulated. While the ships were allowed to proceed to Trondheim, the U-boats were escorted to Loch Eriboll, Scotland, arriving on 19 May. All U-boats were later that month transferred to Lisahally or Loch Ryan for Operation Deadlight.
Wolfpack operations
U-427 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Faust (21 Apr 1945 - 30 Apr 1945)
Attacks on this boat
29 Apr 1945
During an attack on convoy RA.66 U-427 unsuccessfully attacked two of its escorts, the Canadian destroyers HMCS Haida and Iroquois. The escorts fought back and dropped a total of 678 depth charges on U-427's believed position during a several hour long hunt. Through some good luck and no doubt equal skill the U-boat escaped the area. This is believed to the second last attack on an Arctic convoy.
4 May 1945
While taking part in the last convoy attack of the war the boat was severely damaged by escorts and, unable to dive, was escorted by U-968 and U-481 back to Kirkesnes, Norway, arriving on May 8. Date given here is approximate. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 681)
2 recorded attacks on this boat.
Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in March 1945. 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-427 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
Buy this title at amazon.com See more sellers |
Books dealing with this subject include:
|
