U-501
Type | IXC | |||||||||
| Ordered | 25 Sep 1939 | |||||||||
| Laid down | 12 Feb 1940 | Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 291) | ||||||||
| Launched | 25 Jan 1941 | |||||||||
| Commissioned | 30 Apr 1941 | Korvkpt. Hugo Förster | ||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 1 patrol |
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| Successes | 1 ship sunk for a total of 2,000 GRT | |||||||||
| Fate | Sunk at 2330hrs on 10 Sept, 1941 in the Straits of Denmark south of Angmagsalik, Greenland, in position 62.50N, 37.50W, by depth charges and ramming from the Canadian corvettes HMCS Chambly and HMCS Moosejaw. 11 dead and 37 survivors. | |||||||||
After the first depth charge run U-501 surfaced right next to HMCS Moosejaw during her turn. Then something really amazing happened; the commander of U-501 leaped some 9 feet from his boat and onto the bridge of HMCS Moosejaw without even getting his feet wet!
Fearing another boarding attempt the corvette opened the range and, as the U-boat passed her bows, rammed the U-boat causing enough damage to cause her to start sinking. The Canadians attempted to board the boat but they found its insides totally trashed either from the depth charges or by the German crew. One Canadian did not manage to escape the boat as she sank.
Wolfpack operations
U-501 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Grönland (10 Aug 1941 - 27 Aug 1941)
Markgraf (27 Aug 1941 - 10 Sep 1941)
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-501 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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