List of all U-boats

U-535

Type

IXC/40

 
Ordered10 Apr 1941
Laid down6 Mar 1942 Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 353)
Launched8 Oct 1942
Commissioned23 Dec 1942Kptlt. Helmut Ellmenreich
Commanders
23 Dec 1942 - 5 Jul 1943  Kptlt. Helmut Ellmenreich
Career
1 patrol
23 Dec 1942-31 May 1943  4. Flottille (training)
1 Jun 1943-5 Jul 1943  10. Flottille (active service)
SuccessesNo ships sunk or damaged
Fate

Sunk on 5 July 1943 in the North Atlantic north-west of La Coruña, Spain, in position 43.38N, 09.13W, by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (53 Sqn RAF/G). 55 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

View the 1 war patrol

Attacks on this boat and other events

8 Jun 1943
Approx. 14.00 hrs, mid-Atlantic south of Iceland: the boat was damaged by depth charges from a British Hudson (269 Sqdn RAF/K, pilot Sgt R.B. Couchman) near convoy SC-132.A follow-up attack by a second Hudson (269 Sqdn RAF/H, pilot F/O J.A. Turnbull) was frustrated when the depth charges failed to release on two attack runs. Flak damaged the aircraft in several places, and F/O Turnbull then warned an arriving American Catalina (VP-84 USN) that the boat would remain surfaced and fight it out. The flying boat shadowed U-535 without attacking until she was able to escape at dusk. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

5 Jul 1943
The sinking of U-535 16.55 hrs, off Cape Vilano, Spain: a group of three inbound boats (U-170, U-535 and U-536) was attacked by British B-24 Liberator BZ751 (53 Sqn RAF/G, pilot F/S W. Anderson, RNZAF). All three boats successfully evaded the first attack, and U-536 was merely strafed during the second because the depth charges failed to release. As leading boat, U-536 then gave the signal to dive, but for unknown reasons U-535 remained surfaced and had to face the next attack alone. Despite flak damage to wings, fuselage and tailplane, the aircraft straddled U-535 with eight depth charges just abaft the conning tower and she sank with all hands. Due to the damage and one man being wounded by flak, the aircraft left the area immediately and returned to base. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

2 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-535 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Can Opener

Media links


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel




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