U-703

Type

VIIC

Ordered

9 Oct 1939

Laid down

9 Aug 1940

H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg (werk 762)

Launched

18 Jul 1941

Commissioned

16 Oct 1941

Oblt. Heinz Bielfeld

Commanders

16 Oct 1941	-	5 Jul 1943	Kptlt. Heinz Bielfeld
6 Jul 1943	-	16 Sep 1944	Oblt. Joachim Brünner

Career
13 patrols

16 Oct 1941	-	1 Mar 1942	6. Flottille (training)
1 Mar 1942	-	30 Jun 1942	6. Flottille (front boat)
1 Jul 1942	-	31 May 1943	11. Flottille (front boat)
1 Jun 1943	-	16 Sep 1944	13. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

5 ships sunk for a total of 29,523 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 559 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 1,870 tons

Fate

Missing since 16 Sept, 1944 in the Norwegian Sea between Norway and Greenland, position unknown.

There is no explanation for its loss.

54 dead (all hands lost).

See the 7 ships hit by U-703 - View the 13 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-703 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Strauchritter (2 May 1942 - 5 May 1942)
   Greif (16 May 1942 - 29 May 1942)
   Trägertod (19 Sep 1942 - 22 Sep 1942)
   Wiking (20 Sep 1943 - 3 Oct 1943)
   Taifun (5 Mar 1944 - 7 Mar 1944)
   Donner (11 Apr 1944 - 20 Apr 1944)
   Donner & Keil (20 Apr 1944 - 3 May 1944)
   Trutz (22 Aug 1944 - 6 Sep 1944)

Attacks on this boat

1 Mar 1944
During an air attack the boat suffered 3 dead and 3 wounded. The damaged boat reached Narvik, Norway two days later. [Funkobermaat Paul Kretschmar (died on 7 March), Bootsmaat Erich Junker Maschinengefreiter Heinz Schade].

1 recorded attack on this boat.