U-711
Type | VIIC | |||
| Ordered | 7 Dec 1940 | |||
| Laid down | 31 Jul 1941 | H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg (werk 777) | ||
| Launched | 25 Jun 1942 | |||
| Commissioned | 26 Sep 1942 | Oblt. Hans-Günther Lange (Oak Leaves) | ||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 12 patrols | 26 Sep 1942 - 31 Mar 1943 5. Flottille (training) 1 Apr 1943 - 31 May 1943 11. Flottille (front boat) 1 Jun 1943 - 4 May 1945 13. Flottille (front boat) | ||
| Successes | 1 ship sunk for a total of 10 GRT 1 warship sunk for a total of 925 tons 1 ship damaged for a total of 20 GRT | |||
| Fate | Sunk 4 May, 1945 in the Arctic at Kilbotn, near Harstad, Norway, in position 68.43,717N, 16.34,600E, by aerial bombs from Avenger aircraft (escorted by Wildcat fighters) of the British escort carriers HMS Searcher, HMS Trumpeter and HMS Queen. 40 dead and 12 survivors. | |||
See the 3 ships hit by U-711 - View the 12 war patrols
U-711 was damaged while alongside the depot ship Black Watch, probably by two near misses - or hits on the Black Watch.
A skeleton crew of 12 men - probably those on watch aboard the U-boat cut her loose and sailed off, but the boat sank a couple of hundred meters away from the depot ship. 40 members from the U-711 were on board the Black Watch and they were killed when the she blew up (the ship received 7 direct hits and four near misses by bombs dropped from British flown Avenger and Wildcat aircraft of the no. 846, 853 and 882 squadrons operating from the 3 escort carriers mentioned above).
All twelve men aboard U-711 managed to escape, this is important, as this means that she is not a war grave. She lies at 45 meters depth, and can be dived by experienced amature divers using Trimix gas or decompression stops.
According to a recent report, she is in excellent condition, war damage to rear of tower and deck before the tower, but otherwise good shape, deck planks still intact, even ropes still knotted around the bollards - indicating that mooring ropes to the Black Watch was cut, not untied. The 88 mm gun had been removed, probably in summer of 1944, possibly when she was fitted with the schnorkel, twin 2mm AA gun is still mounted to the rear of the tower.
The U-711 was the last U-boat sinking by the Royal Fleet Air Arm.
For the following sequence of photographs that show U-711 being attacked shortly before sinking would like to thank Commander Henning Sulen (Head of Education dep. Royal Norwegian Navy Academy)
U-711 alongside Black Watch.
The ship close to the wing is former Norwegian coastal battleship HNoMS
Harald Haarfagre in German service as Anti-Aircraft ship Thetis.
Attacks on this boat
3 Oct 1944
A Soviet aircraft attacked U-711 in the Arctic Sea, but the U-boat crew was able to drive it off.
1 recorded attack on this boat.
Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus but the date of fitting or sailing date with the equipment is unknown. Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.
Men lost from the boat
30 Sep 1943
On 30 Sept, U-711 suffered a man lost during landing in Narvik.
[Maschinengefreiter Heinz Schiefelbein]
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
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