U-821

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered20 Jan 1941
Laid down 2 Oct 1941 Oderwerke AG, Stettin (werk 821)
Launched26 Jun 1943
Commissioned11 Oct 1943Ltnt. Ludwig Fabricius
Commanders
11 Oct 1943 - 1 Dec 1943  Ltn. Ludwig Fabricius
2 Dec 1943 - 31 Dec 1943  Oblt. Ernst Fischer
1 Jan 1944 - 10 Jun 1944  Oblt. Ulrich Knackfuß
Career2 patrols 11 Oct 1943 - 1 Nov 1943  4. Flottille (training)
1 Nov 1943 - 31 Dec 1943  24. Flottille (training)
1 Jan 1944 - 29 Feb 1944  4. Flottille (training)
1 Mar 1944 - 10 Jun 1944  1. Flottille (front boat)
SuccessesNo ships sunk or damaged
Fate

Sunk at 1145hrs on 10 June, 1944 in the Bay of Biscay, near Brest, in position 48.31N, 05.11W by depth charges from a British Liberator and 4 Mosquito aircraft (Sqdn. 206/K & 248). 50 dead and 1 survivor

View the 2 war patrols

Attacks on this boat

10 Apr 1944
At 03.04 hours, the inbound boat was attacked by the Leigh Light equipped Liberator Mk.V aircraft BZ781 (53 Sqdn RAF/A, pilot F/O W.J. Irving, RCAF) after being picked up by radar in the Bay of Biscay. The depth charges failed to release on the first attack run and also hung up during the next two passes, possibly because the aircraft had been hit in the bomb bay by AA fire during the second approach. The undamaged U-821 escaped further strafing attacks by crash-diving after 20 minutes. The Liberator left for home with an inoperable rear gun turret and damaged hydraulics and nose wheel as the crew noticed before landing, yet they managed to land without flaps or brakes at the first light - the pilot later recieved the DFC. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in May 1944. 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-821 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.



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

Wynn, Kenneth


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Books dealing with this subject include:

Battle Beneath the Waves. Stern, Robert C., 1999.
German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Niestle, Axel, 1998.
Hitler's U-boat War. Blair, Clay, 1996.
Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II. Blair, Clay, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.