Convoy battles

UC-1

UK to Curaçao (Central Atlantic and North Atlantic)

22 Feb 1943 - 25 Feb 1943

The Convoy33 ships
First sightingOn 22 Feb 1943 by U-522
EscortsThe British escort group 42 (Cdr Durnford-Slater) consisting of the sloops Weston, Folkestone, Gorleston and Totland and the frigates Exe and Ness

An American support Group consisting of the 4 destroyers Charles F. Hughes, Hilary P. Jones, Madison and Landsdowne


U-boats

The wolfpack Rochen of 8 boats U-43 (Oblt. Schwantke), U-66 (Kptlt. Markworth) *, U-87 (Kptlt. Berger), U-202 (Kptlt. Poser) *, U-218 (Kptlt. Becker), U-504 (Kptlt. Luis) *, U-521 (Kptlt. Bargsten) *, U-558 (Kptlt. Krech) *

Also: U-382 (Kptlt. Juli) *, U-522 (Kptlt. Schneider) *, U-569 (Oblt. Johannsen) *

* U-boats that fired torpedo or used the deck gun


The battle

On the sighting report of U-522, The gruppe Rochen and U-382 and U-569 are deployed. U-522 attacks in the morning of the 23th and sinks one tanker. She is however sunk in the counterattack by the Totland.

In the evening U-382 damages one ship and U-202 sinks one and damages two in the night. U-558 sinks one of the ships damaged by U-202. U-504 and U-569 attack without success.

In the next night U-66 and U-521 attack, but also without success. U-66 and U-107 sink one independent ship each.

In these attacks, the T-4 Falke acoustic torpedo is tried out for the first time. It proved to be effective, but only against slow and big targets. It was not the 'Zerstörerknacker' the U-boats were waiting for.

The losses sustained in this convoy, made the Americans decide to take over the control and escort for these so-called 'Greyhound' convoys. These were special emergency tanker convoys straight from the Caribbean to England.

Article compiled by Tom Linclau

Ships hit from convoy UC-1


Date U-boat Commander Name of ship Tons Nat.Map
23 Feb 1943U-522Herbert Schneider Athelprincess8,882brA
23 Feb 1943U-382Herbert Juli Empire Norseman (d.)9,811brB
23 Feb 1943U-202Günter Poser Murena (d.)8,252nlC
23 Feb 1943U-202Günter Poser British Fortitude (d.)8,482brD
23 Feb 1943U-202Günter Poser Empire Norseman (d.)9,811brE
23 Feb 1943U-202Günter Poser Esso Baton Rouge7,989amF
23 Feb 1943U-558Günther Krech Empire Norseman9,811brG
 63,038

3 ships sunk (26,682 tons) and 4 ships damaged (36,356 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.
(d.) means the ship was damaged.


This was the only convoy on route UC hit by U-boats in the war.


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