U-boat patrols

Patrol info for U-66

Date lookup for 10 Nov 1942


DepartureArrival / FateDuration
9 Nov 1942Lorient11 Nov 1942Lorient3 days

Commander

Officers *


Kptlt. Friedrich Markworth
1WO

Heimar Wedemeyer

Patrol description
U-66 was forced to abort the patrol due to severe damage received in an air attack in the Bay of Biscay.

U-66's position on 10 Nov 1942

Ships hit by U-66 on this date

General Events during this patrol

We have no events listed for this date.

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Attacks on U-66 during this patrol

10 Nov 1942
20.50 hrs, outbound, Bay of Biscay: after diving following warning of incoming radar signals from the FuMB, a leak through a ventilation valve that was was left open caused a fire in one of the control panels, and U-66 was forced to surface due to chlorine gas when the water reached a battery. At 21.20 hrs, a Wellington Mk.VIII (RAF Sqdn 172/D, pilot F/O D.E. Dixon, RAF) located her on ASV radar and attacked from the port quarter after illuminating the U-boat with the Leigh Light, dropping four 250lb depth charges across the bow and firing 100 rounds from the tail guns. U-66 claimed several AA hits, but the rounds were observed to detonate above the aircraft by its crew. They also observed the U-boat stop for 15 minutes after describing a half circle close to marker flares dropped in the attack. The explosions had lifted U-66 over a metre out of the water, unseating an air compressor and disabling the port electric motor and the rudder. The aircraft had no depth charges left and could only circle the boat until forced to return to base at 23.22 hrs. The severe damage forced the U-boat to abandon the patrol, reaching Lorient the next day under escort from Ju88 long range fighters and armed trawlers. (Sources: KTB U-66, ADM 199/1783)

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* These are officers that later became commanders themselves.

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