page_title: German submarine U-711
section_title: Service history
hierarchical_section_title: German submarine U-711 / Service history
caption_attribution_description: English: Operation Judgement, May 4, 1945, an attack on the U-boat base at Kilbotn, near Harstad, Norway. This proved to be the last offensive operation by the Home Fleet, as the war in Europe ended just a few days later. The main targets of the attack are, in fact, hidden behind water columns and smoke in the center of the photo. They were the depot ship Black Watch and the Type VIIC submarine U-711 — they were both sunk. The ship visible in the center of the pic is in all probability the motor vessel Senja, also sunk in this attack but raised and repaired after the war. U-711 was the last U-boat sunk by the Fleet Air Arm in WW2. The attack was carried out by Avenger torpedo-bombers and Wildcat fighters from Squadrons 846 (HMS Trumpeter, Capt. K. S. Colquhoun), 853 (HMS Queen, Capt. K. J. D'Arcy), and 882 (HMS Searcher, Capt. J. W. Grant).
context_page_description: German submarine U-711 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
  Ordered 7 December 1940, laid down, 31 July 1941 and launched 25 June 1942. She was commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Günther Lange.
context_section_description: During her active service career, U-711 sank 2 ships and damaged a third.
  U-711 attacked and sank the British corvette HMS Bluebell on 17 February 1945 with an acoustic homing torpedo, which caused her depth charges to explode. Bluebell sank in less than 30 seconds and from her crew of 86 there was only one survivor.  
  On 4 May 1945, U-711 was sunk by aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm during Operation Judgement, an attack on the depot ships MS Black Watch and Senja anchored at Kilbotn, south of Harstad, Norway. This was the last air-raid of the war in Europe.
  Avenger and Wildcat aircraft, from FAA Squadrons 846, 853 and 882, operating from the British escort carriers HMS Trumpeter, HMS Queen and HMS Searcher sank the Black Watch with 7 direct hits and 4 near misses. U-711, was moored alongside and was damaged but managed to sail away. The U-Boat had a harbour crew of eight on board, including the captain, who all survived although forty of her crew who were berthed on the depot ship were killed.  The submarine later sank.
  A few hours earlier Lange had received the signal from Germany ordering all U-boats to cease attacks on allied shipping.
caption: U-711 is just visible behind water columns, smoke and the depot ship Black Watch
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