Wolfpack Borkum
Borkum was a wolf pack of German U-boats that operated during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. Service history. "Borkum" was formed in December 1943 off the coast of Portugal, to intercept convoys sailing to and from Gibraltar, Mediterranean and South Atlantic. It was composed of U-boats from the disbanded patrol group "Weddigen", with reinforcements from bases in occupied France. "Borkum" was first detailed to assist the passage of blockade runners "Osorno" and "Alsterufer" which were returning to base. A surface force was also involved in this operation, code-named "Bernau". Allied intelligence  was aware off this and deployed forces against them. In the ensuing actions "Borkum" boats and attacked escort carrier , without success, while two destroyers were sunk; by and by "U-415". was destroyed by destroyer and the "Bernau" force lost a destroyer and two torpedo boats. The blockade runners were also lost. The "Borkum" boats assisted in picking up survivors. In January 1944 "Borkum" was reinforced by new boats, while a number of the original group returned to base. These came under air attack crossing the Bay of Biscay, and three, , "U-275" and were damaged. The renewed "Borkum" group, of eight  U-boats, was re-organized into three patrol lines to intercept an expected north-bound convoy (MKS 35). However MKS 35 had joined with SL 144 and a US hunter-killer group, centred on the carrier "Block Island", while in the same period a south-bound convoy OS 64/KMS 38 passed through the same area. In a series of actions "U-305" sank the frigate , escorting the south-bound convoy, while shot down a patrol aircraft, but three U-boats, "U-270", and were damaged and forced to return. was subjected to a 13-hour hunt, but eventually escaped. On 11  January BdU disbanded "Borkum"; "U-953" was sent on a solo patrol in the South Atlantic, which was successful, returning in February 1944. The remaining four boats were sent to reinforce group "Rügen" in the North Atlantic. None of these U-boats survived. "U-377" was lost without trace, while "U-231" and "U-305" were destroyed in transit. "U-641" joined "Rügen" but was destroyed in an encounter with the corvette . The name. "Borkum" was named after the island of Borkum off the German North Sea coast.