German submarine U-415
German submarine "U-415" was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's "Kriegsmarine" for service during World War II. Design. German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. "U-415" had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 double-acting  electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to . The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . "U-415" was fitted with five torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty . Service history. "U-415" was laid down on 12 July 1941 at the Danziger Werft in Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland), as yard number 116. She was launched on 9 May 1942 and commissioned on 5 August. She completed seven patrols before being sunk by a mine on 14 July 1944. Her first commanding officer was "Kapitänleutnant" Kurt Neide. He took her on five patrols between March 1943 and March 1944. Her second and last CO was "Oberleutnant zur See" Herbert Werner, who completed two patrols in her between April and July 1944. These patrols were preceded by a trip to Bergen  in Norway in February and March 1943. First, second and third patrols. Her first patrol saw her leave Bergen on 7 March 1943 and took her to an area south of Greenland where she torpedoed, but did not sink, the British ship "Wanstead" on 21 April. The ship was sailing in ballast, (the "coup de grace" was administered by ). "U-415" then sailed for Brest in France, but was attacked west of the Bay of Biscay on 1 May; first by a Handley Page Halifax of No. 502 Squadron RAF and later that the same day by a Whitley from 612  squadron, also RAF. She was damaged, but managed to reach her destination on 5 May. Her second sortie began in the company of and . The small flotilla was detected by a RAF Whitley on 14 June 1943 off the northwest coast of Spain, but the aircraft only attacked when the trio dived. No damage was sustained. The boat was also attacked by a corvette off the coast of Trinidad on 24 July, while hunting a convoy. Her third patrol, beginning on 27 October 1943, was marred by the attack of a Vickers Wellington equipped with a Leigh Light off Cape  Ortegal in the Bay of Biscay on 30 October. The aircraft dropped four depth charges which caused enough damage to ensure that the submarine was compelled to return to base. The Wellington was shot down during the action, all six crew members were killed. Fourth and fifth patrols. Her fourth operational effort was rewarded by the sinking of the "H"-class destroyer . "U-415" encountered the warship on Christmas Eve (24 December) 1943 northeast of the Azores. "Hurricane" was damaged by a GNAT acoustic torpedo. Her escorts elected to evacuate the crew and sink the ship the following day. On her return  journey "U-415" was attacked by a Halifax of 58 squadron, on 5 January 1944. The aircraft dropped six depth charges on the U-boat which returned fire before diving. The submarine reached her home port the following day. "U-415"s fifth patrol came to a sudden halt in mid-Atlantic when she was attacked on 16 March 1944 by aircraft and ships escorting convoy CU 17. The boat was severely damaged and returned to Brest on 31 March. Sixth and seventh patrols. On 17 April Neide handed over command to Oblt. Herbert Werner, "U-415"s second and final commander. After completing repairs  U-415, with most other U-boats in French ports, was held back from offensive patrolling to form Group "Landwirt", an anti-invasion force. "U-415" remained idle for some 68 days before being called to action, a not un-typical period for the "Landwirt" boats and which left the campaign against Allied shipping at a virtual standstill. "U-415" and the "Landwirt" boats at Brest were finally mobilized on the night of 6/7 June 1944, the evening of the Normandy landings. Seven snorkel-equipped U-boats, and eight boats, including "U-415" lacking snorkels, sailed from Brest in two waves. The eight non -snort boats, proceeding on the surface, came under sustained air attack in what was described as the “greatest air/submarine battle of the war”. Four of the Brest boats were destroyed in air attacks over the 24 hours and three others damaged and forced to return to base; Four aircraft were also shot down. "U-415" was attacked in the early hours of 7 June by a Leigh light equipped Wellington and severely damaged; she returned to Brest the following day. Werner claims he shot down two attacking aircraft during this action; other sources report the four RAF aircraft lost, but  state it is not possible to say which U-boats were responsible. Following this action BdU directed all non-snort boats to be restricted to defensive patrols outside their base ports. On 11 July "U-415" assigned, with "U-963", to Group "Pirat", a defensive patrol line off Brest to protect incoming and outgoing U-boats. They came under frequent air attack and withdrew after two days. On 14 July, assigned to similar duty, "U-415" struck an air-laid mine (minefield “Jellyfish 5”) off Brest. West of the ports defensive torpedo net at . Two crewmen were killed. "U-415" was raised on 21  July and put in Clemenceau dock, but was a constructive total loss. She was subsequently cannibalized for spare parts to keep other U-boats in service, and scuttled in August 1944 prior to the fall of “Fortress Brest” to the Allied armies. The hull was broken up in 1946. Wolfpacks. "U-415" took part in seven wolfpacks, namely: Aftermath. Werner and some of the crew members from "U-415" were moved to . Werner survived the war and wrote the best-selling "Iron Coffins".