German submarine U-1018
German submarine "U-1018" was a German Type VIIC/41 U-boat, built during World War II for service in the Battle of the Atlantic. The U-boat was fitted with the Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus which enabled her to stay under-water for extended periods thus avoiding detection by enemy warships. Design. German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. "U-1018" 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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-1018" 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), one Flak M42 and two C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. Service history. She was completed in Hamburg in April 1944, and spent the rest of 1944 training with the 31st U-boat Flotilla. An accident took place during U-1018's work-up period in the Baltic on 17 June which killed one crew member ("Obersteuermann" Walter Nellsen) and wounded two. In December 1944, she was moved from Kiel to Horten Naval Base in Norway to join 11th  U-boat Flotilla, before departing on 21 January 1945 to patrol the Western Approaches of the English Channel under the command of "Kapitänleutnant" Walter Burmeister. Combat role. On 27 February 1945 she attacked convoy BTC 81 about seven miles from Lizard Point, Cornwall (at ). "U-1018" launched a torpedo which hit the Norwegian freighter which sank within a few minutes, resulting in the death of five of the freighter's Norwegian crew, a 16-year-old British cabin boy, Thomas Boniface, and two British Royal Navy gunners, (part of the DEMS gun crew) including former professional footballer Charlie Sillett. The convoy  escort ships immediately launched heavy counter-attacks. Less than two hours later, "U-1018" was sunk by depth charges dropped by under the command of Cdr. Benjamin Andrew Rogers, RD, RNR. Only two members of the crew of 53 survived.