German submarine U-741

German submarine U-741 was a Type VIIC U-boat built by F Schichau GmbH of Danzig and commissioned on 10 April 1943.^[1]

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-741
Ordered	5 June 1941
Builder	Schichau-Werke, Danzig
Yard number	1544
Laid down	30 April 1942
Launched	4 February 1943
Commissioned	10 April 1943
Fate	Sunk on 15 August 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns
Service record[1]
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla 10 April – 31 October 1943 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 November 1943 – 15 August 1944
Identification codes:	M 41 306
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Gerhard Palmgren 10 April 1943 – 15 August 1944
Operations:	5 patrols: 1st patrol: 25 November 1943 – 27 January 1944 2nd patrol: 29 February – 3 May 1944 3rd patrol: 19 – 29 June 1944 4th patrol: 5 – 15 July 1944 5th patrol: 3 – 15 August 1944
Victories:	1 warship total loss (1,625 tons)

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-741 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-741 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

On 5 July 1944, U-741 departed Brest under the protection of 4 Vorpostenboot escort trawlers. Escort Group 12, Royal Canadian Navy, detected the German force on radar and intercepted it, engaging in the vicinity of the Pierres Noires lighthouse (Battle of Pierres Noires) in the late evening. U-741 managed to escape, but one of the German escorts was sunk.

On 15 August 1944, she attacked convoy FTM-69 and torpedoed the Royal Navy Tank Landing ship HMS LST-404, 35 miles South East of St. Catherine's Point causing extensive damage and seven fatalities. Although the vessel was beached, she later broke in two and was declared a total loss.^[3] Convoy escorts counter-attacked; the corvette HMS Orchis is credited with the destruction of U-741. Orchis rescued one survivor.^[1]

The wreck was identified by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2000 near the position given by the Allies.

In five patrols U-741 accounted for the total loss of one warship, for a total of 1,625 tons.

Wolfpacks

U-741 took part in six wolfpacks, namely:

• Coronel 1 (14 – 17 December 1943)
• Sylt (18 – 23 December 1943)
• Rügen 2 (23 – 28 December 1943)
• Rügen 1 (28 December 1943 – 7 January 1944)
• Rügen (7 – 14 January 1944)
• Preussen (7 – 22 March 1944)

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage[Note 1]	Fate[4]
15 August 1944	HMS LST-404	Royal Navy	1,625	Total loss

References

Notes

1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-741". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
2. Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Tank landing ship of the LST class:HMS LST 404". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-741". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2014.

Bibliography

• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
• Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-741". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.

50°02′N 00°36′W