| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | U-231 |
| Ordered | 7 December 1940 |
| Builder | Germaniawerft,Kiel |
| Yard number | 661 |
| Laid down | 30 January 1942 |
| Launched | 1 October 1942 |
| Commissioned | 14 November 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk on 13 January 1944[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
|
| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record[1][2] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 50 310 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | None |
German submarineU-231 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
The submarine waslaid down on 30 January 1942 at theFriedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard atKiel as yard number 661,launched on 1 October, andcommissioned on 14 November under the command ofKapitänleutnant Wolfgang Wenzel.[1]
After training with the5th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel,U-231 was transferred to the3rd U-boat Flotilla on 1 May 1943 which was based atLa Pallice in France, for front-line service. In three war patrols, the U-boat sank or damaged no merchant ships. She was a member of elevenwolfpacks.
U-231 was sunk on 13 January 1944 in the North Atlantic northeast of theAzores by a British aircraft.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-231 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel 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, twoAEG GU 460/8–27double-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).[3]
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).[3] 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-231 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes, one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]
U-231 departedKiel on 13 April 1943. On the 22nd, she was attacked on two occasions byCatalina aircraft ofNo. 190 Squadron RAF. Both attacks caused no damage, although a man was lost overboard during the first. She was then attacked on the 23rd (twice), the first of which resulted in a floodedconning tower. She was also attacked on 21 May by AmericanAvenger aircraft from the carrierUSS Bogue. The result was a chlorine gas leak and both radio transmitters being knocked out and the boat returnedLa Pallice in occupied France on 31 May.
This foray commenced fromBordeaux, took her to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and terminated in La Pallice.
U-231 was sunk northeast of theAzores bydepth charges from a RAFVickers Wellington of172 Squadron on 13 January 1944. Seven men died, there were 47 survivors.
U-231 took part in elevenwolfpacks, namely: