 Rendering of a Type XXIII submarine | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-2336 |
| Ordered | 20 September 1943 |
| Builder | Deutsche Werft,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 490 |
| Laid down | 27 July 1944 |
| Launched | 10 September 1944 |
| Commissioned | 30 September 1944 |
| Fate | Surrendered atWilhelmshaven, Germany on 15 May 1945. Taken to Lisahally on 21 June 1945 to take part inOperation Deadlight where she was sunk on 3 January 1946 by gunfire from the destroyerHMS Offa.[1] |
| General characteristics[2] | |
| Class & type | Type XXIIIsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 34.68 m (113 ft 9 in) |
| Beam | 3.02 m (9 ft 11 in) |
| Draught | 3.66 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Test depth | 180 m (590 ft) |
| Complement | 14–18 |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of |
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| Identification codes | M 44 599 |
| Commanders | |
| Operations |
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| Victories | 2 merchant ships sunk (4,669 GRT) |
German submarineU-2336 was aType XXIIIU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
U-2336 had a very short career. She only conducted one war patrol and sank only three vessels, one of which was another German U-boat, during an accidental collision (U-2344). Despite her short time in service,U-2336 is known for sinking the last two Allied merchant ships lost to a submarine in the war, when shetorpedoed and sank the freightersAvondale Park andSneland I off theIsle of May inside theFirth of Forth.
After the war,U-2336 was surrendered to the Allies, taken to the British port ofLisahally and sunk inOperation Deadlight on 3 January 1946.[1]
U-2336 was the 16th U-boat of the Type XXIII class. She was ordered on 20 September 1943, and waslaid down on 27 July 1944 atDeutsche Werft,Hamburg, as yard number 490. She waslaunched on 10 September 1944 andcommissioned under the command ofLeutnant zur See Jürgen Vockel on 30 September.[1][2]
Like allType XXIIIU-boats,U-2336 had a displacement of 234 tonnes (230 long tons) when at the surface and 258 tonnes (254 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 34.68 m (113 ft 9 in) (o/a), a beam width of 3.02 m (9 ft 11 in) (o/a), and a draught depth of3.66 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by oneMWM six-cylinder RS134S diesel engine providing 575–630metric horsepower (423–463kilowatts; 567–621shaft horsepower), oneAEG GU4463-8double-acting electric motor electric motor providing 580 PS (430 kW; 570 shp), and oneBBCsilent running CCR188 electric motor providing 35 PS (26 kW; 35 shp).[5]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) and a submerged speed of 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) for 194 nautical miles (359 km; 223 mi); when surfaced, she could travel 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph).U-2336 was fitted with two 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes in the bow. She could carry two preloadedtorpedoes. Thecomplement was 14–18 men.[5] This class of U-boat did not carry a deck gun.
U-2336 trained with the32nd U-boat Flotilla from 30 September 1944 until 15 February 1945, and began her first voyage as a front boat of the4th U-boat Flotilla on 16 February 1945.[1] Two days later, she collided withU-2344, another Type XXIII U-boat, offHeiligendamm on the Baltic coast.U-2344 was sunk, with the loss of 11 crew. It took about two months forU-2336 to leave her home port of Kiel, which she did on 18 April 1945 under a new commander,Kapitänleutnant Emil Klusmeier. After traveling across the straits ofKattegat andSkagerrak,U-2336 reachedLarvik, Norway on 24 April 1945. This was to be her home port for the remaining few days of the war.[6]
On 1 May 1945,U-2336 left Larvik and headed out into theNorth Sea. On 7 May 1945,U-2336 sank the last Allied merchant ships to be lost to a German submarine in the war, when she torpedoed the freightersAvondale Park andSneland I (in order) off the Isle of May inside the Firth of Forth.[7][8]Sneland I exploded as soon as it was hit and sank two minutes later, killing seven crew members, including the captain.Avondale Park lost two crew members, with the rest entering a lifeboat or jumping into the sea.[9]U-2336 returned toKiel on 14 May 1945 and then transferred toWilhelmshaven, Germany, where she was surrendered to theWestern Allies.[1]
U-2336 was taken to Lisahally, United Kingdom on 21 June 1945 to take part inOperation Deadlight where she was sunk on 3 January 1946 by gunfire from the British destroyerHMS Offa.[1]
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[10] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May 1945 | Avondale Park |  United Kingdom | 2,878 | Sunk |
| 7 May 1945 | Sneland I |  Norway | 1,791 | Sunk |
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1945 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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