Unterseeboot 564

Unterseeboot "564" was a German Type VIIC U-boat that had a successful career with the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War.

Construction and commissioning

She was ordered on 24 October 1939 and was laid down on 30 March 1940 at Blohm + Voss, Hamburg, becoming 'werk 540'. She was launched on 7 February 1941 and commissioned under her first commander Oblt. Reinhard Suhren on 3 April of that year. Suhren commanded her for her work ups with the 1. Unterseebootsflottille between 3 April until 1 June 1941. She then became a front boat of 1. Unterseebootsflottille, and set out on her first patrols. [http://uboat.net/boats/u564.htm Career] ]

Career

Early patrols

Her first patrol took "U-564" from Kiel to Brest, eventually spending 41 days at sea. The patrol brought a number of successes, on 27 June Suhren came across convoy HX-133. He damaged the Norwegian tanker MV "Kongsgaard" and sank the Dutch SS "Maasdam" and the British MV "Malaya II" that day. He had one further success that patrol, sinking the Icelandic merchant SS "Hekla" on 29 June. "U-564" put in to Brest on 27 July having sunk three merchants for 18,678 tons, and damaged another for 9,467 tons.

She sailed again from Brest on 16 August, heading into the Atlantic. She came across convoy OG-71 and sank the Irish SS "Conlara" and the British tug SS "Empire Oak" on 22 August. She sank an escort the following day, the Flower class corvette HMS "Zinnia". "U-564" returned to Brest on 27 August after 12 days at sea, and having sunk three ships for 2,587 tons. She sailed again on 16 September, this time encountering convoy HG-75 on 24 October. She sank three British merchants that day, the "Alhama", "Ariosto" and the "Carsbreck". "U-564" was attacked later in the evening, by a bomb from an aircraft and later by an escort with depth charges. She escaped damage however, and returned to port at Lorient on 1 November having spent 47 days at sea and sunk three ships for 2,587 tons.

"U-564" relocated to La Pallice in early 1942, and sailed from there on 18 January. She sank the Canadian tanker MV "Victolite" on 11 February and damaged the British tanker MV "Opalia" on 16 February, before returning to Brest on 6 March after 48 days on patrol with 11,410 tons sunk and 6,195 tons damaged.

Off the American coast

"U-564" sailed from Brest on 4 April, to cross the Atlantic and prey on shipping off the North American coast, and off Florida. She was in position in early May and on 3 May secured her first success, sinking the British SS "Ocean Venus". On 4 May she damaged the British SS "Eclipse", and on 5 May she damaged the American SS "Delisle". On 8 May she sank the American merchant SS|Ohioan|1920|6, and the following day she sank the Panamanian tanker MV "Lubrafol". Her final success in American waters was to sink the Mexican tanker SS "Potrero del Llano". "U-564" arrived back in Brest on 6 June, having spent 64 days at sea and sunk four ships for 24,390 tons and damaged two ships for 13,245 tons.

"U-564" repeated the exercise on her next patrol, departing Brest on 6 July to operate off the coast of South America. Whilst outward bound across the Atlantic Suhren came across convoy OS-34 and on 19 July sank the British merchants "Empire Hawksbill" and the "Lavington Court". Operating off South America he sank the "British Consul" and the "Empire Cloud" on 19 August and on 30 August he sank the Norwegian "Vardaas". "U-564" arrived back in Brest on 18 September after 72 days on patrol, and having sunk five ships for 32,181 tons.

Fiedler takes charge

This was Suhren's last patrol as commander of "U-564". He left on 1 October to become an instructor and Oblt. Hans Fiedler took command. Fiedler took her on two war patrols in 1943 but failed to hit any enemy ships. "U-564" was transferred to operate out of Bordeaux in April 1943. She left Bordeaux for the final time on 9 June with four other outbound U-boats, "U-185", "U-358", "U-634" and "U-653". The boats were spotted and attacked off Cape Finisterre by a Short Sunderland of the Royal Air Force at 18.59 hours on 13 June. The aircraft targeted "U-564" and dropped its bombs, but was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, killing all 11 of the crew. "U-564" had sustained heavy damage and turned back, escorted by "U-185".

inking

The two U-boats were spotted in the Bay of Biscay the following day by a Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and were shadowed. "U-564" had been left unable to dive due to the damage sustained the previous day. By 16.45 hours the Whitley was running low on fuel and attacked "U-564". The two U-boats damaged their attacker with anti-aircraft fire but "U-564" was critically damaged by the aircraft's depth charges and sank at 17.30 hours. The damaged Whitley was forced to ditch in the sea, with the crew being picked up by a French trawler. There were 18 survivors from "U-564" including the commander. They were picked up by "U-185" and transferred to the destroyer "Z-24" two hours later.

References

* [http://uboat.net/boats/u564.htm Unterseeboot 564's career at Uboat.net]
** [http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u564.html U-564's war patrols]
** [http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u564.html Ships lost to U-564]