German submarine U-2322

U-Boat Infobox
type=XXIII
fieldpost number=
yard number=
order date=
keel=March 22, 1944
launch=April 30, 1944
commission=July 1, 1944
yard=Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
U-Boat Patrol
startdate=Start Date
enddate=End Date
assigned unit=Assigned Unit
U-Boat Patrol
startdate=No Patrols
enddate=
assigned unit=4th FlotillaU-Boat Patrol
startdate=No Patrols
enddate=
assigned unit=32nd FlotillaU-Boat Patrol
startdate=February 6, 1945
enddate=March 3, 1945
assigned unit=11th FlotillaU-Boat Patrol
startdate=April 4, 1945
enddate=April 30, 1945
assigned unit=11th FlotillaU_Boat Command
startdate=March, 1944
enddate=May, 1945
name=Kptlt. Fridtjof Heckel
U_Boat Sink
type=Type of Ship Sunk
total=Number of Ships Sunk
tonnage=Gross Registered Tonnage
U_Boat Sink
type=Commercial Vessels
total=1
tonnage=1,317
U_Boat Sink
type=Military Vessels
total=None
tonnage=0

Unterseeboot 2322, or more commonly U-2322 was a highly advanced German Type XXIII submarine built for the Kriegsmarine in 1944. "U-2322" was one of just a few such boats to undertake an operational patrol, and one of just three to undergo two. During these patrols, she succeeded in sinking a single British freighter, one of just five ships sunk by this submarine class.

"U-2321" was built at Hamburg in just four months, being ready by July 1944. As a prototype of a new class of boats, she was not ready for active service until 1945, as there were numerous engineering difficulties to contend with and the crew had to be trained to manage the new boat and new operational tactics practised and decided on. When she was finally ready for a war patrol in February 1945, it was more as an experiment into the abilities of the boat than a real attempt to damage allied shipping.

War Patrol

Leaving Horten in Norway on the 6 February, "U-2322" proceeded to the East coast of Scotland, particularly in the area of St Abbs Head, where lone coastal shipping sometimes passed, believing that German U-boats would not bother waiting in such a dangerous spot for such insignificant prey. This plan finally worked on the 25 February, when the 1,300 ton coastal cruiser SS "Egholm" was sunk by a torpedo [ [http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/3456.html uboat.net - Allied Ships hit by U-boats - Egholm (Steam merchant) ] ] . This first and only success for "U-2322" was achieved in the dark off Holy Island. The rest of this patrol was unsuccessful.

The second patrol, off East Anglia in April was totally fruitless, powerful allied escorts and well-organised convoys effectively cutting off the small U-boats from their potential targets. The only advantage gained in these patrols was that no XXIII type boat was lost in the North Sea, all losses coming in German waters from indirect sources like accident, bombing raids and naval mines.

When Germany surrendered, "U-2322" was at Stavanger in Norway, from where it sailed to Loch Ryan in Scotland for disposal in Operation Deadlight. Towed out to sea on the 27 November, the unmaintained and rusting boat was destroyed as a naval gunnery target.

Raiding career

References

* Sharpe, Peter, "U-Boat Fact File", Midland Publishing, Great Britain: 1998. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
* [http://www.uboat.net/boats/u2322.htm U-boat.net webpage for "U-2322"]

ee also

*List of U-boats