German submarine U-2322
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name: | U-2322 |
Ordered: | 20 September 1943 |
Builder: | Deutsche Werft, Hamburg |
Yard number: | 476 |
Laid down: | 22 March 1944 |
Launched: | 30 April 1944 |
Commissioned: | 1 July 1944 |
Fate: | Sunk as a target, 27 November 1945 |
Class and type: | Type XXIII submarine |
Service record | |
Part of: | |
Commanders: | Kptlt. Fridtjof Heckel (March 1944–May 1945) |
Operations: |
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Victories: | 1 ship sunk for a total of 1,317 gross register tons (GRT) |
German submarine U-2322 was a highly advanced Type XXIII U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in 1944. U-2322 was one of just a few such boats to undertake an operational patrol, and one of only three to undergo two. During these patrols, she succeeded in sinking a single British freighter, one of five ships sunk by this submarine class.
U-2322 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 Naval Base in Norway on the 6 February, U-2322 proceeded to the East coast of Scotland, particularly in the area of St Abb's 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.[1] 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 Type XXIII 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.
Summary of raiding history
Date | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate |
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25 February 1945 | Egholm | United Kingdom | 1,317 | Sunk |
References
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Egholm (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
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). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XXIII boat U-2322". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.