German submarine U-518 was a Type IXC

German Type IX submarine

The Type IX U-boat was designed by Germany in 1935 and 1936 as a large ocean-going submarine for sustained operations far from the home support facilities. Type IX boats were briefly used for patrols off the eastern United States in an attempt to disrupt the stream of troops and supplies bound for...

 U-boat

U-boat

U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...

 of the German

Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...

 Kriegsmarine

Kriegsmarine

The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...

 built for service during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.
She saw considerable early success during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 from her launch in 11 February 1942 until she was sunk on 22 April 1945.

Combat record

U-518 had a crew of 56, and was commanded by Hans-Werner Offermann. It departed on ten active patrols, with the following results;

First patrol

• On 2 November 1942: Sank the British
  United Kingdom
  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
  
   5,633 ton PLM 27, at Bell Island, Newfoundland
• On 2 November 1942: Sank the Canadian 7,803 ton Rose Castle, at Bell Island, Newfoundland
• On 21 November 1942: Sank the British 6,140 ton Empire Sailor, sailing with convoy
  Convoy
  A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
  
   ON-145, damaged the British 6,997 ton British Renown, a member of convoy ON-145 and damaged the British 8,443 ton British Promise, part of convoy ON-145
• On 23 November 1942: Sank the American
  United States
  The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
  
   10,172 ton

Second patrol

• 14 February 1943: Came under attack from unidentified Allied aircraft, with minimal damage
• 18 February 1943: Sank the Brazilian 6,075 ton Brasiloide
• 1 March 1943: Sank the American 7,176 ton liberty ship , from convoy BT-6
• 20 March 1943: Sank the Dutch 7,659 ton Mariso
• 25th Mar 1943: Sank the Swedish 1,688 ton Industria

Third patrol

• 27 June 1943: U-518 came under attack from a Sunderland
  Short Sunderland
  The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
  
   of No. 201 Squadron RAF
  No. 201 Squadron RAF
  No. 201 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, until March 2010, operated the Nimrod MR2, based at RAF Kinloss, Moray. It is the only squadron affiliated with Guernsey, in the Channel Islands. This affiliation started in 1935 and is commemorated in the museum on Castle Cornet. Its history goes even...
  
  , suffering massive damage, returning fire with anti-aircraft deck gun, without downing the aircraft
• 30 June 1943: U-518 came under attack from an RAAF squadron, suffering minor damage, defending itself again with anti-aircraft deck gun, without destroying the aircraft

Fourth patrol

• Spent fifteen weeks on patrol, between 18 August and 1 December 1943, with no results

Sixth patrol

• Non-active Patrol, traveling from port to port, lasted from 4–10 July 1944, with no results

Eighth patrol

• Spent from 25–28 October 1944, between port
  Port
  A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
  
  s, Non-active patrol, with no results

Tenth and final patrol

• Departed port on 12 March 1945. U-518 was sunk in the North Atlantic, northwest of the Azores, by depth charges from the destroyer escort
  Destroyer escort
  A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
  
  s and on 22 April 1945. There were no survivors from her crew of 56.

External links

• U-518 at u-boot-archiv.de

See also

• List of German U-boats