Name U-2336 Yard number 490 Commissioned 30 September 1944 Launched 10 September 1944 Draft 3.67 m | Ordered 20 September 1943 Laid down 27 July 1944 Construction started 27 July 1944 Length 35 m Builder Deutsche Werft | |
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Fate Surrendered at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Taken to Lisahally on 21 June 1945 to take part in Operation Deadlight where she was sunk on 3 January 1946 by gunfire from the destroyer HMS Offa. Part of 32nd U-boat Flotilla, 4th U-boat Flotilla | ||
German submarine U-2336 was a Type XXIII U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
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 (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 she torpedoed and sank the freighters Avondale Park and Sneland I off the Isle of May inside the Firth of Forth.
Following the war, U-2336 was handed over to the Allies where she was taken to the British port of Lisahally and sunk in Operation Deadlight on 3 January 1946.
Construction
U-2336 was the 16th U-boat that was constructed in the Type XXIII class. She was ordered on 20 September 1943, and was laid down on 27 July 1944 at Deutsche Werft, Hamburg, as yard number 490. She was launched on 10 September 1944 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Jürgen Vockel on 30 September of that year.
Design
Like all Type XXIII U-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 one MWM six-cylinder RS134S diesel engine providing 575–630 metric horsepower (423–463 kilowatts; 567–621 shaft horsepower), one AEG GU4463-8 double-acting electric motor electric motor providing 580 PS (430 kW; 570 shp), and one BBC silent running CCR188 electric motor providing 35 PS (26 kW; 35 shp).
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 preloaded torpedoes. The complement was 14–18 men. This class of U-boat did not carry a deck gun.
Service record
Following training exercises with the 32nd U-boat Flotilla from 30 September 1944 to 15 February 1945, U-2336 began her first voyages as a front boat of the 4th U-boat Flotilla on 16 February 1945. However, on 18 February 1945 she was involved in a collision with U-2344, another Type XXIII U-boat, off Heiligendamm on the Baltic coast. U-2344 was sunk, with the loss of 11 of her crew. It took about two months for U-2336 to actually leave her home port of Kiel, which she finally did on 18 April 1945 under a new commander, Kapitänleutnant Emil Klusmeier. Following five days of traveling across the straits of Kattegat and Skagerrak, U-2336 reached Larvik, Norway on 24 April 1945; which was to be her new home port for the remainder of the war.
1st patrol
On 1 May 1945, U-2336 left Larvik and headed out into the North 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 and sank the freighters Avondale Park and Sneland I (in order) off the Isle of May inside the Firth of Forth. The first of the two ships to be sunk was the Sneland I, which exploded as soon as it was hit killing seven of her crew members, including the captain. Avondale Park was hit next, alarming the 28 man crew who believed that they had struck a mine. Avondale Park sank two minutes after being hit. Two crew members had been killed while the rest managed to enter a lifeboat or jump into the sea. U-2336 later returned to Kiel on 14 May 1945 and then transferred to Wilhelmshaven, Germany, where she was surrendered to the Western Allies.
Post-war
After being surrendered to the Western Allies, U-2336 was taken to Lisahally, United Kingdom on 21 June 1945 to take part in Operation Deadlight where she was sunk on 3 January 1946 by gunfire from the British destroyer HMS Offa.