Name U-260 Yard number 25 Commissioned 14 March 1942 Launched 9 February 1942 Weight 769 tons Beam 6.18 m | Ordered 23 December 1939 Laid down 7 May 1941 Construction started 7 May 1941 Length 67 m Draft 4.74 m | |
Fate Scuttled, 12 March 1945 | ||
German submarine u 260
German submarine U-260 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. Her keel was laid down 7 May 1941 by Bremer Vulkan, of Bremen-Vegesack. She was commissioned 14 March 1942 with Kapitänleutnant Herbertus Purkhold in command.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-260 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-260 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history
U-260 conducted nine patrols in total. On her second, U-260 was part of Spitz wolfpack which attacked Convoy ON-154, making contact with the convoy on 28 December 1942, and sinking the 4,893 ton British freighter Empire Wagtail (lost with all hands – 43 dead). This was the only ship sunk by U-260.
Purkhold was relieved in April 1944 by Oberleutnant zur See Klaus Becker. Becker commanded the boat until March 1945.
On 12 March 1945, U-260 was scuttled south of neutral Ireland, in position 51°15′N 09°05′W, after sustaining mine damage. The minefield had been laid by HMS Apollo, an Abdiel-class minelayer.
After the sinking, a sealed container of papers floated to the surface. A British expert flew to Cork to examine them.
The crew of five officers and 48 crew were interned in Ireland for the remainder of the war. In her entire career, U-260 suffered no casualties to her crew.
Post war
The wreck site of U-260 was discovered in 1975 by local fisherman Colin Barnes after snagging nets, although it was presumed that the wreck of Counsellor (sunk due to a mine in 1917) was in the area. A friend of Mr Barnes, Joe Barry, dived on the noted position and discovered the U-boat rather than the expected cargo ship.
U-260 currently lies in about 40–45 metres (131–148 ft) of water approximately seven kilometres south of Glandore, and is a popular scuba diving site from Baltimore, County Cork and Union Hall.
There is recent speculation that U-260 did not actually strike a mine, but instead struck an underwater pinnacle (now known as '78 Rock' but which was uncharted at the time) leading to its damaged state.
On 1 July 2014, two divers got into trouble whilst exploring the wreck, the bodies of both of them were later recovered.
Wolfpacks
U-260 took part in 16 wolfpacks, namely.