Name U-319 Yard number 319 Commissioned 4 December 1943 Launched 16 October 1943 Draft 4.74 m Builder Flender Werke | Ordered 14 October 1942 Laid down 18 November 1942 Construction started 18 November 1942 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m Part of 4th U-boat Flotilla | |
Fate Sunk in the North Sea in July 1944 by a British aircraft | ||
German submarine U-319 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Contents
She carried out just one patrol, but did not sink any ships.
The boat was sunk in July 1944 by a British aircraft in the North Sea.
Design
German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-319 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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-319 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
The submarine was laid down on 18 November 1942 by the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 319, launched on 16 October 1943, and commissioned on 4 December under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Johannes Clemens.
She served with the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training, from 4 December 1943 to 1 June 1944 and the same organization for operations until her sinking on 15 July 1944.
Having made the short journey from Kiel in Germany to Stavanger in Norway in June 1944, she commenced her first and only patrol on 5 July.
Fate
U-319 was sunk by a British B-24 Liberator of 206 Squadron RAF in the North Sea, southwest of Lindesnes, on 15 July 1944. Fifty-one men from the U-boat died. There were no survivors. The aircraft failed to return; it was presumably shot down by the U-boat's anti-aircraft defences. A crewman's body was picked up the next day. Clemens' remains were recovered and interred at the military cemetery in Stavanger.