German submarine U-744

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History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-744
Ordered: 5 June 1941
Builder: F Schichau GmbH, Danzig
Laid down: 5 June 1942
Launched: 11 March 1943
Commissioned: 5 June 1943
Fate: Sunk on 6 March 1944
General characteristics
Class & type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:

German submarine U-744 was a type VIIC U-boat, launched on 11 March 1943, commanded by Heinz Blischke.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-744 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[1] 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).[1]

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).[1] 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-744 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.[1]

Service history

She had two patrols, one from 5 June 1943 to 30 November 1943 and 1 December 1943 to 6 March 1944. She sank two ships in total, SS Empire Housman on 3 January 1944, and the landing ship tank LST 362 on 2 March 1944. The LST 324 was also damaged that day.[2]

U-744 was forced to surface on 6 March 1944, after a 31-hour pursuit by British and Canadian ships. She was depth-charged by HMS Icarus, causing her crew to abandon her. They were picked up by the corvette HMS Kenilworth Castle, the Canadian frigate HMCS St. Catharines, corvettes HMCS Fennel and HMCS Chilliwack and destroyers HMCS Chaudiere and HMCS Gatineau in the North Atlantic. U-744 was then boarded by allied sailors, who retrieved code books and other documents. Most of this was lost while being transferred between the U-Boat and the allied ships. After attempts to tow the submarine into port failed, U-744 was scuttled by the allied warships.[3]

Wolfpacks

U-744 took part in five wolfpacks, namely.

  • Coronel 1 (15–17 December 1943)
  • Sylt (18–23 December 1943)
  • Rügen 2 (23–28 December 1943)
  • Rügen 1 (28 December 1943 - 3 January 1944)
  • Preussen (26 February - 6 March 1944)

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[4]
3 January 1944 Empire Housman  United Kingdom 7,359 Sunk
2 March 1944 HMS LST-324  Royal Navy 1,625 Damaged
2 March 1944 HMS LST-362  Royal Navy 1,625 Sunk

References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. "U-744 is boarded" U Boat Archive http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-257-U-744Photos.htm
  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

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External links

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