German submarine U-435

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-435
Ordered:	16 October 1939
Builder:	F Schichau GmbH, Danzig
Yard number:	1477
Laid down:	11 April 1940
Launched:	31 May 1941
Commissioned:	30 August 1941
Fate:	Sunk by depth charges on 9 July 1943 west of Figueira, Portugal at position 39°48′N 14°22′W / 39.800°N 14.367°W by a RAF Wellington bomber of 179 Squadron operating out of Gibraltar.
General characteristics
Class & type:	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
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:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
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:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 14 × torpedoes 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record[1]
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 30 August – 31 December 1941 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 30 June 1942 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 July 1942 – 31 January 1943 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 February – 9 July 1943
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Siegfried Strelow 30 August 1941 – 9 July 1943
Operations:	1st patrol: 20 January – 16 February 1942 2nd patrol: 16 March – 5 April 1942 3rd patrol: 7–26 April 1942 4th patrol: 25 July – 31 August 1942 5th patrol: 16–28 September 1942 6th patrol: 30 November 1942 – 10 January 1943 7th patrol: 18 February – 25 March 1943 8th patrol: 20 May – 9 July 1943
Victories:	9 merchant ships sunk (53,712 GRT 4 warships sunk (3,311 tons)

German submarine U-435 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 11 April 1940 by F Schichau GmbH in Danzig as yard number 1477, launched on 31 May 1941 and commissioned on 30 August 1941 under Korvettenkapitän Siegfried Strelow (Knight’s Cross).

The boat's service began on 30 August 1941 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 1st flotilla on 1 January 1942 for active service and then to the 11th flotilla on 1 July 1942. She returned to the 1st flotilla on 1 February 1943.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-435 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[2] 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).^[2]

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).^[2] 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-435 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.^[2]

Service history

In eight patrols she sank 13 ships for a total of 53,712 GRT, plus three warships and one auxiliary warship.

Convoy PQ 13

U-456 attacked and damaged the American freighter Effingham straggling the convoy. U-435 then finished off the abandoned vessel.

Convoy QP 10

U-435 was more successful in April sinking both the Panamanian freighter El Occidente and British steamer Harpalion. The straggler Harpalion was finished off after being abandoned having been previously heavily damaged by Luftwaffe Ju 88 dive bombers.

Convoy QP 14

U-435 had even more success when she was part of a combined attack on Arctic Convoy QP 14. She sank 4 vessels, comprising the minesweeper HMS Leda, RFA fleet oiler Gray Ranger, British Liberty ship Ocean Voice and American freighter Bellingham.

Convoy ONS 154

U-435 continued her earlier successes sinking 5 vessels in total namely the CAM ship Empire Shackleton, Norse King, the special service vessel and former freighter HMS Fidelity, HMS LCV-752 and HMS LCV-754; although the two landing craft were being carried as deck cargo when HMS Fidelity was sunk.

Wolfpacks

She took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely,

• Hecht (27 January – 4 February 1942)
• Umbau (4 – 16 February 1942)
• Eiswolf (28 – 31 March 1942)
• Robbenschlag (7 – 13 April 1942)
• Nebelkönig (27 July – 14 August 1942)
• Ungestüm (11 – 30 December 1942)
• Burggraf (24 February – 5 March 1943)
• Raubgraf (7 – 19 March 1943)
• Trutz (1 – 16 June 1943)
• Trutz 3 (16 – 29 June 1942)
• Geier 2 (30 June – 9 July 1943)

Fate

She was depth charged and sunk by on 9 July 1943 at position 39°48′N 14°22′W / 39.800°N 14.367°W west of Figueira, Portugal by a RAF Wellington bomber from 179 Squadron.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage GRT)	Fate[3]
30 March 1942	Effingham	United States	6,421	Sunk
13 April 1942	El Occidente	Panama	6,008	Sunk
13 April 1942	Harpalion	United Kingdom	5,486	Sunk
20 September 1942	HMS Leda	Royal Navy	835	Sunk
22 September 1942	Bellingham	United Kingdom	5,345	Sunk
22 September 1942	RFA Grey Ranger	Royal Fleet Auxiliary	3,313	Sunk
22 September 1942	Ocean Voice	United Kingdom	7,174	Sunk
29 December 1942	Empire Shackleton	United Kingdom	7,068	Sunk
29 December 1942	Norse King	Norway	5,701	Sunk
30 December 1942	HMS Fidelity	Royal Navy	2,456	Sunk
30 December 1942	HMS LCV-752	Royal Navy	10	Sunk
30 December 1942	HMS LCV-754	Royal Navy	10	Sunk
17 March 1943	William Eustis	United States	7,196	Sunk

References

1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-435". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
2. Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-435". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 April 2014.

Bibliography

• Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German) IV (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler). ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
• Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs – The U-Boats at War. London, UK: Cassell Military Classics. pp. 138, 139. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-435". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.