German submarine U-525


German submarine U-525 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.
Her keel was laid down on 10 September 1941 by the Deutsche Werft in Hamburg as yard number 340. She was launched on 20 May 1942 and commissioned on 30 July with Kapitänleutnant Hans-Joachim Drewitz in command.
The U-boat's service began with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla on 30 July 1942. She then moved to the 10th flotilla on 1 January 1943 for operations.
She was a member of six wolfpacks.
She carried out three patrols and sank one ship of.
She was sunk by US aircraft, northwest of the Azores on 11 August 1943.

Design and construction

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-525 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-525 was fitted with six torpedo tubes, 22 torpedoes, one SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a SK C/30 as well as a C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.
U-525 was one of eight Type IX/C40 submarines ordered from Deutsche Werft on 16 August 1940. The submarine was laid down at Deutsche Werft's Hamburg shipyard on 10 September 1941, as yard number 309. She was launched on 20 May 1942 and commissioned on 30 July 1942.

Service history

On commissioning, U-525 joined the 4th U-boat Flotilla based at Stettin, Prussia for crew training. On completion of training, she joined the operational 10th U-boat Flotilla.

First patrol

The submarine's first patrol took her from Kiel on 15 December 1942, across the North Sea and into the Atlantic Ocean through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. U-525, together with and were planned to form the core of a new patrol group, Falke, which was to be deployed against westbound convoys. On 26 December, U-357 sighted the east-bound convoy HX 219, and U-525 and U-384 were ordered directed to join U-357 in attacking the convoy, but U-357 was sunk by the convoy's escort later that day, and neither U-525 or U-384 managed to find the convoy. U-525 continued to form part of Falke until 19 January 1943, when the group was disbanded, with U-525 joining Haudegen group, patrolling south of Cape Farewell, Greenland. Haudegen group was broken up on 15 February 1943, with U-525 ordered to remain off Newfoundland. On 17 March, sighted Convoy ONS 165, and sent a contact report allowing other submarines to be directed to the convoy. On 20 February, U-525 torpedoed the British freighter Radhurst east of Newfoundland. Radhurst sank in three minutes, with the loss of all aboard.
In late February, the homebound U-525 was refuelled by north of the Azores. On the night of 2/3 March 1943, U-525 was attacked and badly damaged by a Leigh Light equipped Wellington anti-submarine aircraft of 172 Squadron RAF in the Bay of Biscay. U-525 arrived at her new home port of Lorient in occupied France, on 3 March.

Second patrol

After repair from the damage received in the air attack of 2/3 March, U-525 left on her second patrol on 15 April 1943. The submarine joined group Amsel, a line of 13 submarines that ran from north east of Newfoundland to the southeast, with the intention of intercepting eastbound convoys. On 5 May, Amsel was split up into four smaller groups spread east of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, with U-525 part of Amsel 3. On 7 May, Amsel 3 and Amsel 4 were combined to form Rhein group, which was sent south east to intercept Convoy HX 237, and then Convoy SC 129. U-525 managed to engage neither of the two convoys. She returned to Lorient on 26 May 1943.

Third patrol and loss

On 27 July 1943, U525 left Lorient on her third patrol to the Atlantic. The loss of two Type XIV tanker submarines, and, on 30 July 1943 resulted in U-Boat Control diverting U-525 to refuel homecoming submarines south and south west of the Azores. She did not make her rendezvous with the returning submarines, as on 11 August, a Avenger and Wildcat from the American carrier caught the submarine on the surface north west of the Azores. The Wildcat made a strafing attack on the submarine, followed by the Avenger, which dropped two depth charges. U-525 then dived, trailing oil, and the Avenger dropped a acoustic torpedo which struck the submarine just aft of the conning tower, sinking her. Fifty-four men died; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-525 took part in six wolfpacks, namely:
  • Falke
  • Haudegen
  • Amsel
  • Amsel 3
  • Rhein
  • Elbe 1