Patrol info for U-243
Date lookup for 8 Jul 1944
| Departure | Arrival / Fate | Duration | ||
| 15 Jun 1944 | Bergen | 8 Jul 1944 | Lost | 24 days |
Commander | Officers * |
 Kptlt. Hans Märtens |
Since 25 May, 1944, U-243 laid in readiness in Norway as part of group Mitte awaiting the expected Allied landings in northern France and sailed on 8 June to take up a defensive position in the North Sea after the Allies landed in the Normandy. Already on the next day, the U-boat was however ordered to leave group Mitte and to head for the Bay of Biscay because it was equipped with a Schnorchel. However, mechanical troubles with a diesel engine forced U-243 to enter Bergen. The U-boat left again after reparing the engine and eventually arrived in the Bay of Biscay where the boat was lost to an aircraft attack on 8 July.
U-243's position on 8 Jul 1944
Ships hit by U-243 on this date
General Events during this patrol
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Attacks on U-243 during this patrol
8 Jul 1944
The sinking of U-243:
14.35 hrs, Bay of Biscay SW of Brest: the boat sighted Australian Sunderland flying boat W4030 (RAAF Sqdn 10/H, pilot F/O William B. Tilley) and opened fire at a range of two miles (3km). The Sunderland strafed U-243 with 1,250 rounds, wounding at least three men on the bridge, including the commander, Kptlt Märtens, and silencing the AA guns. Six depth charges were dropped which straddled the stern. The explosions disabled all engines and caused a major leak, causing the stopped U-boat to settle by the stern with a list to port. The aircraft was kept at a distance with flak until the Germans launched dinghies at 15.00 hrs. The abandonment was hastened by the arrival of a second Sunderland from the same squadron and an American Liberator, which both dropped depth charges on the sinking U-boat. F/O Tilley dropped a dinghy and a food pack for the survivors before returning to base. He was awarded an immediate DFC, and the nose gunner, F/Sgt Lance E. Cooke, an immediate DFM. Kptlt Märtens and 38 other survivors were picked up by HMCS Restigouche after 14 hours, but the commander later died of his wounds.
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* These are officers that later became commanders themselves.