U-281

Type

VIIC

Ordered

5 Jun 1941

Laid down

7 May 1942

Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 46)

Launched

16 Jan 1943

Commissioned

27 Feb 1943

Oblt. Heinz von Davidson

Commanders

27 Feb 1943

9 May 1945

Kptlt. Heinz von Davidson

Career
4 patrols

27 Feb 1943	-	31 Jul 1943	8. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1943	-	9 Nov 1944	7. Flottille (active service)
10 Nov 1944	-	8 May 1945	33. Flottille (active service)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Surrendered at Kristiansand, Norway on 9 May 1945.

Transferred to Loch Ryan, Scotland on 29 May 1945.

Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info)
Sunk on 30 Nov, 1945 in position 55.50N, 10.05W

Final location

View the 4 war patrols

This boat is a dive site

Innes McCartney dove on this boat in 2001 (see his report).

Depth: 230 feet (70 meters)
Position (lat, long): 55.50, -10.05

See more U-boat dive sites.

Wolfpack operations

U-281 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Schlieffen (16 Oct 1943 - 22 Oct 1943)
   Siegfried (22 Oct 1943 - 27 Oct 1943)
   Siegfried 2 (27 Oct 1943 - 30 Oct 1943)
   Körner (30 Oct 1943 - 2 Nov 1943)
   Tirpitz 3 (2 Nov 1943 - 8 Nov 1943)
   Eisenhart 9 (9 Nov 1943 - 11 Nov 1943)
   Rügen (14 Jan 1944 - 26 Jan 1944)
   Hinein (26 Jan 1944 - 3 Feb 1944)
   Igel 2 (3 Feb 1944 - 17 Feb 1944)
   Hai 2 (17 Feb 1944 - 22 Feb 1944)
   Preussen (22 Feb 1944 - 23 Feb 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

17 Oct 1943
At 19.10 hrs U-281 was attacked by a B-24 Liberator near convoy ONS 20. The boat put up flak, and the two depth charges dropped fell short, but the II WO and two of the crew were wounded by strafing before the boat escaped by diving. (Sources: Ritschel)

1 recorded attack on this boat.