U-311

Type

VIIC

Ordered

5 Jun 1941

Laid down

21 Mar 1942

Flender Werke AG, Lübeck (werk 311)

Launched

20 Jan 1943

Commissioned

23 Mar 1943

Oblt. Joachim Zander

Commanders

23 Mar 1943

22 Apr 1944

Kptlt. Joachim Zander

Career
2 patrols

23 Mar 1943	-	30 Nov 1943	8. Flottille (training)
1 Dec 1943	-	22 Apr 1944	1. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 10,342 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 22 April 1944 in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, in position 52.09N, 19.07W, by depth charges from the Canadian frigates HMCS Matane and HMCS Swansea. 51 dead (all hands lost). (FDS/NHB, April 1986).

Loss position

See the 1 ships hit by U-311 - View the 2 war patrols

Previously recorded fate

Sunk 24 April, 1944 southwest of Ireland, in position 50.36N, 18.36W, by depth charges from a Canadian Sunderland aircraft (Sqdn. 423/A). (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack was in fact against U-672 inflicting severe damages.

Wolfpack operations

U-311 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Coronel (7 Dec 1943 - 8 Dec 1943)
   Coronel 1 (8 Dec 1943 - 14 Dec 1943)
   Coronel 2 (14 Dec 1943 - 17 Dec 1943)
   Amrum (18 Dec 1943 - 23 Dec 1943)
   Rügen 5 (23 Dec 1943 - 2 Jan 1944)
   Rügen 4 (2 Jan 1944 - 7 Jan 1944)
   Rügen (7 Jan 1944 - 19 Jan 1944)
   Preussen (19 Mar 1944 - 22 Mar 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

12 May 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British B-17 Flying Fortress (RAF Sqdn 206)

12 Mar 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British Halifax HX225 (RAF Sqdn 58/L)

01.20 hrs, Bay of Biscay, outbound: U-311 shot down the Halifax (misidentified as a Flying Fortress) after being strafed and depth charged. The crew of eight were all lost.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

19 Mar 1944
Despite being hunted for hours by the escorts of the large tanker convoy CU 17, U-311 penetrated the defences and sank the large US steam tanker Seakay in the Atlantic west of Lands End, eluding the escorts afterwards. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 506)

3 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-311 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.