U-312

Type

VIIC

Ordered

5 Jun 1941

Laid down

10 Apr 1942

Flender Werke AG, Lübeck (werk 312)

Launched

27 Feb 1943

Commissioned

21 Apr 1943

Oblt. Kurt-Heinz Nicolay

Commanders

21 Apr 1943	-	1 Dec 1944	Kptlt. Kurt-Heinz Nicolay
2 Dec 1944	-	31 Jan 1945	Oblt. (R) Friedrich-Georg Herrle (German Cross in Gold)
1 Feb 1945	-	9 May 1945	Oblt. Jürgen von Gaza

Career
8 patrols

21 Apr 1943	-	30 Nov 1943	8. Flottille (training)
1 Dec 1943	-	31 Dec 1943	6. Flottille (active service)
1 Jan 1944	-	31 Aug 1944	11. Flottille (active service)
1 Sep 1944	-	8 May 1945	13. Flottille (active service)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Surrendered at Narvik, Norway on 9 May 1945.

Transferred to Loch Eriboll, Scotland, on 19 May 1945, later to Lisahally and Loch Ryan.

Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info)
Sunk on 29 Nov, 1945 in position 55.35N, 07.54W.

Final location

View the 8 war patrols

The U-boats that were in the Narvik area at the end of the war were all moved to the Skjomenfjord upon Allied orders to avoid conflicts with the Norwegians on 12 May. On 15 May, a German convoy of five ships (the fleet tender Grille with the staff of FdU Norwegen aboard, the fleet oiler Kärnten, the repair ship Kamerun and the depot ships Huascaran and Stella Polaris) and 15 U-boats (U-278, U-294, U-295, U-312, U-313, U-318, U-363, U-427, U-481, U-668, U-716, U-968, U-992, U-997 and U-1165) left for transfer to Trondheim, but was intercepted after two days by the 9th Escort Group off the Norwegian coast and officially capitulated. While the ships were allowed to proceed to Trondheim, the U-boats were escorted to Loch Eriboll, Scotland, arriving on 19 May. All U-boats were later that month transferred to Lisahally or Loch Ryan for Operation Deadlight.

Wolfpack operations

U-312 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Isegrim (25 Jan 1944 - 27 Jan 1944)
   Werwolf (8 Feb 1944 - 28 Feb 1944)
   Thor (17 Mar 1944 - 5 Apr 1944)
   Donner (5 Apr 1944 - 10 Apr 1944)
   Donner & Keil (30 Apr 1944 - 3 May 1944)
   Trutz (3 May 1944 - 11 May 1944)
   Grimm (9 Sep 1944 - 1 Oct 1944)
   Panther (20 Oct 1944 - 4 Nov 1944)
   Hagen (13 Mar 1945 - 21 Mar 1945)
   Faust (19 Apr 1945 - 1 May 1945)

General notes on this boat

11 May 1944. On 11 May, 1944 U-312 had to return to base due to technical problems with the engines.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat

This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in November 1944.

Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-312 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.