U-415

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

12 Jul 1941

Danziger Werft AG, Danzig (werk 116)

Launched

9 May 1942

Commissioned

5 Aug 1942

Oblt. Kurt Neide

Commanders

5 Aug 1942	-	16 Apr 1944		Kptlt. Kurt Neide (German Cross in Gold)
17 Apr 1944	-	14 Jul 1944		Oblt. Herbert A. Werner

Career
7 patrols

5 Aug 1942	-	28 Feb 1943	8. Flottille (training)
1 Mar 1943	-	14 Jul 1944	1. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 4,917 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,340 tons
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 5,486 GRT

Fate

Sunk at 0915hrs on 14 July 1944 at Brest, France, west of the torpedo-net barrier, in position 48.22N, 04.29W, by a mine in the British air-laid field Jellyfish No. 5. 2 dead, unknown number of survivors.

Loss position

See the 3 ships hit by U-415 - View the 7 war patrols

The capsized wreck of U-415 was raised on 21 July 1944, taken to the Clemenceau dock and cannibalized for spare parts. Scuttled inside the dock in August 1944 and broken up in 1946.

Wolfpack operations

U-415 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Seeteufel (21 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)
   Meise (11 Apr 1943 - 24 Apr 1943)
   Coronel (4 Dec 1943 - 8 Dec 1943)
   Coronel 2 (8 Dec 1943 - 14 Dec 1943)
   Coronel 3 (14 Dec 1943 - 17 Dec 1943)
   Borkum (18 Dec 1943 - 26 Dec 1943)
   Preussen (7 Mar 1944 - 17 Mar 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

1 May 1943
08.20 hrs, NW of Corunna, Spain inbound: six depth charges from a British Halifax bomber (502 Sqn RAF/C, pilot F/O R. Houston) caused serious damage. (Sources: Norman Franks)

1 May 1943
11.36 hrs: an Australian Sunderland flying boat (461 Sqn RAAF/M, pilot F/Lt E.C. Smith) depth charged the boat. No damage. (Sources: Norman Franks)

1 May 1943
17.35 hrs, NW of Corunna, Spain, inbound; the boat was attacked by a British Whitley bomber (612 Sqn RAF/E, pilot F/Sgt Norman Earnshaw). She dived, and the aircraft made two runs, first dropping six depth charges with no result, then two which caused serious damage. U-415 managed to make Brest on 31 May. (Sources: Norman Franks)

14 Jun 1943
In the afternoon a British Whitley bomber (10 OTU RAF/E, pilot Sgt Manson) found a group of three outbound boats (U-159, U-415 and U-634) and sent a contact report instead of attacking. When the boats dived, the aircraft attacked, dropping four depth charges on U-415 at 15.54 hrs. No damage. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

24 Jul 1943
While attacking a convoy off Trinidad the boat was itself attacked by a "corvette", but escaped. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 366)

30 Oct 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British Wellington HF205 (612 Sqn RAF/C, pilot F/O R.S. Yeadon)

05.42 hrs, Bay of Biscay north of Cape Ortegal, outbound: the Wellington made a strafing run and dropped four depth charges using the Leigh Light, but was hit by flak and crashed into the sea about 50m (55 yds) astern of U-415, killing the crew of six. Damage to U-415 forced her to return to base.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

5 Jan 1944
During the night a British Halifax bomber (58 Sqn RAF, pilot I.J.M. Christie) dropped six depth charges, but failed to sink the boat, which returned fire and dived to escape. U-415 arrived at Brest the following day. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 486)

16 Mar 1944
Severe damage inflicted by escorts and aircraft from the large tanker convoy CU-17 forced the boat to return to base, reaching Brest on 31 March. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 507)

7 Jun 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British B-24 Liberator (224 Sqn RAF/B). U-415 had probably already been damaged by a British Wellington (179 Sqn RAF/G) earlier in the day at 02.02 hrs.

9 recorded attacks on this boat.