U-537

Type

IXC/40

Ordered

10 Apr 1941

Laid down

10 Apr 1942

Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 355)

Launched

7 Nov 1942

Commissioned

27 Jan 1943

Kptlt. Peter Schrewe

Commanders

27 Jan 1943

9 Nov 1944

Kptlt. Peter Schrewe

Career
3 patrols

27 Jan 1943	-	31 Jul 1943	4. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1943	-	30 Sep 1944	10. Flottille (active service)
1 Oct 1944	-	9 Nov 1944	33. Flottille (active service)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Sunk at 0026hrs on 10 November 1944 in the Java Sea east of Soerabaja, in position 07.13S, 115.17E, by torpedoes from the US submarine USS Flounder. 58 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

View the 3 war patrols

Attacks on this boat and other events

31 Oct 1943
A Canadian Hudson aircraft (Sqdn 11) fired eight rockets at the boat which missed their mark. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 459)

10 Nov 1943
A Canadian Catalina aircraft (Sqdn 5) dropped four depth charges on the boat off Cape Race, Canada. The boat escaped unharmed. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 459)

11 Nov 1943
A Canadian Catalina flying boat (Sqdn 5) dropped four depth charges, causing slight damage. Ships called in to hunt her failed to locate the boat, which reached port on December 8. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 459)

5 Mar 1944
While outbound from France the boat was attacked by an unidentified Allied aircraft and damaged so badly she was forced to return to Lorient, arriving 6 March. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 538)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

22 Oct 1943. U-537 set up an automatic weather station in Martin Bay, Labrador. See Weather station Kurt erected in Labrador in 1943.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-537 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.