U-617

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

31 May 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 593)

Launched

14 Feb 1942

Commissioned

9 Apr 1942

Kptlt. Albrecht Brandi (Knights Cross)

Commanders

9 Apr 1942

12 Sep 1943

Kptlt. Albrecht Brandi (Knights Cross)

Career
7 patrols

9 Apr 1942	-	31 Aug 1942	5. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1942	-	30 Nov 1942	7. Flottille (active service)
1 Dec 1942	-	12 Sep 1943	29. Flottille (active service)

Successes

8 ships sunk, total tonnage 25,879 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk, total tonnage 810 GRT
2 warships sunk, total tonnage 3,700 tons

Fate

Badly damaged on 12 September 1943 in the Mediterranean Sea north-west of Melilla, in position 35.38N, 03.27W, by depth charges from two British Wellington aircraft (179 Sqn RAF/P & J).

Beached west of Cape Tres Forcas, in position 35.13N, 03.21W. The wreck was subsequently attacked by British Hudson aircraft (48 and 233 Sqn RAF) and two British Swordfish aircraft (833 and 886 Sqn FAA) and finally destroyed by gunfire from the British corvette HMS Hyacinth and the Australian minesweeper HMAS Wollongong. 49 survivors (no casualties).

Loss position

See the 11 ships hit by U-617 - View the 7 war patrols

Photo taken by the crew of a Hudson aircraft of 48 Sqn RAF which attacked the wreck of U-617 on 12 Sep, 1943:

U-617 on fire and lying on her port side after being beached off the Moroccan coast near Melilla. The wreck was
eventually destroyed by further air attacks and naval gunfire. Photo from Imperial War Museum, CNA-4091

Wolfpack operations

U-617 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Pfeil (12 Sep 1942 - 22 Sep 1942)
   Blitz (22 Sep 1942 - 26 Sep 1942)
   Tiger (26 Sep 1942 - 30 Sep 1942)
   Delphin (4 Nov 1942 - 10 Nov 1942)
   Wal (10 Nov 1942 - 15 Nov 1942)

Attacks on this boat and other events

12 Sep 1943
The sinking of U-617: At 0150hrs a British Wellington bomber (179 Sqn RAF/P, pilot S/L D.B. Hodgkinson, RCAF) dropped depth charges in a Leigh Light attack off the Moroccan coast. Another Wellington (179 Sqn RAF/J, pilot P/O W.H. Brunini) was homed in and dropped its depth charges in another Leigh Light attack at 35°17N/03°20W. The aircraft was hit by flak in several places, fatally wounding the rear gunner, but this remained undiscovered during the action. The Wellington crew saw flames in the conning tower of U-617 and circled the boat for 45 minutes until she beached herself near Melilla, Spanish Morocco.

The entire crew of 49 abandoned ship and were interned by Spain and later repatriated to Germany. U-617 was finished off by several air attacks of British aircraft from Gibraltar (Hudsons of 48 and 233 Sqdn RAF and two Swordfish of 833 and 886 Sqdn FAA) and the wreck was finally destroyed by gunfire from HMS Hyacinth and HMAS Wollongong.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

1 recorded attack 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-617 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.