U-618

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

29 May 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 594)

Launched

20 Feb 1942

Commissioned

16 Apr 1942

Oblt. Kurt Baberg

Commanders

16 Apr 1942	-	15 Apr 1944		Kptlt. Kurt Baberg (German Cross in Gold)
16 Apr 1944	-	14 Aug 1944		Oblt. Erich Faust

Career
10 patrols

16 Apr 1942	-	31 Aug 1942	5. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1942	-	14 Aug 1944	7. Flottille (active service)

Successes

3 ships sunk, total tonnage 15,788 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 14 August 1944 in the Bay of Biscay south-west of Lorient, in position 47.22N, 04.39W, by depth charges from the British frigates HMS Duckworth and HMS Essington and from a British Liberator aircraft (53 Sqn RAF/G). 61 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

See the 3 ships hit by U-618 - View the 10 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-618 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)
   Wotan (5 Oct 1942 - 19 Oct 1942)
   Neuland (4 Mar 1943 - 6 Mar 1943)
   Ostmark (6 Mar 1943 - 11 Mar 1943)
   Stürmer (11 Mar 1943 - 20 Mar 1943)
   Seewolf (21 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)
   Adler (11 Apr 1943 - 13 Apr 1943)
   Meise (13 Apr 1943 - 20 Apr 1943)
   Specht (21 Apr 1943 - 25 Apr 1943)
   Schill 3 (18 Nov 1943 - 22 Nov 1943)
   Weddigen (22 Nov 1943 - 7 Dec 1943)
   Coronel (7 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)
   Hela (28 Dec 1943 - 1 Jan 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

20 Nov 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British B-24 Liberator BZ816 (RAF Sqdn 53/N, pilot S/L K.A. Aldridge)

19.25 hrs, Nth Atlantic west of France: the Leigh Light Liberator made its attack near the combined convoy SL 139/MKS 30. The aircraft was hit during the first strafing run and no bombs were dropped, and when coming around for a second attack it was shot down by the quadruple 20mm AA gun about 1000m (1,094 yds) astern of U-618. All nine aircrew died. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

19 Mar 1944
While attempting to enter the Mediterranean the boat was harassed by allied aircraft and surface ships for an entire week (19 Mar - 25 Mar) before being forced to return to France with heavy battle damage. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 494)

6 Apr 1944
23.33 hrs, Bay of Biscay, inbound: B-24 Liberator BZ769 (RAF Sqdn 53/N, pilot F/O C. Allison, RCAF) made a Leigh Light approach on radar. The navigator had been confused by there being two contacts, the other apparently being a trawler or other surface vessel, and N for Nan was passing behind U-618 when it was hit in the port wing and fuselage by flak. The pilot then returned to base without dropping bombs because the bomb bay doors could not be opened, the radar set had been disabled and the beam gunner wounded. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

30 Jul 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Wellington Mk.XIV (RAF Sqdn 172/J)

01.25 hrs, Bay of Biscay: on attacking, the Wellington bomber (RAF Sqdn 172/J, pilot F/L L.H. Such), was hit by flak and crashed into the sea, killing all six aircrew.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

30 Dec 1943. On 30 Dec 1943 U-618 saved 21 survivors from the sunken German destroyer Z 27. After the war these destroyer men became honorary members of the crew and took part in their annual meetings (only those men from U-618 not on the last mission of course).

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-618 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.