List of all U-boats

U-705

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered9 Oct 1939
Laid down11 Oct 1940 H C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg (werk 764)
Launched13 Oct 1941
Commissioned30 Dec 1941Oblt. Karl-Horst Horn
Commanders
30 Dec 1941 - 3 Sep 1942  Kptlt. Karl-Horst Horn
Career
1 patrol
30 Dec 1941-31 Jul 1942  5. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1942-3 Sep 1942  6. Flottille (active service)
Successes1 ship sunk, total tonnage 3,279 GRT
Fate

Sunk on 3 September 1942 in the North Atlantic north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 46.42N, 11.07W, by depth charges from a British Whitley aircraft (77 Sqn RAF/P). 45 dead (all hands lost). (FDS/NHB, November 1987).

Loss position

See the 1 ships hit by U-705 - View the 1 war patrol

Previously recorded fate

  • Sunk by British Whitley aircraft (RAF 77/V) on 3 Sept, 1942 in position 47.55N, 10.04W. (Postwar assessment)
    Notes. This attack, long believed to have sunk U-705 was in fact aimed at the U-660 but caused no damages to that boat.

Wolfpack operations

U-705 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Lohs (11 Aug 1942 - 26 Aug 1942)

Attacks on this boat and other events

24 Aug 1942
After reporting the position of convoy ONS 122 in the late evening of 23 August, the boat was located by HF/DF and hunted by HNoMS Potentilla and HMS Viscount. At 00.15 hours on 24 August, corvette HNoMS Potentilla picked up U-705 on radar and forced her to dive with AA gunfire after illuminating the area with star shells. She then dropped four depth charges, which were followed by five from HMS Viscount and ten from HNoMS Potentilla, dropped over two runs. After an hour of this, both escorts located U-135 on radar in the same area and forced her to dive. Over the next two hours 57 depth charges were dropped on both U-boats, the final attack being made by HMS Viscount using a new weapon, the Hedgehog launcher. U-705 was damaged and with her stern tube out of action. (Sources: ADM reports, KTB U-705)

25 Aug 1942
At 05.24 hrs HMS Viscount sighted a surfaced U-boat following convoy ONS 122 in fog, which dived immediately. Five depth charges were launched over two runs until contact was lost at 05.53 hrs. A box search was then carried out, which produced a radar contact at 06.09 hrs, a U-boat being sighted two minutes later, which was assumed to be the same one. It was in fact U-176, while the first was probably U-705. (Sources: ADM reports)

2 recorded attacks 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-705 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.


Media links


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2

Wynn, Kenneth


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay




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