German submarine U-1163
Encyclopedia
German submarine U-1163 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat
of the German
Kriegsmarine
during World War II
.
She was ordered on 14 October 1941, and was laid down on 5 December 1942 at Danziger Werft
AG, Danzig, as 'werk 135'. She was launched on 12 June 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant
Ernst-Ludwig Balduhn on 6 October of that year.
on 2 August 1944.
U-1163 spent her first eight months in the Kriegsmarine undergoing training operations with the German 8th Submarine Flotilla (8th U-boat Flotilla). At the end of her training, she was formally assigned to the 11th U-boat Flotilla stationed in Norway
. She began her first patrol on 13 July 1944, almost a full three years after she was ordered.
to Flekkefjord
Norway
, U-1163 began her first official war patrol with the 11. Unterseebootsflottille on 13 July, 1944. After only seven days at sea however, U-1163 returned to Norway in the coastal town of Arnöy on 19 July.
to Kristiansand
and had the protection of surface escorts as well. Yet despite all of the measures, two de Havilland Mosquito
s (E/333 and S/333) attacked the two U-boats. S/333 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire during the attack and the two U-boats were undamaged.
On 15 October 1944, U-1163 began her second war patrol after leaving Bogenbucht. For 17 days, U-1163 roamed the Arctic Ocean
in search of any Allied convoys heading to the Soviet Union
. On 31 October, after not a single engagement with any enemy vessels, U-1163 entered Hammerfest
, Norway.
's third patrol began on 25 November 1944 after she left the port city of Kilbotn
. For 22 days, she traveled through the Arctic Ocean in search of any Allied vessels heading to or from the Soviet Union. On 3 December 1944, U-1163 claimed the only enemy vessel in her career. The Revoljucija, a Soviet 433-ton cargo steam ship, had been separated from her convoy after developing engine trouble, and was stopped, protected by a single minesweeper. The U-1163 hit the Revoljucija
with a single torpedo, sinking her along with her 23 crew. Thirteen days later, on 16 December, U-1163 returned to Bogenbucht.
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
of the German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
She was ordered on 14 October 1941, and was laid down on 5 December 1942 at Danziger Werft
Danziger Werft
Danziger Werft was a German shipbuilding company, located in Danzig. It was founded in 1921 on the site of the Kaiserliche Werft Danzig that had been closed after World War I.During World War II Danziger Werft built 42 Type VII U-boats for the Kriegsmarine....
AG, Danzig, as 'werk 135'. She was launched on 12 June 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
Ernst-Ludwig Balduhn on 6 October of that year.
Service record
U-1163 did not have a very prosperous career. While she was commissioned on 6 October 1943, it was not until 3 December 1944 that she sank her first (and only) enemy vessel. Despite her lack of ships sunk, U-1163 was one of only a handful of German U-boats in World War II to help shoot down a De Havilland MosquitoDe Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
on 2 August 1944.
U-1163 spent her first eight months in the Kriegsmarine undergoing training operations with the German 8th Submarine Flotilla (8th U-boat Flotilla). At the end of her training, she was formally assigned to the 11th U-boat Flotilla stationed in Norway
German U-boat bases in occupied Norway
German U-boat bases in occupied Norway existed between 1940 and 1945, when the German Navy, the Kriegsmarine, converted several naval bases in Norway into Submarine bases. Norwegian coastal cities became available to the German Navy after the invasion of Denmark and Norway in April 1940...
. She began her first patrol on 13 July 1944, almost a full three years after she was ordered.
First patrol
Following training exercises with the 8th U-boat Flotilla and a journey from KielKiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
to Flekkefjord
Flekkefjord
is a town and municipality in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway.The town of Flekkefjord was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The rural municipalities of Bakke, Gyland, Hidra, and Nes were merged with Flekkefjord on 1 January 1965.Flekkefjord is the westernmost town of the...
Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, U-1163 began her first official war patrol with the 11. Unterseebootsflottille on 13 July, 1944. After only seven days at sea however, U-1163 returned to Norway in the coastal town of Arnöy on 19 July.
Second patrol
After her first patrol, U-1163 spent the next three months traveling up the coast of Norway. On 2 August, U-1163 and an accompanying U-boat, were traveling on the surface from StavangerStavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
to Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
and had the protection of surface escorts as well. Yet despite all of the measures, two de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
s (E/333 and S/333) attacked the two U-boats. S/333 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire during the attack and the two U-boats were undamaged.
On 15 October 1944, U-1163 began her second war patrol after leaving Bogenbucht. For 17 days, U-1163 roamed the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
in search of any Allied convoys heading to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. On 31 October, after not a single engagement with any enemy vessels, U-1163 entered Hammerfest
Hammerfest
is a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The municipality encompasses parts of three islands: Kvaløya, Sørøya, and Seiland. Hammerfest was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
, Norway.
Third patrol
U-1163Kilbotn
Kilbotn is a village in the municipality of Harstad in Troms county, Norway. The population of the village is 332, but since 2002 it has been considered a part of the Harstad urban area. The village is located about south of the center of the city of Harstad, along the Vågsfjorden on the east...
. For 22 days, she traveled through the Arctic Ocean in search of any Allied vessels heading to or from the Soviet Union. On 3 December 1944, U-1163 claimed the only enemy vessel in her career. The Revoljucija, a Soviet 433-ton cargo steam ship, had been separated from her convoy after developing engine trouble, and was stopped, protected by a single minesweeper. The U-1163 hit the Revoljucija
Revoljucija
Revoljucija was a Soviet steam merchant that was sunk by the German submarine U-1163 during World War II.-As the Activ:...
with a single torpedo, sinking her along with her 23 crew. Thirteen days later, on 16 December, U-1163 returned to Bogenbucht.
Fourth patrol
The last patrol that U-1163 took part in began on 15 April 1945. She left Kristiansand that day and traveled to the north coast of Ireland. After 25 days at sea, returned to Marviken, Norway where she was handed over to the Allies following the surrender of all German forces a few days before.See also
- List of German U-boats
- Battle of the Atlantic (1939–1945)