German submarine U-218 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-218
Ordered	16 February 1940
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	650
Laid down	17 March 1941
Launched	5 December 1941
Commissioned	24 January 1942
Fate	Surrendered on 12 May 1945 Scutlled on 4 December 1945 during Operation Deadlight
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIID submarine
Displacement	965 tonnes (950 long tons) surfaced 1,080 t (1,060 long tons) submerged
Length	76.90 m (252 ft 4 in) o/a 59.80 m (196 ft 2 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.38 m (20 ft 11 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.70 m (31 ft 10 in)
Draught	5.01 m (16 ft 5 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Range	11,200 nmi (20,700 km; 12,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 69 nmi (128 km; 79 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	200 m (660 ft) Crush depth: 220–240 m (720–790 ft)
Crew	4 officers, 40 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 12 × torpedoes or 26 × TMA or 39 × TMB tube-launched mines 5 × vertical launchers with 15 SMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 × 20 mm AA (4,380 rounds)
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 24 January – 31 August 1942 9th U-boat Flotilla 1 September 1942 – 30 September 1944 8th U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1944 – 1 March 1945 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 March – 8 May 1945
Commanders:	Kptlt. Richard Becker 24 January 1942 – August 1944 Kptlt. Rupprecht Stock August 1944 – 12 May 1945
Operations:	10 patrols: 1st patrol: 28 August – 29 September 1942 2nd patrol: 25 October – 21 November 1942 3rd patrol: a. 7 January – 10 March 1943 b. 18 – 19 April 1943 4th patrol: a. 20 April – 2 June 1943 b. 22 – 23 July 1943 5th patrol: 29 July – 6 August 1943 6th patrol: 19 September – 8 December 1943 7th patrol: 12 February – 7 May 1944 8th patrol: 13 June – 10 July 1944 9th patrol: a. 10 August – 23 September 1944 b. 6 – 12 October 1944 c. 17 October 1944 d. 6 – 7 March 1945 e. 10 March 1945 f. 11 – 12 March 1945 g. 14 March 1945 h. 17 – 20 March 1945 10th patrol: 22 March – 8 May 1945
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (346 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (7,361 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship damaged (7,177 GRT)

The German submarine U-218 was a special type of U-boat (a German submarine) used by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was designed to lay mines, which are underwater explosives that can damage or sink enemy ships.

The U-218 was built in Kiel, Germany. Its construction started on 17 March 1941, and it was ready for the water on 5 December 1941. It officially joined the German navy on 24 January 1942, with Richard Becker as its first commander. The submarine was part of several different groups, called flotillas, during its service. It also joined groups of U-boats known as wolfpacks to hunt enemy ships together.

What Was the U-218 Like?

The U-218 was a Type VIID U-boat. This type was a bit different because it could carry and launch mines.

Size and Weight

When on the surface, the U-218 weighed about 965 tons. When it went underwater, it became heavier, weighing around 1080 tons. It was about 76.9 meters (252 feet) long, which is longer than two basketball courts! The main part of the submarine, called the pressure hull, was 59.8 meters (196 feet) long.

How It Moved

The U-218 had two powerful diesel engines for moving on the surface. These engines could make the submarine go as fast as 16 to 16.7 knots (about 30 kilometers or 18 miles per hour). When underwater, it used two electric motors and could travel at about 7.3 knots (13.5 kilometers or 8.4 miles per hour).

It could travel a very long way on the surface, about 11,200 nautical miles (over 20,000 kilometers or 12,800 miles) at a steady speed. Underwater, it could go about 69 nautical miles (128 kilometers or 79 miles) before needing to surface.

How Deep Could It Go?

The U-218 was designed to operate safely at depths of up to 200 meters (656 feet). Its maximum depth before it might be crushed by the water pressure was between 220 and 240 meters (720 to 790 feet).

What Weapons Did It Have?

The U-218 was well-armed for its missions:

• Torpedoes: It had five torpedo tubes (four at the front and one at the back) and carried 12 torpedoes.
• Mines: It could also carry many mines, either 26 TMA mines or 39 TMB mines, which were launched from the torpedo tubes. It also had five special tubes for 15 SMA mines.
• Guns: For fighting on the surface or against aircraft, it had an 8.8 cm deck gun and a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun.

The submarine usually had a crew of about 44 people, including officers and sailors.

Wartime Journeys of U-218

The U-218 went on 10 patrols during World War II. A patrol is a journey where a submarine searches for enemy ships or lays mines.

First Patrol: Damage and Return

The U-218's first patrol started on 28 August 1942 from Kiel. It traveled through the North Sea and into the Atlantic Ocean. On 11 September, it damaged a ship called Fjordaas. However, the very next day, the U-218 itself was badly damaged by escort ships protecting a convoy. This forced the submarine to end its patrol early and return to Brest, France, for repairs.

Second Patrol: More Trouble

The second patrol, which began on 25 October 1942, was also difficult. On 15 November, the submarine was attacked by both aircraft and surface ships near Portugal. The damage was so severe that it had to return to Brest again on 25 November.

Later Patrols: Mines and Successes

The third and fourth patrols in early and mid-1943 were quieter. However, on its fifth patrol, on 2 August 1943, the U-218 was attacked by a British aircraft west of the Bay of Biscay. Six crew members were hurt, and the submarine was badly damaged, forcing another early return.

During its sixth patrol, on 27 September 1943, two crew members fell overboard in rough seas but were rescued. A month later, on 27 October, the U-218 successfully laid mines near Port of Spain, Trinidad.

A notable success happened on 5 November 1943, when the U-218 sank a sailing ship named Beatrice Beck with its cargo of cod, east of Martinique.

The seventh patrol was the longest, lasting 86 days from 12 February to 7 May 1944, but it did not result in any sinkings.

Eighth Patrol: Hiding and a Mine Attack

On its eighth patrol, the U-218 was hunted for 60 hours starting on 15 June 1944, but it managed to escape. On 6 July, it damaged a British ship called HMS Empire Halberd with a mine it had laid near Lands End in England. The ship was repaired and returned to service later that year. The U-218 then returned to Brest.

Final Patrols and Surrender

The U-218 left Brest for the last time on 10 August 1944. It laid mines near Lizard Head in England before heading to Bergen, Norway, where it arrived on 23 September. For several months, it made short trips between October 1944 and March 1945.

The tenth and final patrol began on 22 March 1945. On 20 April, the U-218 sank the ship Ethel Crawford with a mine it had laid in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland.

The End of U-218

The U-218 surrendered in Bergen, Norway, on 12 May 1945, shortly after the war in Europe ended. It was then taken to Loch Ryan in Scotland as part of Operation Deadlight. This was a plan by the Allies to sink captured German U-boats so they couldn't be used again.

On 4 December 1945, while being towed to the area where it was to be sunk, the U-218 went down on its own. It sank about eight or nine nautical miles north of Inishtrahull Island, which is the most northern island of Ireland.

After the War

The U-218 is also believed to be responsible for sinking the very last British ship lost due to World War II. This was the fishing vessel Kurd, which hit a British mine (thought to have been laid by U-218) off Lizard Head on 10 July 1945, after the war had officially ended.

The wreck of the U-218 was found by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2001 off Malin Head.

Wolfpack Operations

The U-218 was part of seven wolfpacks, which were groups of U-boats that worked together to attack enemy convoys. These included:

• Vorwärts (4 – 15 September 1942)
• Natter (2 – 8 November 1942)
• Westwall (8 – 15 November 1942)
• Rochen (27 January – 25 February 1943)
• Naab (12 – 15 May 1943)
• Donau 2 (15 – 19 May 1943)
• Mosel (19 – 24 May 1943)

Ships Attacked by U-218

Here is a list of the ships that the U-218 either sank or damaged during its patrols:

Date	Name of Ship	Country	Weight (GRT)	Outcome
11 September 1942	Fjordas	Norway	7,361	Damaged
5 November 1943	Beatrice Beck	United Kingdom	146	Sunk
6 July 1944	HMS Empire Halberd	Royal Navy	7,177	Damaged (by Mine)
20 April 1945	Ethel Crawford	United Kingdom	200	Sunk (by Mine)