German submarine U-2336 facts for kids
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|} The German submarine U-2336was a special type of U-boatused by Nazi Germanyduring World War II. It was part of the Type XXIII class, which were small submarines designed for quick missions. U-2336had a very short time in service. It went on only one war patrol. During this patrol, it accidentally crashed into another German U-boat, U-2344, causing it to sink. Despite this, U-2336became known for sinking the last two Allied merchant ships lost to a submarine in the war. These ships, Avondale Parkand Sneland I, were sunk near the Isle of Mayin Scotland. After the war ended, U-2336was given to the Allies. It was later sunk on 3 January 1946 as part of an event called Operation Deadlight. This operation involved sinking many captured German U-boats.
Contents
- Building a Submarine: U-2336 Construction
- Submarine Design: How U-2336 Was Built
- U-2336 in Action: Service History
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany |
|
| Name | U-2336 |
| Ordered | 20 September 1943 |
| Builder | Deutsche Werft, Hamburg |
| Yard number | 490 |
| Laid down | 27 July 1944 |
| Launched | 10 September 1944 |
| Commissioned | 30 September 1944 |
| Fate | Surrendered at Wilhelmshaven, Germany on 15 May 1945. Taken to Lisahally on 21 June 1945 to take part in Operation Deadlight where she was sunk on 3 January 1946 by gunfire from the destroyer HMS Offa. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type XXIII submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 34.68 m (113 ft 9 in) |
| Beam | 3.02 m (9 ft 11 in) |
| Draught | 3.66 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Test depth | 180 m (590 ft) |
| Complement | 14–18 |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | 2 merchant ships sunk (4,669 GRT) |
Building a Submarine: U-2336 Construction
U-2336 was the 16th submarine of its kind, the Type XXIII class. The order to build it was placed on 20 September 1943. Its construction began on 27 July 1944 at a shipyard called Deutsche Werft in Hamburg, Germany.
The submarine was officially launched into the water on 10 September 1944. Soon after, on 30 September, it was ready for duty. Its first commander was a naval officer named Jürgen Vockel.
Submarine Design: How U-2336 Was Built
U-2336 was a Type XXIII U-boat, which means it was designed to be smaller and faster than earlier submarines.
When on the surface, it weighed about 234 tons. When it was underwater, it weighed a bit more, around 258 tons. The submarine was about 34.68 meters (113 feet) long. It was about 3.02 meters (9 feet 11 inches) wide and sat 3.66 meters (12 feet) deep in the water.
The submarine had different engines for moving around. It used a diesel engine when on the surface. Underwater, it used powerful electric motors. It also had a special quiet electric motor for sneaking around.
U-2336 could travel at a top speed of about 9.7 knots (18 km/h) on the surface. When submerged, it could go faster, up to 12.5 knots (23 km/h). It could travel a long way on the surface, about 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km) at a slower speed. Underwater, it could go about 194 nautical miles (359 km) at a slow speed. The submarine could dive as deep as 180 meters (590 feet).
The crew of U-2336 was small, usually 14 to 18 sailors. For weapons, it had two torpedo tubes at the front. It could carry two torpedoes, which were loaded into these tubes. Unlike some larger submarines, it did not have a deck gun.
U-2336 in Action: Service History
U-2336 spent its early time, from September 1944 to February 1945, training with a group called the 32nd U-boat Flotilla. After training, it joined the 4th U-boat Flotilla on 16 February 1945, ready for real missions.
Just two days later, an accident happened. U-2336 crashed into another Type XXIII U-boat, U-2344, off the coast of Heiligendamm in the Baltic Sea. Sadly, U-2344 sank, and 11 crew members were lost. U-2336 needed repairs, which took about two months.
On 18 April 1945, U-2336 finally left its home port of Kiel with a new commander, Emil Klusmeier. It traveled through the waters of Kattegat and Skagerrak to reach Larvik, Norway, on 24 April 1945. This became its base for the last few days of the war.
First and Only Patrol
On 1 May 1945, U-2336 began its first and only war patrol, heading into the North Sea. On 7 May 1945, it made history. U-2336 sank the last two Allied merchant ships to be lost to a German submarine in the war. It fired torpedoes at the freighters Avondale Park and Sneland I near the Isle of May, inside the Firth of Forth.
Sneland I exploded and sank very quickly, taking seven crew members, including its captain, with it. Avondale Park also sank, and two of its crew members were lost. The other sailors either got into lifeboats or jumped into the sea.
U-2336 returned to Kiel on 14 May 1945. From there, it moved to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Here, it officially surrendered to the Western Allies.
After the War: Operation Deadlight
On 21 June 1945, U-2336 was taken to Lisahally in the United Kingdom. It was part of Operation Deadlight, a plan to sink many captured German U-boats so they could not be used again. On 3 January 1946, U-2336 was sunk by gunfire from a British destroyer called HMS Offa.
Ships Sunk by U-2336
U-2336 sank two merchant ships during its short time in service:
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 May 1945 | Avondale Park |  United Kingdom |
2,878 | Sunk |
| 7 May 1945 | Sneland I |  Norway |
1,791 | Sunk |
See also
- Battle of the Atlantic
- Actions of 7–8 May 1945
