CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>The Type VIIC U-boat U-251 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/layout/2014_06/main2017-10.css" type="text/css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/layout/2014_06/print.css" type="text/css" media="print" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> <meta name="description" content="The U-boat War in World War Two (Kriegsmarine, 1939-1945) and World War One (Kaiserliche Marine, 1914-1918) and the Allied efforts to counter the threat. Over 40.000 pages on the officers, the boats, technology and the Allied efforts to counter the U-boat threat." /> <meta name="keywords" content="U-boat, submarine, boats, technology, XXI, VIIC, XIC, II, XIV, XXIII, Uboote, Unterseeboote, aircraft, escorts, Kriegsmarine, German navy, U-boote, destroyers, corvettes, frigates, battleships, aircraft carriers, trawlers." /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.3.4/dist/leaflet.css" integrity="sha512-puBpdR0798OZvTTbP4A8Ix/l+A4dHDD0DGqYW6RQ+9jxkRFclaxxQb/SJAWZfWAkuyeQUytO7+7N4QKrDh+drA==" crossorigin=""/> <script src="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.3.4/dist/leaflet.js" integrity="sha512-nMMmRyTVoLYqjP9hrbed9S+FzjZHW5gY1TWCHA5ckwXZBadntCNs8kEqAWdrb9O7rxbCaA4lKTIWjDXZxflOcA==" crossorigin=""></script></head> <body>  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-1LBQ8B7HLP"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-1LBQ8B7HLP'); </script> <div id="container">  <div id="banner">  <h1 class="ph">uboat.net</h1>    <div id="navcontainer"> <ul id="navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Home</a></li> <li class="inpath"><a href="/boats.htm" title="The U-boats">The U-boats</a></li> <li><a href="/men/" title="The Men">The Men</a></li> <li><a href="/allies/" title="Allied efforts to fight the U-boats">The Allies</a></li> <li><a href="/maps/" title="Maps">Maps</a></li> <li><a href="/forums/" title="Join our Forums">Forums</a></li> <li><a href="/articles/" title="Articles">Articles</a></li> <li><a href="/gallery/" title="Galleries">Gallery</a></li> <li><a href="/books/" title="Over 2200 books">Books</a></li> <li><a href="/special/movies/" title="Naval Warfare Movies">Movies</a></li> <li><a href="/wwi/" title="World War One">WWI</a></li> </ul> </div>  <span id="breadcrumbs"> <a href="/">Front page</a> - <a href="/boats.htm">The U-boats</a> - <a href="/boats/"><strong>Listing of all U-boats</strong></a> </span> </div>  <div id="sidebar-a"> <div id="submenu"> <h4><a href="/boats.htm">The U-boats</a></h4> <ul id="submenulist"> <li><a href="/boats/">List of all U-boats</a> <ul> <li><a href="/ops/successful_boats.htm">Most successful</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/boats/patrols/">U-boat Patrols</a></li> <li><a href="/types/">U-boat Types</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/">Operations</a> <ul> <li><a href="/ops/convoys/">Convoy battles</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/top_patrols.htm">Successful patrols</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/wolfpacks/">Wolfpacks</a></li> <li><a href="/maps/">Maps</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/combat_strength.html">Combat strength</a></li></ul> </li> <li><a href="/fates/">U-boat Fates</a><ul> <li><a href="/fates/losses/">Losses by year</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/scuttled.htm">Scuttled boats</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/surrendered.htm">Surrenders</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/discovered.html">Discovered boats</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/dive/">Dive sites</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/revised.html">Revised fates</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/flotillas/">Flotillas</a><ul> <li><a href="/flotillas/bases/">U-boat bases</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/technical/shipyards/">Shipyards</a></li> <li><a href="/technical/">Technologies</a></li> <li><a href="/special/emblems/">U-boat Emblems</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>Events on this day</h4> <p><a href="/today.html">What happened on<br>9 April?</a></p> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>Commander file</h4><p class="caption"><a href="/men/lassen.htm"><img src="/media/men/commanders/lassen.jpg" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Georg Lassen</a><br>(<a href="/boats/u29.htm">U-29</a>, <a href="/boats/u160.htm">U-160</a>)</p><p>- <a href="/men/commanders/">More officers</a></p> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>U-boat of the day</h4><a href="/boats/u506.htm">U-506</a> - 5 patrols<br>15 ships sunk (76,714 tons) </div> <div class="item_box"> <h4>U-boat Finder</h4> <form action="/boats/finder.php" method="post"> <input size="8" name="find_boat" class="search-field" />   <input type="submit" value="Search" class="input" /> </form> </div><p><br>Follow us on Twitter<br><a href="http://twitter.com/uboatnet" class="noborder"><img src="/media/layout/images/twitter_newbird_18.gif" alt="Twitter" /></a> <a href="http://twitter.com/uboatnet">@uboatnet</a></p> <br> </div>  <div id="content">  <div id="ga_contentTop728" align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1101670507446460" data-ad-slot="9674187468"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> <div align="center"> <h3><a href="/boats/">List of all U-boats</a></h3><h1>U-251</h1> </div> <div align="center"> <table class="table_subtle width650"><tr> <td class="width100"><h3>Type</h3></td><td class="width95" align="center" class="seperator"><h3><a href="/types/viic.htm" class="header">VIIC</a></h3></td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Ordered</td><td class="seperator">23 Sep 1939</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Laid down</td><td class="seperator">18 Oct 1940</td> <td class="seperator"><a href="/technical/shipyards/vegesack.htm">Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack</a> (werk 16)</td></tr> <tr><td>Launched</td><td class="seperator">26 Jul 1941</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Commissioned</td><td class="seperator">20 Sep 1941</td><td class="seperator">Kptlt. <a href=/men/timm.htm>Heinrich Timm</a> (<a href=/men/decorations/ritter.htm>Knights Cross</a>)</td></tr> <tr><td>Commanders</td> <td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="width85 right">20 Sep 1941</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">1 Sep 1943</td><td>  </td><td>Kptlt. <a href="/men/timm.htm"> Heinrich Timm</a> (<a href="/men/decorations/8.html">Knights Cross</a>) </td></tr><tr><td class="width85 right">23 Nov 1943</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">19 Apr 1945</td><td>  </td><td>Oblt. <a href="/men/commanders/1045.html"> Franz S盲ck</a></td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Career<br><a href="/boats/patrols/u251.html">10 patrols</a></td><td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="right">20 Sep 1941</td><td>-</td><td class="right">30 Apr 1942</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/6flo.htm">6. Flottille</a> (training)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 May 1942</td><td>-</td><td class="right">30 Jun 1942</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/6flo.htm">6. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Jul 1942</td><td>-</td><td class="right">31 May 1943</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/11flo.htm">11. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Jun 1943</td><td>-</td><td class="right">30 Jun 1943</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/13flo.htm">13. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Jul 1943</td><td>-</td><td class="right">30 Nov 1943</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/24flo.htm">24. Flottille</a> (training)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Dec 1943</td><td>-</td><td class="right">28 Feb 1945</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/21flo.htm">21. Flottille</a> (trial boat)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Mar 1945</td><td>-</td><td class="right">19 Apr 1945</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/31flo.htm">31. Flottille</a> (training)<br></td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Successes</td><td colspan="2" class="seperator">2 ships sunk, total tonnage 11,408 GRT</td></tr> <tr><td class="width100">Fate</td> <td colspan="2" class="width400 seperator"> <p>Sunk on 19 April 1945 in the <a href="/maps/kattegat.htm">Kattegat</a> west of Halmstad, Sweden, in position 56.37N, 11.51E, by rockets and strafing from eight British and Norwegian Mosquito aircraft (235, 248 & 143 Sqn RAF). 39 dead and 4 survivors.</p> </td></tr> <tr><td>Loss position</td> <td colspan="3"> <style media="screen" type="text/css"> #mapFate {width:510px; height: 270px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;} </style> <div id="mapFate" align="center"></div> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> var mymap = L.map('mapFate').setView([57.37, 11.51], 4) L.tileLayer('/map-tiles/{z}/{x}/{y}.png', { attribution: 'map 漏 OpenStreetMap contributors | ship info by uboat.net', maxZoom: 10, }).addTo(mymap); var iconFate = L.icon({ iconUrl: '/media/maps/googlemarkers/orange_Marker.png', iconSize: [20, 34], iconAnchor: [10, 34], }); var marker = L.marker([56.62, 11.85], {icon: iconFate}).addTo(mymap).bindPopup('<strong>U-251</strong>. Sunk on 19 April 1945 in the <a href=\"/maps/kattegat.htm\">Kattegat</a> west of Halmstad, Sweden, in position 56.37N, 11.51E, by rockets and strafing from eight British and Norwegian Mosquito aircraft (235, 248 & 143 Sqn RAF).'); </script> </td> </tr> </table>  <p class="np"><a href="/boats/successes/u251.html">See the 2 ships hit by U-251</a> - <a href="/boats/patrols/u251.html">View the 10 war patrols</a><br></p> </div><h3>This boat is a dive site</h3><p>This boat was recently found and is now a regularly dived site. She lies at roughly 32 meter depth and has been dived onto since at least August 1993.</p> <p>Her location is 57.37N, 11.51E or just southeast of the Danish island of L忙s酶 and south of the Swedish city of G枚teborg.</p> </p>Depth: 100 feet (30 meters)<br>Position (lat, long): 56.37, 11.51</p><p>See more <a href="/fates/dive/"> U-boat dive sites</a>.</p> <h3>Wolfpack operations</h3> <p>U-251 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career: <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/30.html">Strauchritter</a> (29 Apr 1942 - 5 May 1942) <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/34.html">Eisteufel</a> (21 Jun 1942 - 12 Jul 1942) <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/217.html">Eisb盲r</a> (27 Mar 1943 - 15 Apr 1943) </p> <h3>Schnorchel-fitted U-boat</h3><p>This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in April 1945 but it was of course installed prior to that date. </p><p>Read more about the <a href="/technical/schnorchel.htm">Schnorchel</a> and see list of <a href="/technical/schnorchel_fitted.htm">fitted boats</a>.</p> <h3>Men lost from U-boats</h3> <p>Unlike <a href="/men/men_lost.htm">many other U-boats</a>, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-251 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.</p> <h3>U-boat Emblems</h3> <p>We have 2 <strong>emblem</strong> entries for this boat. See the emblem page <a href="/special/emblems/u251.html">for this boat</a> or view emblems individually below.</p> <table><tr> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem6.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/flo11.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>The Polar Bear - 11th Flotilla</a></td> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem462.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/emblem_missing.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Chimneysweeper with Torpedo</a></td> </tr></table><br> <div align="center"> <h3>Media links</h3> <table> <tr> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/267"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/u-boat_operations2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1</a><br>Wynn, Kenneth</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/525"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/german_u-boat_losses.jpg" alt="" /> <br>German U-Boat Losses During World War II</a><br>Niestle, Axel</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/538"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/hitlers_uboat_war2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II</a><br>Blair, Clay</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/537"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/hitlers_uboat_war.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Hitler's U-boat War</a><br>Blair, Clay</p></td></tr> </table> </div> <br><br>  <p class='center'><br/>As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.</p> <div class="adSeperator"></div> <div id="ga_contentFooter728" align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1101670507446460" data-ad-slot="7580936821"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div><br> </div>  <div id="footer"> <div id="footer_navcontainer"> <ul id="footer_navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Front page</a></li> <li><a href="/about/" title="About uboat.net">About</a></li> <li><a href="/about/contact.htm" title="Contact us">Contact us</a></li> <li><a href="/special/faq.htm" title="Frequently Asked Questions">FAQ</a></li> <li><a href="/glossary.htm" title="Glossary pages">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="/new.htm" title="What's new at uboat.net">What's new</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="footer_copyright">  © 1995 - 2025 Guðmundur Helgason </div> </div>  </div>  </body></html>