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</script> </div> <div align="center"> <h3><a href="/boats/">List of all U-boats</a></h3><h1>U-566</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">24 Oct 1939</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Laid down</td><td class="seperator">30 Mar 1940</td> <td class="seperator"><a href="/technical/shipyards/blohm.htm">Blohm & Voss, Hamburg</a> (werk 542)</td></tr> <tr><td>Launched</td><td class="seperator">20 Feb 1941</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Commissioned</td><td class="seperator">17 Apr 1941</td><td class="seperator">Kptlt. Dietrich Borchert</td></tr> <tr><td>Commanders</td> <td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="width85 right">17 Apr 1941</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">24 Jul 1942</td><td>  </td><td>Kptlt. <a href="/men/commanders/108.html"> Dietrich Borchert</a></td></tr><tr><td class="width85 right">25 Jul 1942</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">24 Jan 1943</td><td>  </td><td>Oblt. <a href="/men/commanders/993.html"> Gerhard Remus</a></td></tr><tr><td class="width85 right">25 Jan 1943</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">24 Oct 1943</td><td>  </td><td>Kptlt. <a href="/men/commanders/515.html"> Hans Hornkohl</a></td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Career<br><a href="/boats/patrols/u566.html">11 patrols</a></td><td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="right">17 Apr 1941</td><td>-</td><td class="right">1 Aug 1941</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/1flo.htm">1. Flottille</a> (training)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Aug 1941</td><td>-</td><td class="right">24 Oct 1943</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/1flo.htm">1. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Successes</td><td colspan="2" class="seperator">6 ships sunk, total tonnage 38,092 GRT<br/>1 warship sunk, total tonnage 2,265 tons</td></tr> <tr><td class="width100">Fate</td> <td colspan="2" class="width400 seperator"> <p>Scuttled on 24 October 1943 in the North Atlantic west of Leixoes, in position 41.12N, 09.31W, after being badly damaged by six depth charges from a British <a href="/allies/aircraft/wellington.htm">Wellington</a> aircraft (179 Sqn RAF/A). 49 survivors (no casualties).</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([42.12, -9.31], 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([41.20, -9.52], {icon: iconFate}).addTo(mymap).bindPopup('<strong>U-566</strong>. Scuttled on 24 October 1943 in the North Atlantic west of Leixoes, in position 41.12N, 09.31W, after being badly damaged by six depth charges from a British <a href=\"/allies/aircraft/wellington.htm\">Wellington</a> aircraft (179 Sqn RAF/A).'); </script> </td> </tr> </table>  <p class="np"><a href="/boats/successes/u566.html">See the 7 ships hit by U-566</a> - <a href="/boats/patrols/u566.html">View the 11 war patrols</a><br></p> </div> <h3>Wolfpack operations</h3> <p>U-566 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career: <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/32.html">Pfadfinder</a> (21 May 1942 - 27 May 1942) <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/40.html">Bl眉cher</a> (14 Aug 1942 - 28 Aug 1942) <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/57.html">Natter</a> (2 Nov 1942 - 8 Nov 1942) <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/60.html">Westwall</a> (8 Nov 1942 - 22 Nov 1942) <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/83.html">Neptun</a> (18 Feb 1943 - 3 Mar 1943) <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/91.html">Westmark</a> (6 Mar 1943 - 11 Mar 1943) </p> <h3>Attacks on this boat and other events</h3> <div class="content_box"> <p><strong>3 Sep 1941</strong><br/>The boat was attacked by an unidentified Soviet submarine off Kildin Island. U-566 escaped unharmed. <cite>(Sources: Polmar, N and Noot, J.)</cite></p> <p><strong>17 Nov 1942</strong><br/>08.56 hrs, west of Gibraltar: U-566 attempted to evade an attack from British <a href="/allies/aircraft/hudson.htm">Hudson</a> Mk.III FH240 (RAF Sqn 233/U, pilot Sgt Eric H. Smith) by diving. The aircraft dropped four depth charges just ahead of the wash and subseqently observed a large patch of oil on the surface. U-566 escaped with damage to the bow planes and an untraceable oil leak which forced her to operate further away from the coast during the rest of the patrol. <cite>(Sources: Franks)</cite></p> <p><strong>26 Apr 1943</strong><br/>22.44 hrs, <a href="/maps/biscay.htm">Bay of Biscay</a>: after locating the outbound boat on radar, a <a href="/allies/aircraft/wellington.htm">Wellington</a> Mk.XII (RAF Sqn 172/R, pilot Sgt Alex Coumbis) launched a Leigh Light attack from off the port bow. U-566 dived immediately, but an accurate salvo of six depth charges which straddled the bows caused severe damage, including a leak in the forends and a damaged diving tank. At 23.55 hrs, the damage forced the U-boat to surface, unable to dive. Approaches by another Wellington (RAF Sqn172/M) were held off with flak. After exchanging fire with U-566, the aircraft left to return to base at 00.27 hrs, having used up its depth charges on an unsuccessful attack on <a href="/boats/u103.htm">U-103</a> earlier. U-566 had to break off the patrol and later returned to port escorted by four Ju88 aircraft and a naval escort. <cite>(Sources: Franks, KTBs, ADM199/1784)</cite></p> <p><strong>7 Aug 1943</strong><br/>Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:American PV-1 <a href="/allies/aircraft/ventura.htm">Ventura</a> BuNo 29916 (VB-128 USN, pilot Lt F.C. Cross)<p>13.22 hrs, 300 miles (483 km) east of Cape Charles VA: the boat was located by radar and attacked by the PV-1 from NAS New York. The aircraft was hit by flak on the approach, but dropped four depth charges, which turned out to be duds. U-566 misidentified the attacker as a <a href="/allies/aircraft/b25.htm">B-25 Mitchell</a>, recording that it left with the starboard engine on fire. Despite being wounded, Lt Cross managed to ditch the plane successfully, but afterwards died in the water, while the other two crewmen were rescued later that day by a Mariner flying boat.</p> <cite>(Sources: KTB U-566, vpnavy.com)</cite></p> <p><strong>7 Aug 1943</strong><br/>Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:American PV-1 <a href="/allies/aircraft/ventura.htm">Ventura</a> BuNo 29909 (VB-128 USN, pilot Lt Joseph M. George)<p>At 18.15 hrs, the boat was attacked by a second PV-1 from NAS New York and again replied with AA fire. One of the four depth charges dropped actually hit U-566 and bounced off before exploding, but caused no damage. The Germans again misidentified the attacker as a Mitchell and scored several AA hits after it passed over the boat, causing the burning aircraft to crash at a distance of some 1200m. All five aircrew were lost.</p><p>U-566 then made for the crash site, having sighted a rubber dinghy, but before it was reached another Ventura (VB-126 USN, pilot Lt J.R. Smith) from NAS Quonset and a PBM <a href="/allies/aircraft/mariner.htm">Mariner</a> flying boat (VB-211 USN, pilot Lt E.C. Scully) from Elizabeth City arrived at the scene. The U-boat fired at the aircraft (misidentified as a Mitchell and a Lerwick), and then dived at 18.29 hrs. The Ventura immediately dropped four depth charges. The depth charges detonated without effect, but U-566 was forced to surface by a malfunctioning diving tank and manned the AA guns again. The Mariner was hit as it made several passes while its eight depth charges hung up, until the emergency release was used. At the same time, the U-boat submerged accidentally, the commander closing the conning tower hatch from the bridge and clinging to the periscope standard until the LI brought the boat to the surface again. The II.WO and seven crew were swept overboard, but were rescued within 20 minutes, during which the replacement crew on the AA guns fought off a strafing run by the Ventura at 19.08 hrs. U-566 subsequently dived and escaped with only minor damage from gunfire, having shot down two aircraft and damaged two others in one day. One of the crew was wounded in the left hand during the last strafing attack while four men, including the commander and I.WO, suffered burst eardrums from their involuntary dive.</p> <cite>(Sources: KTB U-566, vpnavy.com)</cite></p> <p><strong>24 Oct 1943</strong><br/><strong>The sinking of U-566</strong><p>01.27 hrs, west of Leixoes, Portugal: <a href="/allies/aircraft/wellington.htm">Wellington</a> bomber HF132 (RAF sqdn 179/A, pilot Sgt Donald Mervin Conrish, RCAF) made a Leigh Light approach after locating U-566 on radar. Despite some flak damage to the tail, the aircraft (misidentified as a Catalina) dropped six depth charges which detonated either side of the stern, destroying the rudder and bending a drive shaft, leaving U-566 disabled and unable to dive. The aircraft circled the area for three hours until it was low on fuel and had to leave. Hornkohl then ordered the crew to abandon ship in rubber dinghies and scuttled the boat at 04.30 hrs. The entire crew of 49 were rescued within five hours by the Spanish trawler <strong>Fina</strong> about 30 nautical miles (56 km) from the Spanish coast, and landed in Corunna later that day. They were allowed to leave Spain by train in civilian clothes on 28 October and arrived in <a href="/flotillas/bases/brest.htm">Brest</a> three days later. U-556s crew subsequently took over <a href="/boats/u1007.htm">U-1007</a>. Most of them survived the war, and in 1970 they met the crew of the aircraft that sank U-566. The pilot had received an immediate award of a DFM for the action.</p> <cite>(Sources: Franks, Ritschel)</cite></p> <p>6 recorded attacks on this boat.</p> </div> <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-566 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.</p> <h3>U-boat Emblems</h3> <p>We have 4 <strong>emblem</strong> entries for this boat. See the emblem page <a href="/special/emblems/u566.html">for this boat</a> or view emblems individually below.</p> <table><tr> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem143.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/u461.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Wolf of Capitol</a></td> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem286.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/u1007.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Tree on White Shield</a></td> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem340.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/u566.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>White Wolf</a></td> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem700.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/u566_lindau.png" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Coat of Arms of Lindau</a></td> </tr></table><br> <div align="center"> <h3>Media links</h3> <table> <tr> <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/270"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/u-boat_operations2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2</a><br>Wynn, Kenneth</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>