German submarine U-1276

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-1276
Ordered	13 June 1942
Builder	Bremer Vulkan of Bremen-Vegesack
Yard number	71
Laid down	13 July 1943
Launched	25 February 1944
Commissioned	6 April 1944
Fate	Sunk on 20 February 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement	759 tonnes (747 long tons) surfaced; 860 t (846 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 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;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	44-52 officers & ratings
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun; 2 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA guns;
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla; 6 April – 31 October 1944; 11th U-boat Flotilla; 1 November 1944 – 20 February 1945;
Identification codes:	M 07 089
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Karl-Heinz Wendt; 6 April 1944 – 20 February 1945;
Operations:	1 patrol:; 28 January – 20 February 1945;
Victories:	1 warship sunk ; (925 tons)

German submarine U-1276 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, built for service during World War II. She was laid down at Bremer Vulkan of Bremen-Vegesack on 13 July 1943. She was commissioned 6 April 1944 with Oberleutnant zur See Karl-Heinz Wendt in command. U-1276 was equipped with a submarine snorkel (underwater-breathing apparatus) when she sailed on her last cruise.

Design

German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-1276 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged.^[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-1276 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

At 11:45 on 20 February 1945, U-1276 sank HMS Vervain, (Lt. Cdr. R.A. Howell, RNVR in command), a Flower-class corvette escorting convoy HX 337. Vervain sank after 20 minutes about 25 nautical miles (46 km; 29 mi) south-east of Dungarvan, Ireland. The commander, three officers and 56 ratings were lost. Three officers and 31 ratings were rescued. HMS Amethyst (Lt. Cdr. N. Scott-Elliot, DSC, RN in command), which was part of the same convoy, then sank U-1276 by depth charges, off Waterford, Ireland at position 51°48′N 07°07′W / 51.800°N 7.117°W / 51.800; -7.117. All hands aboard the U-boat (49) were lost.

Post war

In 2006, a group of divers from Ardmore Diving discovered the wreck site of U-1276 some 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) south of Youghal. The submarine is lying in 75 metres (41 fathoms) of water and largely intact, albeit visibly damaged by the depth charges that sank her.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage^{[Note 1]}	Fate^[3]
20 February 1945	HMS Vervain	Royal Navy	925	Sunk

References

Notes

^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Karl-Heinz Wendt". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-1276". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.