German submarine U-240

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-240
Ordered	20 January 1941
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	670
Laid down	14 May 1942
Launched	18 February 1943
Commissioned	3 April 1943
Fate	Missing since 15 May 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 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); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × G7e torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun(220 rounds); 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 3 April 1943 – 31 January 1944; 9th U-boat Flotilla; 1 February – 15 May 1944;
Identification codes:	M 50 810
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Günther Link; 3 April 1943 – 15 May 1944;
Operations:	1 patrol:; 13 – 15 May 1944;
Victories:	None

German submarine U-240 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 14 May 1942 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft yard at Kiel as yard number 670, launched on 18 February 1943 and commissioned on 3 April 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Günther Link.^[1]

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-240 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[3] 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).^[3]

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).^[3] 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-240 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, and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[3]

Service history

After training with the 5th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, U-240 was transferred to the 9th U-boat Flotilla for front-line service on 1 February 1944.^[1]

She sailed from Kiel to Kristiansand in Norway, on 27 to 28 March 1944, departing from there on her first combat patrol on 13 May.^[2]

The U-boat was listed as missing in the North Sea west of Norway from 15 May 1944. No definite explanation exists for her loss,^[1] but Sunderland JM667/V of No. 330 Norwegian Squadron (RAF Coastal Command) attacked and sank an unidentified U-boat in that area on 16 May. This is believed to be U-240.^[4]

Previously recorded fate

U-240 was originally thought to have been sunk west of Norway by depth charges dropped by a Norwegian Short Sunderland flying boat of No. 330 Squadron RAF. The attack was against U-668. No damage was caused.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-240". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
^ ^a ^b Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-240". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Bowman, Martin (11 September 2014). Deep Sea Hunters: RAF Coastal Command and the War Against the U-Boats and the German Navy 1939-1945. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1473840911.

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.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-240". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 240". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.