German World War II submarine
German submarine "U-263" was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's "Kriegsmarine" during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 8 June 1941 at the "Bremer-Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft" (yard) in Bremen as yard number 28. She was launched on 18 March 1942 and commissioned on 6 May under the command of "Kapitänleutnant" Kurt Nölke.
In two patrols, she sank two ships of  gross register tons (GRT). She was a member of one wolfpack.
She was sunk on 20 January 1944 in the Bay of Biscay, during a deep dive trial.
Design.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. "U-263" had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . "U-263" was fitted with five torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history.
After training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla, the boat became operational on 1 November 1942 when she was transferred to the 1st flotilla.
First patrol.
"U-263"'s first patrol began when she departed Kiel on 27 October 1942. She entered the Atlantic Ocean after negotiating the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. There followed a series of attacks west of Gibraltar, first by the U-boat on two freighters, then on the submarine by surface ships (on 20 November), aircraft (on 24 November) and a submarine (on 26 November), all of which she was lucky to survive. Even so, the damage sustained needed 13 months of repairs. She arrived at La Pallice / La Rochelle in occupied France on 29 November.
Second patrol and loss.
The boat departed La Pallice on 19 January 1944. She was sunk the next day in the Bay of Biscay during a deep dive trial.
Fifty-one men died; there were no survivors.
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