German World War II submarine
German submarine "U-877" was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's "Kriegsmarine" during the Second World War. The ship was ordered on 2 April 1942, laid down on 22 May 1943, and launched on 10 December 1943. She was commissioned into the "Kriegsmarine" under the command of "Kapitänleutnant" Eberhard Findeisen on 24 March 1944. Initially assigned to the 4th U-boat Flotilla, she was transferred to the 33rd U-boat Flotilla on 1 December 1944.
Design.
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. "U-877" had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. The U-boat 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 MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 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-877" was fitted with six torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a Flak M42 as well as two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.
Service history.
She carried out a single war patrol, departing Horten Naval Base on 25 November 1944. Two days later she was attacked by Bristol Beaufighters of No. 489 Squadron, which launched two depth charges at her. She crash dived, escaping the attackers, but losing her radar antenna.
"U-877" was attacked on 27 December 1944 in the North Atlantic, north-west of the Azores, by the Royal Canadian Navy's . She was badly damaged by "St. Thomas"'s squid mortar and sank at position , after her crew had abandoned ship. All 56 were picked up by "St. Thomas".
The end of the submarine and the friendship that develops between both captains is described in the book "Ne Tirez Pas" (Don't shoot) written by Jean-Louis Morgan and Linda Sinclair published by Edition l'Archipel .
References.
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