German submarine U-456

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-456
Ordered:	16 January 1940
Builder:	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Yard number:	287
Laid down:	3 September 1940
Launched:	21 June 1941
Commissioned:	18 September 1941
Fate:	Sunk, after being depth charged, on 12 May 1943 at position by HMS Opportune and a RAF Liberator bomber of 86 Squadron, operating out of Northern Ireland.
General characteristics
Class & 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 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla 28 September 1941 – 1 January 1942 - Training 6th U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 30 June 1942 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 July – 30 November 1942 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1942 – 12 May 1943
Commanders:	Kptlt. Max-Martin Teichert 18 September 1941 – 12 May 1943
Operations:	1st patrol: 31 January – 15 February 1942 2nd patrol: 24 February – 22 March 1942 3rd patrol: 29 March – 2 April 1942 4th patrol: 7–20 April 1942 5th patrol: 29 April – 4 May 1942 6th patrol: 7–12 May 1942 7th patrol: 25 June - 6 July 1942 8th patrol: 4–10 August 1942 9th patrol: 15 August – 19 September 1942 10th patrol: 14 January – 26 February 1943 11th patrol: 24 April – 12 May 1943
Victories:	6 merchant ships sunk (31,528 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (6,421 GRT) 1 warship damaged (11,500 tons)

German submarine U-456 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 3 September 1940 by Deutsche Werke in Kiel as yard number 287, launched on 21 June 1941 and commissioned on 18 September 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Max-Martin Teichert (Knight’s Cross).

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-456 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. 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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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).

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). 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-456 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 an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The boat's service began on 28 September 1941 with training as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 11th flotilla on 1 July 1942 and then to the 1st flotilla on 1 December 1942.

In 11 patrols she sank six ships for a total of 31,528 gross register tons (GRT), plus two ships damaged.

HMS Edinburgh

In the late afternoon of 30 April 1942, during the attack on the Arctic Convoy QP 11, two of her torpedoes struck and crippled the Royal Navy light cruiser HMS Edinburgh. At the time Edinburgh was carrying many tons of gold bullion from the USSR destined for the UK.

Wolfpacks

She took part in ten wolfpacks, namely,

• Umbau (4–15 February 1942)
• Umhang (10–16 March 1942)
• Eiswolf (29–31 March 1942)
• Robbenschlag (7–14 April 1942)
• Blutrausch (15–19 April 1942)
• Strauchritter (29 April – 3 May 1942)
• Eisteufel (27 June – 5 July 1942)
• Boreas (27–30 November 1942)
• Landsknecht (19–28 January 1943)
• Dressel (29 April – 12 May 1943)

Fate

In the early morning light U-456 was caught on the surface by an RAF Coastal Command Liberator bomber of 86 Squadron operating out of Northern Ireland, as she circled ahead of convoy HX 237. U-456 dived at once, but not before the aircraft had launched the new American Fido acoustic homing torpedo at the submerged submarine. The aircraft, low on fuel, was unable to press home the attack. U-456 was badly damaged and forced to re-surface. On the following day she was depth charged and sunk on 12 May 1943 at position by HMS Opportune.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
30 March 1942	Effingham	United States	6,421	Damaged
30 April 1942	HMS Edinburgh	Royal Navy	11,500	Damaged
5 July 1942	Honomu	United Kingdom	6,977	Sunk
22 August 1942	Chalka	Soviet Union	80	Sunk
2 February 1943	Jeremiah Van Rensselaer	United States	7,177	Sunk
3 February 1943	Inverilen	United Kingdom	9,456	Sunk
23 February 1943	Kyleclare	Ireland	700	Sunk
12 May 1943	Fort Concord	United Kingdom	7,138	Sunk