German Submarine U-453
The boat's service began on 26 June 1941 with training as part of the 7th U-boat Flotilla, followed by active service until being transferred to the 29th flotilla on 1 January 1942, based in La Spezia in Italy.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-453 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-453 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history
In 17 patrols she sank nine merchant ships for a total of 23,289 gross register tons (GRT), plus one warship , damaged one merchant ship , one auxiliary warship and cause one warship total loss.
Fate
She was depth charged and sunk by on 21 May 1944 off the south coast of Italy at position 38°13′N 16°30′E / 38.217°N 16.500°E by Royal Navy destroyers HMS Termagant, HMS Tenacious and the escort destroyer HMS Liddesdale.
Summary of raiding history
Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|
13 December 1941 | Badalona | ![]() |
4,202 | Sunk |
7 April 1942 | HMHS Somersetshire | ![]() |
9,716 | Damaged |
20 January 1943 | Jean Jadot | ![]() |
5,859 | Sunk |
30 June 1943 | Oligarch | ![]() |
6,894 | Damaged |
6 July 1943 | Shahjehan | ![]() |
5,454 | Sunk |
15 November 1943 | HMS Quail | ![]() |
1,705 | Total loss (mine) |
20 November 1943 | Jela | ![]() |
335 | Sunk (mine) |
22 November 1943 | HMS Hebe | ![]() |
835 | Sunk (mine) |
1 February 1944 | Agia Paraskevi | ![]() |
80 | Sunk |
1 February 1944 | Salem | ![]() |
81 | Sunk |
1 February 1944 | Himli | ![]() |
67 | Sunk |
1 February 1944 | Yahiya | ![]() |
64 | Sunk |
19 May 1944 | Fort Missanabie | ![]() |
7,147 | Sunk |