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German submarine U-541
Career War Ensign of Germany 1938-1945
Name: U-516
Ordered: 14 February 1940
Builder: Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Laid down: 12 May 1941
Launched: 16 December 1941
Commissioned: 21 February 1942
Fate: Surrendered, May 1945 at Gibraltar; transferred to Lisahally in Northern Ireland. Sunk, January 1946
General characteristics
Type: Type IXC submarine
Displacement: 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length: 76.8 m (252 ft 0 in) overall
58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Beam: 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in) overall
4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draft: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Propulsion: 2 × MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,000 hp (2,983 kW)
2 × SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW)
Speed: 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h) surfaced
7.3 knots (13.5 km/h) submerged
Range: 24,880 nmi (46,080 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced
117 nmi (217 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 48 to 56
Armament: 6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern)
22 × 55 cm (22 in) torpedoes
1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun[1] (110 rounds)
Service record
Part of: 4th U-boat Flotilla
(24 March 1942–31 October 1943)
10th U-boat Flotilla
(1 November 1943–31 October 1944)
33rd U-boat Flotilla
(1 November 1944–8 May 1945)
Commanders: Kptlt. Kurt Petersen
(24 March 1943–12 May 1945)
Operations: 1st patrol:
4 November 1943–9 January 1944
2nd patrol:
29 February–22 June 1944
3rd patrol:
6 August–11 November 1944
4th patrol:
7 April –12 May 1945
Victories: One ship sunk, (2,140 GRT).

German submarine U-541 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as 'werk' 362 on 5 May 1942, launched on 5 January 1943 and commissioned on 24 March with Kapitänleutnant Kurt Petersen in command.

U-541 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 24 March 1943. She was re-assigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 November, then the 33rd flotilla on 1 November 1944.

She carried out four patrols and sank one ship. She was a member of four wolfpacks. She surrendered in May 1945 at Gibraltar and was transferred to Lisahally in Northern Ireland for Operation Deadlight. She was sunk in January 1946.

Operational career[]

1st patrol[]

U-541's first patrol began with her departure from Kiel on 4 November 1943. She passed through the 'gap' separating Iceland and the Faroe Islands before heading out into the Atlantic Ocean.

She entered Lorient, on the French Atlantic coast, on 9 January 1944.

2nd and 3rd patrols[]

For her second foray, U-541 headed toward the eastern seaboard of North America.

On her third sortie, she sank the Livingston northeast of Louisburg, Nova Scotia.
The boat was preparing to attack a convoy while on the surface in the Gulf of St. Lawrence when HMCS Norsyd opened fire; U-541 was forced to dive. She was then hunted for two days by four frigates, a minesweeper and aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), but escaped.

4th patrol[]

Her last patrol began in Horten in Norway on 7 April 1945. It ended with her surrender in Gibraltar on 12 May.

Fate[]

U-541 was transferred to Lisahally in Northern Ireland for Operation Deadlight. She was sunk on 5 January 1946 at 55.38N 07.35W.

References[]


Notes[]

  1. Campbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two ISBN 0-87021-459-4 pp.248 and 249

External links[]


Coordinates: 55°38′N 7°35′W / 55.633°N 7.583°W / 55.633; -7.583

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