THE LOSS OF U 528," SUNK ON THE 11th MAY, 1943, BY AIRCRAFT OF 58 SQUADRON AND H.M.S. " FLEETWOOD " No.58 Squadron Halifax II HR42 Duty. Escort to convoy OS.47 Crew. P/O. J B. Stark P/O. H W. Burroughs W/O. G A. Roy RNZAF Sgt. J P. Young F/S. E D. Jones F/S. K. Hopper P/O. G P. Ruickbie Sgt. J E. Abbey RCAF The career of " U 528 " was short but full of incident. Her first captain, Karl-Heinz Fuchs, was removed from the command during trials after falling foul of the commander who was conducting them ; deficient eyesight was the official reason but it was understood that Fuchs was considered " politically insecure." His successor was a burly blond young man, by name George von Rabenau, bluff in manner, but also shrewd and cunning. His " political soundness " was so unimpeachable that the two accidents which occurred when he was drunk at sea were overlooked. The first time von Rahenau rammed a torpedo recovery vessel and had to put into Konigsberg for repairs. The second time it was a pier at Stettin, and the U-Boat had to sail on her first patrol before the repairs to her bows had been finally completed. She left Kiel on the 15th April in company with four other U-Boats and two large " Sperrbrecher," from which she parted two days later. On the 23rd she was proceeding through the Rose Garden in heavy weather and on the next day she sighted Convoy R.U.71, which was then about 150 miles South of Iceland. Von Rabenau steered to close it but he had not gone very far when one of the escorting aircraft a Hudson of 269 Squadron sighted and attacked him. The depth-charges fractured a fuel tank, causing the U-Boat to leave an oil streak, and one of the " Q " tanks burst. Undeterred, von Rabenau continued the pursuit, forcing his boat through the heavy seas. Twice again he was attacked by aircraft. The first did little or no harm but the second, had he but known it, was the beginning of the end of his career. The damage does not seem to have been very serious in itself some air bottles put out of action and a torpedo jammed in a forward tube but, added to the burst tanks, it was enough to make the engineer officer, who had eighteen years service behind him, say that he could no longer take responsibility if the patrol continued. Surfacing in mountainous seas on the morning of the 29th April, von Rabenau signalled to control that he could only dive " within restricted limits " and, after forty-eight hours had elapsed, was ordered to transfer his surplus oil and stores to a supply U-Boat and then make for Lorient. The rendezvous took place a few days later. The supply U-Boat took " U 528's " oil but not her stores and von Rabenau then set course for base. On the night of the 10th May he was approaching the Bay of Biscay and spent the greater part of the hours of darkness submerged owing to the damage which she had sustained, he had to run the U-Boat's motors at an uneconomical speed and by the morning her batteries were low. Soon after daylight " U 528 " surfaced, and at about 0745 hours was surprised and bombed by Halifax aircraft " D " of 58 Squadron. This aircraft was covering Convoy O.S. 47, which was then about eight miles away. The Halifax attacked fron the port bow the depth-charges straddling the the boat, its stern seemed to lift and roll before disappeaing, a large piece of debris was seen to be thrown into the air by what seemed to be a secondary explosion, the boat went down only for the bows to reappear again. Thwe aircraft reported the attack to the Senior Officer of the escort, who detached H.M.S. Fleetwood. (Cdr. W.B. Piggot, OBE, RNR) The aircraft had dropped a marker, and after half-an-hour's search round it, Fleetwood obtained an asdic contact at 500 yards range. After the attack by the Halifax, von Rabenau had dived intending to escape, but a little more than an hour had elapsed before he found that he was being hunted. The sound of propellers was quickly followed by a series of depth-charge attacks. A charge in the first pattern exploded against the bow compartment ; water entered and the U-Boat lost trim. Other charges forced the U-Boat down to a depth, said to be 700 ft., 'and_it was only by running the motors at full speed that she was kept from going still deeper. This caused " Fleetwood " to be out of contact for about forty minutes after she had dropped twenty-one charges in three attacks. When she regained contact, it was at a range of 1,500 yards. She then carried out five more attacks, dropping fifty depth-charges between 101 and 1045 hours, after which contact was never regained. During these attacks von Rabenau used his S.B.T. gear, but he might as well have saved himself the trouble for, to prevent the U-Boat from sinking, he had to keep blowing his tanks and, as the gear was damaged, the noise was extremely loud. It was indirectly due to the attack near Iceland a fortnight earlier that the hunt ended when it did. It had not been possible to get the torpedo out of the damaged tube and it now began to run. This shook von Rabenau's determination. He began to survey the damage in the U-Boat and, finding one diesel water-logged, a lot of gauges and controls smashed and a second series of air bottles out of action, decided that he most surface and abandon ship. This he did at the cost of ail the oxygen and high pressure air which then remained, coming up at so steep an angle that it was impossible to stand. At 1319 " Fleetwood " sighted the U-Boat lying stopped and low in the water about 4,500 yards away. " U 528 " had made a short-lived attempt to escape on the surface but when the sloop opened fire she was quickly abandoned. Forty-five out of fifty-six survivors were picked up, they proved to be a surly and unattractive body of men. Report on the sinking of U 528 by Kptlt. George von Rabenau . We gave up the excess fuel to the supply submarine U 461 ( Stiebler ) and drove towards Lorient. In the night from 10.05. to 11:05 . the air endangered area ( western part of the Bay of Biscay ) was achieved. Command default, it went under water . We still had about 2 to 3 days travel time to Lorient. After surfacing on the morning of 11:05 . to recharge the batteries and compressed air tank with surface running , the boat was of a Halifx aircraft (Halifax D under P Off JB Stark of the 58th RAF Squadrons from the air traffic control area of the convoy OS -47 ) discovered attacked with bombs and forced to dive ( the British pilot reported that he could see how the submarine was literally thrown out of the water and lay down on the page. ) . After about half an hour we emerged again . But the aircraft returned , this time was discovered in time and did not come to an attack . But we had to dive again. Our intention was now to remain longer under water until the plane had finally flown away . After not very long but then we heard propeller noises of surface vessels , shortly after water bombs were thrown back . We went to great depth and talked for about 5 hours at depths of 180-130 meters and were at this time about 120 water bombs. The damage to the boat , which occurred in still were not very significant. The electrical system failed intermittently. A fuel inside the tank burst, and the oil ran into the bilge. Some valves were leaking, so that little by little water penetrated into the boat. When we finally had half an hour's rest and the vehicles are no longer heard , I decided to emerge. And when we were up , was of automobiles or aircraft, initially nothing to see . Our location was 46 ° 55'N -14 ° 44'W . The visibility was not as good as in the morning . The swell was easy. Since we was but rather driven by the long water balloon tracking and dive trip the boat , first had back in order before we continue on water and could charge the battery and compressed air, we were still stopped. At this moment appeared out of the haze out on two vehicles and began to shoot at about 5000 to 6000 meters with artillery. After two volleys set , a short, a far , the fire was but strangely again (as I learned later, because we made no attempt to drive away or dive ) . ( Battery low pressure tank is completely empty and about 13 tons of water in the boat ) , since we were completely tauchunklar and not as fast could have gone like the enemy vehicles , and our guns for a gun battle was not sufficient , I gave to the U boot guide a radio message from that we would and would tauchunklar attacked by enemy vehicles , and I would therefore have to sink the boat. the sinking was then also introduced the same. While U 528 slowly sank , the crew went full strength into the water. I even jumped by the Chief Engineer as the last ship and saw the boat go behind me over the stern into the depths. All men had to lifejackets or immersion savior , and we had a long leash, and which possible should all hold so we stayed together . We swam together first in a pretty tight bunch , but were gradually driven apart slightly so that each I could not convince me of the swimming ability and endurance. Meanwhile, both vehicles had come up . The British sloop " HMS Mignonette " remained to leeward of us, while the sloop " HMS Fleetwood " went to luv and thus drifted on us. Thus, the two vehicles had us between them. They let down the Seefallreeps and put each in a boat made . Gradually, as were all men of my crew, who were to be found , fished out and brought on board the British ships . I even swam for about 35 minutes until I was picked up and brought aboard the HMS Fleetwood . The water had a temperature of about 14 ° C. So we were abundant clammy and chilled , although the last recorded man had been only about 45 minutes in the water . On the " HMS Fleetwood " we got warm stuff to wear and hot tea. I was then very soon transferred to the bridge to the commander ( Commander RNR Piggot ) , who greeted me warmly . He inquired of the sloop " HMS Mignonette " how many men of my crew were taken on board there . There were seven men , and with us on the " HMS Fleetwood " We were 38 men . They were together 45 It lacked 11 man because we had been on a total of 56 U 528 men who were also all got off the boat and went into the water . Commander Piggot told me that he had been lying stopped for over an hour with the other Corvette together in this dangerous for the British territory and sought together with two aircraft that I saw flying over us after my crew , and that despite the quite useful view no one would have been more to see floating, as I was able to convince themselves with binoculars , and that he should now cancel the search , to run back to his dressing back . I had to add a heavy heart that decision , without ever , for any reason , the eleven missing comrades drowned . .................................................. U 528 sunk 11 May, 1943 in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, in position 46.55N, 14.44W, by depth charges from a British Handley Page Halifax aircraft (Sqdn. 58/D) and by depth charges from the British sloop HMS Fleetwood. 11 dead and 45 survivors.
good day peter clare.very senior member.yesterday.07:58pm.re:the loss of u528.on the 11th may 1943 by aircraft of 58 squadron.and h.m.s.fleetwood.a great piece of naval history.the crew of the u boat can count themselves lucky they were picked up by a britich naval vessel.a great post.i was all for sinking u boats.thanks for posting.regards bernard85
