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Erich Topp's Red Devil
© S. Burbridge
Image courtesy of SubArt.net
U-Boat Operations
Major contributors to this section:
Commanders, Flotillas & Yards —  Fernando Almeida
Ships, General —  Werner Freitag
Ship Details —  David Rayner & Walter Janssens
Detail Consultant —  Horst Schmeisser
Patrols, Fates and Air Attacks —  Howard Cock

U-518Type IXC
Feldpost NumberM 44 690
Construction YardDeutsche Werft AG, Hamburg-Finkenwärder
Yard Number314
Ordered14th Feb 1940
Keel laid12th Jun 1941
Launched11th Feb 1942
Commissioned25th Apr 1942
BaubelehrungKriegsschiffbaulehrabteilung für Unterseeboote Nordsee, Bremen /
8.KLA, Hamburg
Training, Flotillas and Duties
04.42 - 09.424.U-Flottille, Stettin
Ausbildungsboot (under training)
10.42 - 10.442.U-Flottille, Lorient
Frontboot (operational)
11.44 - 04.4533.U-Flottille, Flensburg
Frontboot (operational)
Commanders
25.04.42 - 18.08.42KK Hans-Günther Brachmann
19.08.42 - 13.01.44OL ~ KL Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann
see also: U-18 
13.01.44 - 22.04.45OL Hans-Werner Offermann

Operations information for U-518
26.09.1942 - 15.12.1942
First Sailing - active patrol
U-518 left Kiel under the command of Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann on 26th Sep 1942 and arrived at Lorient on 15th Dec 1942 after eleven and a half weeks.
Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann hit six ships on this patrol, three of these ships were in convoy, all of them from convoy ON-145.
  • On 2nd Nov 1942 he sank the British 5,633 ton PLM 27.
  • On 2nd Nov 1942 he sank the Canadian 7,803 ton Rose Castle.
  • On 21st Nov 1942 he sank the British 6,140 ton Empire Sailor, sailing with convoy ON-145.
  • On 21st Nov 1942 he damaged the British 6,997 ton British Renown, a member of convoy ON-145.
  • On 21st Nov 1942 he damaged the British 8,443 ton British Promise, part of convoy ON-145.
  • On 23rd Nov 1942 he sank the American 10,172 ton Caddo.


You can find more about convoy ON-145 at the warsailors.com page on convoy ON-145.
11.01.1943 - 27.04.1943
Second Sailing - active patrol
On the 11th Jan 1943, U-518 left Lorient under the command of Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann and returned to Lorient on 27th Apr 1943 after just over fifteen weeks on patrol.
On 14th Feb 1943 in square FJ 62, U-518 came under attack from an unidentified aircraft. U-518 was not damaged by the attack.
Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann hit four ships on this patrol, one was from convoy BT-6.
  • On 18th Feb 1943 he sank the Brazilian 6,075 ton Brasiloide.
  • On 1st Mar 1943 he sank the American 7,176 ton Fitz-John Porter, from convoy BT-6.
  • On 20th Mar 1943 he sank the Dutch 7,659 ton Mariso.
  • On 25th Mar 1943 he sank the Swedish 1,688 ton Industria.
24.06.1943 - 03.07.1943
Third Sailing - active patrol
U-518 departed under Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann from Lorient on 24th Jun 1943 and arrived at Bordeaux on 3rd Jul 1943 after just over one week.
At 1235 HRS on 27th Jun 1943 in square CG 12, U-518 came under attack from an aircraft of RAF 201 Squadron. U-518 was heavily damaged in the attack. The boat defended itself with flak without destroying the aircraft.
At 1105 HRS on 30th Jun 1943 in square BF 76, U-518 came under attack from an aircraft of RAAF 10 Squadron. The boat defended itself with flak without destroying the aircraft.
18.08.1943 - 01.12.1943
Fourth Sailing - active patrol
U-518 left Bordeaux under the command of Friedrich-Wilhelm Wissmann on 18th Aug 1943 and after fifteen weeks arrived at Lorient on 1st Dec 1943.
23.01.1944 - 07.05.1944
Fifth Sailing - active patrol
On the 23rd Jan 1944, U-518 left Lorient under the command of Hans-Werner Offermann and arrived back at Lorient fifteen weeks later on 7th May 1944.
Hans-Werner Offermann hit one ship on this patrol.
  • On 7th Mar 1944 he sank the Panamanian 3,401 ton Valera.
04.07.1944 - 10.07.1944
Sixth Sailing
U-518 departed under Hans-Werner Offermann from Lorient on 4th Jul 1944 and returned to Lorient on 10th Jul 1944 after six days.
15.07.1944 - 24.10.1944
Seventh Sailing - active patrol
U-518 left Lorient under the command of Hans-Werner Offermann on 15th Jul 1944 and arrived at Kristiansand on 24th Oct 1944 after fourteen and a half weeks.
Hans-Werner Offermann hit one ship on this patrol.
  • On 12th Sep 1944 he damaged the American 7,176 ton George Ade.
25.10.1944 - 28.10.1944
Eighth Sailing
On the 25th Oct 1944, U-518 left Kristiansand under the command of Hans-Werner Offermann and after three days arrived at Flensburg on 28th Oct 1944.
05.03.1945 - 10.03.1945
Ninth Sailing
U-518 departed under Hans-Werner Offermann from Kiel on 5th Mar 1945 and arrived at Kristiansand on 10th Mar 1945 after five days.
12.03.1945 - 22.04.1945
Tenth Sailing - active patrol
U-518 left Kristiansand under the command of Hans-Werner Offermann on 12th Mar 1945. The boat was lost on 22nd Apr 1945.

Notes for U-518


We have 73 crew names for this boat. click here for crew names of U 518
You can perform other crew searches here. Note that the number of names we give possibly includes prior crew members.

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