In three patrols, she did not sink or damage any ships.
She was regarded as missing with all hands (42 men), in the approaches to the North Channel, (between Northern Ireland and mainland Great Britain), in March 1945.
Design
German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-296 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged.[2] 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 superchargeddiesel 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).[2]
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).[2] 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-296 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), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
Service history
The boat's service life began with training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla in November 1943. She was then transferred to the 9th flotilla for operations on 1 August 1944. She was reassigned to the 11th flotilla on 1 October.
She made the short journey from Kiel in Germany to Horten Naval Base in Norway, arriving on 31 July 1944 and moving on to Bergen on 6 August.
First patrol
U-296's first patrol between Bergen and Trondheim, took her through the 'gap' between the Shetland and Faroe Islands, both outbound and inbound.
Second patrol
The boat's second sortie was similar to her first; starting in Trondheim and terminating in Stavanger. She reached northern Scotland, but this time she passed between Iceland and the Faroe Islands.
Third patrol and fate
Having left Bergen in late February 1945, she was listed as missing on 12 March in the North Channel, a possible victim of a mine.[3][4][5]
Previously recorded fate
U-296 was originally thought to have been sunk by a torpedo from a British B-24 Liberator of No. 120 Squadron RAF.[3][4][5] This attack was actually against a non-submarine target.
^ abHofmann, Markus. "U 296". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 December 2014.
Bibliography
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-85177-593-4.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg; Berlin; Bonn: Mittler. ISBN3-8132-0514-2.
Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN1-85409-515-3.
