Naval Actions and losses 1944

January
Allied cruiser Eugenio di Savoia mined.
U-972 lost to accident possibly U-boat torpedo.

January 6, 1944
RNN Svenner (HMS Shark)torpedoed off Normandy.

January 8, 1944
U-426 depth charged by RAAF aircraft west of St-Nazaire.
U-757 depth charged by frigate HMS Bayntum and corvette HMCS Camrose south west of Ireland.

January 9, 1944
U-81 bombed Pola by USAAF.
UIT19 bombed Pola by USAAF.

January 13, 1944
U-231 depth charged by RAF west of Cape Finisterre.

January 15, 1944 U-377 torpedoed self.

January 16, 1944
U-544 depth charged by USN aircraft north west of the Azores.(Tarrant) Lost 17th.

January 22, 1944
Allied landing at Anzio.
Glider bombs sunk 2 transports off Anzio and damaged the J class destroyer Jervis
2 LSTs were lost to U-boats.
USS Mayo was mined and Torpedo planes sunk J class destroyer HMS Janus.

January 29, 1944
Dido class light cruiser HMS Spartan sunk by German aircraft off Anzio.

January 30, 1944
HMS Hardy a V class destroyer leader of a JW convoy, torpedoed by a U-boat off Bear Island, sunk by RN.

January 31, 1944
U-364 listed missing.

February 4, 1944
U-854 mined off Swinemünde

February 6, 1944
U-177 sunk by US aircraft from Ascension Island.

February 9, 1944
U-734 sunk by HMS Starling, HMS Wild Goose and HMS Magpie.

February 10, 1944
U-666 sunk by aircraft from Fencer.

February 11, 1944
U-424 sunk by HMS Wild Goose and HMS Woodpecker.

February 12, 1944
UIT-23 sunk by submarine HMS Tally-Ho.

February 14, 1944
UIT-23 sunk by submarine HMS Tally-Ho.(Tarrant)

February 18, 1944
Arethusa class cruiser HMS Penelope sunk by U-410 off Anzio.
U-7 sunk west of Pellau.

February 19, 1944
U-264 sunk by 2nd Escort group.

February 20, 1944
W class destroyer HMS Warwick torpedoed and sunk off Trevose by U-413.

February 24, 1944
U-713 sunk by destroyer HMS Keppel north-west of Narvik.
U-761 sunk by destroyers HMS Anthony and HMS Wishart with aircraft off Tangiers.

February 25, 1944
I class destroyer HMS Inglefield bombed and later sank off the Anzio beachead.
HMS Mahratta an M class destroyer sunk in the Barentz Sea by U-956.

February 27, 1944
Black Swan class sloop HMS Woodpecker torpedoed and foundered.

March 5, 1944
U-473 sunk by HMS Starling, HMS Wren and HMS Wild Goose.

March 6, 1944
U-744 depth charged U-973 sunk by aerial rocket fire north west of Narvik.

March 9, 1944
Flower class corvette HMS Asphodel torpedoed and sunk by U-575 off Cape Finisterre.

March 10, 1944
U-343 depth charged by trawler HMS Mull south east of Sardinia.
U-450 depth charged by HMS Blankney, Blencathra, Brecon and Exmoor off Anzio.
U-625 depth charged and gun fire from RCAF west of Ireland.
U-845 depth charged by HMS Forester and HMCS St.Laurent plus Canadian frigates.

March 11, 1944
U-410 bombed by USAAF Toulon
U-380 bombed by USAAFToulon
UIT22 bombed by SAAFsouth of Cape of Good Hope.

March 13, 1944
U-575 depth charged by USN aircraft, RAF, HMS Haverfield, HMS Hobson and frigate HMCS Prince Rupert.

March 15, 1944
U-653 depth charged Atlantic by naval aircraft and sloops HMS Starling and HMS Wildgoose.

March 16, 1944
U-392 depth charged by HMS Vanoc, frigate HMS Affleck and USN naval aircraft. (Tarrant)

March 17, 1944
U-1013 lost collision Baltic.

March 18, 1944
U-392 sunk off Gibralta.

March 19, 1944
U-1059 depth charged south west of Cape Verde by USN aircraft.

March 20, 1944
Submarine HMS Graph lost under tow.

March 28, 1944
HMS Syrtis an S class submarine mined off Bodo.

March 30, 1944
HMS Laforey torpedoed by a U-boat off Sicily.

April 3 1944
The German battleship Tirpitz was attacked by Fairey Barracuda torpedo-bombers from HMS Furious and HMS Victorious. They were accompanied by escort aircraft of Grumman Wildcats, Hellcats and Vought Corsairs from the escort carriers Searcher, Fencer, Pursuer, and Emperor.

April 8, 1944
U-2 sunk Pillau, raised 9th stricken shortly afterwards.

April 19, 1944
U-974 sunk off Stavanger by Norwegian submarine Ula.

April 20, 1944
UIT4 and UIT 5 bombed by allied aircraft Monfalcone.

April 24, 1944
U-311 depth charged west of Ireland by RAF.

April 27, 1944
U-803 mined Swinemünde.

May 14, 1944
U-616 depth charged by allied destroyers north east of Oran.(Tarrant)
U-731 sunk off Gibralta by USN aircraft the sloop HMS Kilmarnock and trawler Blackfly.

May 17, 1944
U-616(Oblt Siegfried Koitscka) scuttled off Oran after successful attacks by US destroyers and Wellington bomber.

May 18, 1944
U-241 depth charged north east of Faroes by RAF.

May 19, 1944
U-960 sunk in the Mediterranean.
U-1015 lost in collision Baltic.

May 21, 1944
U-453 depth charged east of Cape Spartivento by HMS Tenacious, HMS Termagant and HMS Liddesdale.

May 24, 1944
U-476 depth charged north east of Trondheim by RAF. U-675 depth charged west of Aalesund by RAF.

May 25, 1944
U-990 depth charged north west of Trondheim by RAF.

May 27, 1944
U-292 depth charged by RAF west of Aalesund.

May 29, 1944
CVE Block Island sunk by U-549.
U-549 depth charged south west of Madeira by USS Ahrens and USS Eugene E Elmore.

May 31, 1944
U-289 depth charged Arctic by HMS Milne.

June 3, 1944
U-477 depth charged by RAF northwest Christiansand.

June 4, 1944
U-505 captured after depth charge by USN aircraft north west of Dakar.

June 5, 1944
U-987 torpedoed by HMS Satyr south east of Jan Mayen island.(Tarrant)

Click here for a fuller list of ships used during the Normandy landings

S class destroyer Svenner (ex HMS Shark)torpedoed by E-Boats 5-6 June
Courbet scuttled as part of Mulberry A 10/6/44
Cruisers HMS Dragon and HMS Durban used as part of the breakwater W class destroyer Wrestler mined 6th June and damaged irreparably
No carriers were involved in the D-Day operation, though naval aircraft took part.
S class destroyer HMS Swift mined and sunk off Normandy beachhead June 24, 1944.
HMS Onslaught sunk a German submarine.

Over 5,000 ships took part in operation Neptune, the Normandy landing. Six battleships, 23 cruisers, 104 destroyers, over 4,000 landing craft, 1,000 blockships and coasters, 224 merchantmen plus numerous smaller ships. 177 minesweepers swept channels for the invasion fleet and 53 old vessels were used to form breakwaters for the Mulberry harbours. Losses to the enemy amounted to less than 1% of overall tonnage a high number of losses would have been among the lighter landing craft.
Another source puts the number of Battleships at 7, 2 monitors, 23 cruisers, 3 gunboats, 105 destroyers, plus 1,073 smaller naval craft.

June 7, 1944
U-955 depth charged by RAF north of Cape Ortegal.

June 7-18
British submarine Sickle lost in this period assumed mined Antikithera Channel 18 June.

June 8, 1944
U-373 depth charged by RAF off Brest.
U-629 deth charged by RAF off Brest.

Night 8th/9th June
ZH1 hit and sunk by torpedoes from Ashanti.
German destroyer Z32 driven aground and blown up by Canadian destroyers Haida and Huron.
A third German destroyer T24 was badly damaged but managed to retire to Brest.

June 9, 1944
U-740 depth charged by RAF west of Scillies.
U-821 depth charged by RAF aircraft off Brest.

June 11, 1944
U-980 depth charged by RCAF north west of Bergen.

June 12, 1944
U-490 depth charged by USN aircraft and destroyers Frost, Huse and Inch north west of Azores.

June 13, 1944
B class destroyer HMS Boadicea lost
U-715 depth charged by RCAF east of Faeroes.

June 14, 1944
14 German E-boats and 40 other craft put out of action by a 325 strong Lancaster bomber raid on Le Havre.

June 15, 1944
U-987 sunk by submarine HMS Satyr.
Large allied bomber raid on Boulogne targeting German shipping able to interfere with the allied landings.
River class frigate HMS Mourne sunk by U-767.
U-860 depth charged by USN aircraft south east of St Helena.

June 16, 1944
?Q class destroyer HMS Quail foundered in tow.
U-988 heavily damaged by RAF aircraft east of Shetlands.

June 18, 1944
Q class destroyer HMS Quail foundered in tow.
U-441 depth charged by RAF north east of Ushant.
U-767 depth charged by HMS Fame, HMS Havelock and HMS Inconstant north west of Point de Talbat.

June 21, 1944
HMS Fury damaged beyond repair after striking a mine off Normandy.

June 23, 1944
HMS Janus sunk after aircraft attack while supporting Pontine landings.

June 24, 1944
S class destroyer HMS Swift mined off Normandy.
U-1225 depth charged by RCAF north west of Bergen.

June 25
U-1191 depth charged by frigates HMS Affleck and HMS Balfour south east of Start Point.

June 26, 1944
U-719 sunk by destroyer HMS Bulldog north west of Ireland.
U-317 depth charged by RAF east of Shetlands.

June 27, 1944
U-998 paid off after damage sustained June 16.

June 29, 1944
U-988 depth charged by frigates HMS Cooke, HMS Duckworth, HMS Domett and HMS Essington off Lorient.

June 30, 1944
U-478 depth charged by RAF north west of Christiansand.

June 1944
In the first three days from DDay 5 U-boats operating against allied shipping in the Channel were sunk, 7 others were forced back to harbour due to damage. Another 8 were sunk by the end of the month. A total of 13 U-boats were lost in the Channel or Biscay opposing the invasion.

July
U-642 bombed and sunk by American aircraft at Toulon.

July 5, 1944
U-233 depth charged by USN destroyers Baker and Thomas south east of Halifax
U-390 depth charged by HMS Wanderer and frigate HMS Tavy Seine Bay.
U-586 bombed by USAAF Toulon.
U-642 bombed by USAAF Toulon.

July 6, 1944
U-678 sunk by HMCS Kootenay, Ottawa and HMS Statice(corvette) south of Brighton.
HMS Magic a Catherine class minesweeper sunk off Normandy.

July 8, 1944
The polish republic cruiser Dragon ex HMS Dragon a constructive loss.
U-243 depth charged by RAAF west of St Nazaire.

July 11, 1944
U-1222 depth charged by RAF west of La Rochelle.

July 14, 1944
U-415 mined Baltic.

July 15, 1944
U-319 depth charged by RAF south-west of The Naze.

July 15-July 19, 1944
U-361, U-347 and U-742 sunk by aircraft west of Narvik.

July 20, 1944
I class destroyer HMS Isis struck a mine and sank off Normandy.

July 30, 1944
U-319 depth charged by RAF south-west of The Naze.

July 31, 1944
First U-boat destroyed by Squid ahead-thrown depth-charge.
U-333 depth charged by sloop HMS Starling and frigate Loch Killin west of Scillies.

July 1944
A total of 9 U-boats were lost in the Channel or Biscay opposing the invasion.

August, 1944
U-966 and U-1196 lost this month (Tarrant)

August 1, 1944
U-3 stricken Gotenhafen
U-4 stricken Gotenhafen
U-10 stricken Danzig

August 2, 1944
HMS Quorn torpedoed off Normandy.

August 3, 1944
Hunt class destroyer HMS Quorn sunk by a torpedo warhead.

August 4, 1944
U-671 sunk by HMS Wenleydale and frigate Stayner south of Brighton.

August 6, 1944
U-471 bombed by USAAF Toulon.
U-736 depth charged south west of Belle Isle by sloop HMS Starling and frigate Loch Killin
U-952 bombed by USAAF Toulon.
U-969 bombed by USAAF Toulon.

August 11, 1944
U-385 depth charged west of La Rochelle by sloop HMS Starling and RAAF aircraft.
U-967 scuttled Toulon

August 12, 1944
U-198 depth charged north west of Seychelles by sloop HMIS Godarvari, frigate HMCS Findhorn a naval aircraft.
U-981 depth charged off Gironde estuary by RAF.

August 13, 1944
U-270 depth charged west of La Rochelle by RAAF.

August 14, 1944
U-618 depth charged west of St-Nazaire by frigates HMS Duckworth and HMS Essington and RAF aircraft.

August 15, 1944
U-741 depth charged north west of Fercamp by corvette Orchis.

August 18, 1944

U-107 depth charged by RAF west of La Rochelle.
U-621 sunk by HMCS Chaudiere, Kootenay and Ottawa off La Rochelle.

August 19, 1944
U-466 scuttled Toulon
U-608 depth charged west of Isle d'Yeu by sloop HMS Wren.

August 20, 1944
U-9 bombed Constanza by Russian aircraft.
U-178 and U-188 scuttled Bordeaux.
U-413 depth charged by HMS Forester, HMS Vidette and HMS Wensleydale.
U-984 depth charged by HMCS Chaudière, HMCS Kootenay and HMCS Ottawa.
U-1229 depth charged south east of Newfoundland by USN aircraft.

August 21, 1944
U-230 scuttled Toulon.
HMS Kite sunk Barents Sea by U-344

August 22, 1944
Nabob a smiter class escort carrier torpedoed by U-354 off the North Cape.
U-180 mined off Gironde estuary.
U-344 sunk Barents sea by depth charge from Swordfish from HMS vindex

August 23, 1944
U-boat offensive against allied shipping in the Channel called off. 13 U-boats had been destroyed, in return they had sunk only three escorts, an empty troopship and damaged four supply ships. This month a total of 14 U-boats lost in the Channel and Biscay opposing the invasion forces. 8 scuttled or scrapped in Biscay ports, 12 lost in other theatres.

August 24, 1944
U-162 Olt Hermann Stuckmann sunk by a surface support group. (not in Tarrant)
U-354 depth charged Barents sea by HMS Keppel, sloops HMS Mermaid and HMS Peacock and frigate Loch Dungevon north of North Cape.
U-445 depth charged by frigate HMS Louis west of ST Nazaire.

August 25, 1944
U-18 scuttled Konstanaza Black sea.
U-354 depth charged by aircraft north east of Bear Island.
U-667 Mined off Lap Pallice.
U-1000 mined Baltic.
UIT-21 scuttled Bordeaux.

September, 1944
U-3509 bombed by allied aircraft Bremen construction abandoned.

September 1, 1944
U-247 depth charged by frigates HMCS ST John and HMCS Swansea south of Lands end.

September 2, 1944
U-394 depth charged by HMS Keppel and Whitehall, sloops Mermaid and Peacock south of Jan Mayen Island.

September 4, 1944
UIT-1 bombed by RAF Genoa.

September 5, 1944
U-362 depth charged Kara Sea by Russian minesweeper.

September 9, 1944
U-484 depth charged off Inner Hebrides by frigate HMCS Duver, corvette HMCS Hespeler and RCAF aircraft.
U-743 depth charged north west of Ireland by frigate HMS Helmsdale and corvette HMS Portchester Castle.

September 10, 1944
U-18 scuttled Constanza(Tarrant)
U-19 scuttled Black sea off Tukish Coast.
U-20 scuttled Black sea off Tukish Coast.
U-23 scuttled Black Sea.
U-24 scuttled Constanza.

September 13, 1944
Somers class destroyer USS Warrington(DD-383) foundered in a Hurricane off the Bahamas.

September 18, 1944
U-925 lost faroes.

September 19, 1944
U-407 depth charged by
U-865 depth charged by RAF
U-867 depth charged by RAF

September 23, 1944
U-859 sunk by submarine HMS Trenchant off Penang.?Far East

September 24, 1944
U-565 bombed Salamis by USAAF.
U-596 bombed Salamis by USAAF.
U-855 depth charged off Bergen by RAF.

September 25, 1944
USS Miantonomah sunk by mine off Le Havre.

September 26, 1944
U-871 depth charged north west of Azores RAF.

September 27, 1944
Town class destroyer HMS Rockingham mined off Aberdeen.

September 29, 1944
U-863 depth charged by USN aircraft Ascension area.

September 30, 1944
U-703 mined east of Iceland.
U-921 depth charged south west of Bear Island by RAF.
U-1062 depth charged south west of Cape Verde islands by USN.
U-3509 bombed Bremen construction abandoned.

Assault on Walcheren October 1944
HMS Warspite (BB), Monitors Erebus and Roberts

U-2331 lost

October 4, 1944
U-92, U-228, U-437 and U-993 bombed Bremen.

October 1, 1944
HMS Loyal mined off Italy and written off constructive loss.

October 12, 1944
HMS Loyal minedoff North Italy constructive loss.

October 15, 1944
U-777 bombed by RAF Wilhelmshaven.

October 16, 1944
U-1006 depth charged west of Shetlands by frigate HMCS Annon.

October 20, 1944
U-116 depth charged Atlantic by USN aircraft.

October 21, 1944
U-957 lost collision off Lofeten islands.

October 23, 1944
U-985 lost to German mine off south Norway.

October 26, 1944
Flower class corvette HMS Rose lost in collission in the North Atlantic.

October 27, 1944
U-1060 depth charged north west of Namsos by naval aircraft and RAF.

October 28, 1944
U-1226 lost Atlantic.

November, 1944
U-547 lost Baltic.

November 5, 1944
Russian destroyer Spokojnyj sunk by U-997.

November 11, 1944
U-771 sunk off Harstadt by HMS Venturer.
U1200 depth charged west of Scillies by corvettes HMS Kenilworth castle, Launceston castle, Pevensey castle and Porchester castle.

November 24, 1944
D class cruiser HMS Dunedin sunk by torpedo.

November 25, 1944
U-322 depth charged north west of Orkneys by frigate HMS Ascension and RAF aircraft

November 28, 1944
U-80 lost Baltic.(Tarrant)

November 30, 1944
U-196 lost Sunda Strait. (Tarrant)
HMS Duff (ex USN Lamons)(captain class escort) mined off Dutch coast and written off a constructive loss. Returned USA 1/11/46

German naval losses 1944

Tirpitz bombed Tromso 12/11/44
Schleswig Holstein bombed Gdynia 18/12/44

December 6, 1944
U-297 depth charged north west of Cape Wrath by frigates HMS Goodall and Loch Insh.

December 9, 1944
U-387 depth charged off Murmansk by corvette HMS Bamborough Castle.

December 12, 1944
U-416 lost collision Baltic.
U-479 mined Gulf of Finland.

December 13, 1944
U-365 depth charged east of Mayen island by aircraft.

December 17, 1944
U-400 depth charged off Cork by frigate HMS Nyasaland.

December 18, 1944
U-1209 wrecked Wolf Rock.

December 19, 1944
U-737 lost collision West Fiord Norway.

December 24, 1944
HMT Leopoldville torpedoed and sunk by U-486.

December 24, 1944
British Captain class frigates Capel and Affleck torpedoed by U-486. Affleck was damaged and Capel sunk.

December 26, 1944
U-2342 mined east of Swinemünde.
HMS Affleck (ex USN Oswald) (captain class escort) torpedoed by U-486 off Cherbourg and written off a constructive loss.

December 27, 1944
Captain class frigate Affleck torpedoed but not sunk.
U-877 depth charged Azores by corvette HMCS St Thomas.

December 28, 1944
U-735 bombed off Hoten Norway by RAF.

December 30, 1944
U-772 depth charged south of Portland Bill by RCAF.

December 31, 1944
U-906, U-908, U-1011, U-1012 and U-2532 bombed Hamburg.

U-247, U-1006, U-984, U-621, U-311, sunk by Canadian vessels. U-484 U-575, and U-678 sunk in consort with aircraft. U-971, U-257, U-845, U-757, U-744 and U-448 sunk with other allied vessels.

Naval Home Page | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | To Naval Index