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| U-458 | Type VIIC |
| Feldpost Number | M 42 437 |
| Construction Yard | Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel-Gaarden |
| Yard Number | 289 |
| Ordered | 16th Jan 1940 |
| Keel laid | 16th Oct 1940 |
| Launched | 4th Oct 1941 |
| Commissioned | 12th Dec 1941 |
| Baubelehrung | Baubelehrung U-Boote Ostsee, Kiel /
Kriegsschiffbaulehrabteilung für Unterseeboote Ostsee, Kiel /
1.KLA, Kiel | | Training, Flotillas and Duties | | 12.41 - 06.42 | 8.U-Flottille, Königsberg & Danzig
Ausbildungsboot (under training)
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| 07.42 - 10.42 | 3.U-Flottille, La Pallice
Frontboot (operational)
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| 11.42 - 08.43 | 29.U-Flottille, La Spezia
Frontboot (operational)
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| Commanders | | 12.12.41 - 22.08.43 | OL ~ KL Kurt Diggins |
| Operations information for U-458 | 21.06.1942 - 27.08.1942
First Sailing - active patrol
U-458 left Kiel under the command of Kurt Diggins on 21st Jun 1942 and arrived at return on 27th Aug 1942 after nine and a half weeks.
Kurt Diggins hit two ships on this patrol, one was from convoy ON-115.-
On 30th Jun 1942 he sank the Norwegian 2,714 ton Mosfruit.
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On 5th Aug 1942 he sank the British 4,870 ton Arletta, sailing with convoy ON-115.
You can read more about the Norwegian ship listed for this patrol at www.warsailors.com.
Click the link for more information on Mosfruit.
| 01.10.1942 - 15.10.1942
Second Sailing - active patrol
On the 1st Oct 1942, U-458 left St. Nazaire under the command of Kurt Diggins and after two weeks arrived at return on 15th Oct 1942.
| 26.10.1942 - 15.11.1942
Third Sailing - active patrol
U-458 departed under Kurt Diggins from La Spezia on 26th Oct 1942 and arrived at return on 15th Nov 1942 after nearly three weeks.
| 06.02.1943 - 11.03.1943
Fourth Sailing - active patrol
U-458 left La Spezia under the command of Kurt Diggins on 6th Feb 1943 and after more than four weeks arrived at return on 11th Mar 1943.
| 19.05.1943 - 19.05.1943
Fifth Sailing
On the 19th May 1943, U-458 left Toulon under the command of Kurt Diggins and arrived at return on the same day.
| 25.05.1943 - 31.05.1943
Sixth Sailing - active patrol
U-458 departed under Kurt Diggins from Toulon on 25th May 1943 and after six days arrived at return on 31st May 1943.
On 28th May 1943 in square CH 57, U-458 came under attack from an aircraft of RAF 179 Squadron. U-458 was heavily damaged in the attack. The boat defended itself with flak without destroying the aircraft.
| 21.06.1943 - 06.07.1943
Seventh Sailing - active patrol
U-458 left Toulon under the command of Kurt Diggins on 21st Jun 1943 and arrived at return on 6th Jul 1943 after just over two weeks.
| 14.08.1943 - 22.08.1943
Eighth Sailing
On the 14th Aug 1943, U-458 left Toulon under the command of Kurt Diggins and after just over one week arrived at return on 22nd Aug 1943.
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| Notes for U-458 | | While escorting convoy MKF-22 in the Mediterranean SE of Pantellaria the Hunt (type III) class destroyer HMS Easton (L09) (LT C D Newton) gained a contact which she depth charged twice. The Greek Hunt class destroyer HRS Pindos also made a depth charge attack.
KL Kurt Diggins was forced to surface the boat, and it came under fire from Easton, which then rammed U 458 at speed. This fatally damaged the U-boat, however Easton was so damaged by the ramming that she had to be towed to Malta by Pindos. KL Diggins and 38 of his crew survived, 8 men went down with U 458.
Special thanks to KL a.D. Kurt Diggins and Peter Schmid
We have 61 crew names for this boat. click here for crew names of U 458
You can perform other crew searches here. Note that the number of names we give possibly includes prior crew members.
There are 5 photographs in this boat's album. Click here to view the U-Boat photo album.
You can discuss this boat or ask questions at the ubootwaffe.net forums | We have a position of 36°25N 12°39E for where this boat went down, mapped below. The cross represents where U 458 went down. | 
Mercator projection map ©ubootwaffe.net |
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2 relevant ships here:
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 | | Kurt Diggins | | Courtesy Kapitänleutnant a.D. Kurt Diggins | | Ehrenpräsident des Verband Deutscher U-Bootfahrer |
 | | At Sea | | Courtesy KL Kurt Diggins |
 | | Ramming damage | | Courtesy KL Kurt Diggins | | Operations around convoys could often be very close, as this damaged periscope shows. On 2nd July 1943 U 458 was rammed by an escort, but escaped with relatively minor damage. |
 | | Safe return | | Courtesy KL Kurt Diggins | | Fresh fruit was eagerly received by U-boat crews upon their return from weeks at sea. |
 | | Mosfruit | | Courtesy KL Kurt Diggins | | After sustained gunfire, Mosfruit had to be sunk with a torpedo. There are many more photos for U 458 on KL Diggins' album page. |
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