U-Boat Operations

Operations information for U-410
27.08.1942 - 28.10.1942 First Sailing - active patrol U-410 left Kiel under the command of Kurt Sturm on 27th Aug 1942 and arrived at St. Nazaire on 28th Oct 1942 after nearly nine weeks. Kurt Sturm hit one ship on this patrol from convoy ONS-136. On 15th Oct 1942 he sank the British 4,212 ton Newton Pine, sailing with convoy ONS-136.
03.12.1942 - 04.01.1943 Second Sailing - active patrol On the 3rd Dec 1942, U-410 left St. Nazaire under the command of Kurt Sturm and returned to St. Nazaire on 4th Jan 1943 after four and a half weeks on patrol. At 0433 HRS on 3rd Jan 1943 in square BF 82, U-410 came under attack from an unidentified aircraft. U-410 was only slightly damaged in the attack. On January 4th U-410 rescued 80 survivors of the sunken blockade runner RHAKOTIS, then returned with them to St. Nazaire the next day. Many thanks to Detlef Gerisch who writes: A short report about an event during the patrol 03.12.-04.01.1943 patrol of U410 from my father (Hans Gerisch of U410 and later U385), especially the "Rhakotis" rescue on 02.01.43. My father reports: "On 02.01.43 we were going, so I believe, with 3 other U-boats to the Azores. The order/command was to escort the cargo ship which was called "Rhakotis". Commander Sturm was the leader of the of the U-boat-group. It was the time between Christmas and New Year, because we had baken pancakes. We (U410) were going in front of the uboat-group, the 2 other boates were right and left on our broadside, one boat took the rule as a safety device. This last boat a time later operated on one's own initiative ( or get a new order). Than came the "Rhakotis" and was owing to enemy tough sink, because the last boat left his position. The crew of the "Rhakotis" went into lifeboats and we had to rescue the 80 mens. We were 50 crew-members and had hardly room for us ourselves. Among the 80 survovors were 1 or 2 english men. They got a special guard. With the totally full boat we went through the Biscaya. Our 4 tube anti-aircraft gun was defective and had been to repair above water. In one of the life boats was the son of the japanese ambassador in Germany. He had a suitcase with valuable documents in his hands. During the taking over of the rescue was a considerably heavy sea. The boats rolled on the left and right hand side. The japanese son should throw the suitcase from the rescue boat to our U410. He done that, but in this moment U410 drifted away due the high waves. The valuable siutcase fell and sank in the water. In all departments of our boat the rescued mens were accomodated. In my E-room-section were 6 persons! One of them was a danish man. When I was detached in September 1943 from U410 to U385 (which was situated in Bergen Norway) I went by a steamer boat to Bergen. On this crossing I met these danish men again. He was there the boatswain. During the crossing he stowed me away in his cabin.
09.02.1943 - 27.03.1943 Third Sailing - active patrol U-410 departed under Horst-Arno Fenski from St. Nazaire on 9th Feb 1943 and arrived at Lorient on 27th Mar 1943 after six and a half weeks. On 13th Feb 1943 in square CG 46, U-410 came under attack from an aircraft of RAF 202 Squadron. U-410 was not damaged by the attack. On 4th Mar 1943 in square CG 86, U-410 came under attack from an unidentified aircraft. U-410 was only slightly damaged in the attack. On 25th Mar 1943 in square BF 48, U-410 came under attack from an aircraft of RAF 172 Squadron. U-410 was not damaged by the attack. Horst-Arno Fenski hit two ships on this patrol and both of them were in convoy, both of them were from convoy KMS-10. On 6th Mar 1943 he sank the British 7,133 ton Fort Battle River, a member of convoy KMS-10. On 6th Mar 1943 he damaged the British 7,134 ton Fort Paskoyac, part of convoy KMS-10.
26.04.1943 - 13.05.1943 Fourth Sailing - active patrol U-410 left Lorient under the command of Horst-Arno Fenski on 26th Apr 1943 and after two and a half weeks arrived at La Spezia on 13th May 1943. At 1030 HRS on 8th May 1943 in square CH 75, U-410 came under attack from an aircraft of RAF 500 Squadron. U-410 was heavily damaged in the attack.
07.08.1943 - 30.08.1943 Fifth Sailing - active patrol On the 7th Aug 1943, U-410 left La Spezia under the command of Horst-Arno Fenski and arrived at Toulon on 30th Aug 1943 after over three weeks. Horst-Arno Fenski hit two ships on this patrol and both of them were in convoy, both of them were from convoy UGS-14. On 26th Aug 1943 he sank the American 7,194 ton Richard Henderson, from convoy UGS-14. On 26th Aug 1943 he sank the American 7,242 ton John Bell, sailing with convoy UGS-14.
12.09.1943 - 03.10.1943 Sixth Sailing - active patrol U-410 departed under Horst-Arno Fenski from Toulon on 12th Sep 1943 and returned to Toulon on 3rd Oct 1943 after three weeks on patrol. Horst-Arno Fenski hit three ships on this patrol and all of them were in convoy: two were from convoy MKS-26 and one was from convoy UGS-17. On 26th Sep 1943 he sank the Norwegian 7,176 ton Christian Michelsen, a member of convoy UGS-17. On 1st Oct 1943 he fatally damaged the British 3,722 ton Empire Commerce, part of convoy MKS-26. On 1st Oct 1943 he sank the British 7,133 ton Fort Howe, from convoy MKS-26. You can read more about the Norwegian ship listed for this patrol at www.warsailors.com. Click the link for more information on Christian Michelsen.
03.02.1944 - 28.02.1944 Seventh Sailing - active patrol U-410 left Toulon under the command of Horst-Arno Fenski on 3rd Feb 1944 and arrived back at Toulon on 28th Feb 1944 after three and a half weeks on patrol. Horst-Arno Fenski hit three ships on this patrol, two of these ships were in convoy, both of them were from convoy Shingle. On 15th Feb 1944 he sank the British 7,154 ton Fort St Nicolas, sailing with convoy Shingle. On 18th Feb 1944 he sank the British 5,270 ton HMS Penelope. On 20th Feb 1944 he sank the American 1,625 ton USS LST-348, a member of convoy Shingle.

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