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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-704Type VIIC
Feldpost NumberM 43 929
Construction YardH C Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg
Yard Number763
Ordered9th Oct 1939
Keel laid26th Aug 1940
Launched28th Aug 1941
Commissioned18th Nov 1941
BaubelehrungKriegsschiffbaulehrabteilung für Unterseeboote Nordsee, Bremen /
8.KLA, Hamburg
Training, Flotillas and Duties
11.41 - 06.428.U-Flottille, Königsberg & Danzig
Ausbildungsboot (under training)
07.42 - 04.437.U-Flottille, St.Nazaire
Frontboot (operational)
04.43 - 05.4321.U-Flottille, Pillau
Schulboot (training boat)
06.43 - 08.4324.U-Flottille, Memel
Ausbildungsboot (under training)
09.43 - 07.4423.U-Flottille, Danzig
Schulboot (training boat)
08.44 - 03.4521.U-Flottille, Pillau
Schulboot (training boat)
Commanders
11.41 - 04.43OL ~ KL Horst Kessler
see also: U-985 
06.43 - 04.44OL Karl-Heinz Haguenau
see also: U-34 
04.44 - 07.44LT Gerhard Ady
see also: U-677 
08.44 - 12.44OL Wolfgang Schwarzkopf
see also: U-2 U-21 
12.44 - 03.45OL Gerhard Nolte
see also: U-1194 

Operations information for U-704
30.06.1942 - 16.08.1942
First Sailing - active patrol
U-704 left Kiel under the command of Horst Wilhelm Kessler on 30th Jun 1942 and arrived at St. Nazaire on 16th Aug 1942 after more than six weeks.
Horst Wilhelm Kessler hit one ship on this patrol from convoy ON-113.
  • On 26th Jul 1942 he sank the British 6,942 ton Empire Rainbow, sailing with convoy ON-113.
09.09.1942 - 15.09.1942
Second Sailing - active patrol
On the 9th Sep 1942, U-704 left St. Nazaire under the command of Horst Wilhelm Kessler and returned to St. Nazaire on 15th Sep 1942 after six days on patrol.
05.10.1942 - 23.11.1942
Third Sailing - active patrol
U-704 departed under Horst Wilhelm Kessler from St. Nazaire on 5th Oct 1942 and arrived at La Pallice on 23rd Nov 1942 after seven weeks.
01.01.1943 - 02.01.1943
Fourth Sailing
U-704 left La Pallice under the command of Horst Wilhelm Kessler on 1st Jan 1943 and returned one day later to La Pallice on 2nd Jan 1943.
07.01.1943 - 12.02.1943
Fifth Sailing - active patrol
On the 7th Jan 1943, U-704 left La Pallice under the command of Horst Wilhelm Kessler and arrived at St. Nazaire on 12th Feb 1943 after just over five weeks.
14.03.1943 - 05.04.1943
Sixth Sailing - active patrol
U-704 departed under Horst Wilhelm Kessler from St. Nazaire on 14th Mar 1943 and after just over three weeks arrived at Bergen on 5th Apr 1943.
06.04.1943 - 11.04.1943
Seventh Sailing
U-704 left Bergen under the command of Horst Wilhelm Kessler on 6th Apr 1943 and arrived at Königsberg on 11th Apr 1943 after five days.

Notes for U-704


We have 83 crew names for this boat. click here for crew names of U 704
You can perform other crew searches here. Note that the number of names we give possibly includes prior crew members.

You can discuss this boat or ask questions at the ubootwaffe.net forums

We have extra information on
3 relevant ships here:

EMPIRE RAINBOW

DUCHESS OF BEDFORD

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Make another query
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