Axis Submarines Destroyed by Canadian Forces, 1939-1945

by Rob Fisher (Revised May 2002)

To reprint or use this table, please contact the author for permission.

The following table lists the fifty-one German and Italian submarines whose destruction is credited to Canadian naval and air forces during the Second World War. In recent years, R.M. Coppock of the Naval Historical Branch, Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Axel Niestlé, and others have re-examined the original sources in more detail and revised the credit for a number of U-boat sinkings. These revisions are incorporated in this list. A short list of other revisions which have affected Canadian credits (mainly revisions taking credit away from Canadian forces) follows the main table.

DateU-boatForces Credited with DestructionTaskPositionArea
6 November 1940Faa di Bruno1HMCS Ottawa, HMS HarvesterPatrol51-05N 17-32WNorth Atlantic
10 Sept. 1941U-501HMCS Chambly, Moose JawEscort SC 4262-50N 37-50WNorth Atlantic
24 July 1942U-90HMCS St. CroixEscort ON 11348-12N 40-56WNorth Atlantic
31 July 1942U-588HMCS Wetaskiwin, SkeenaEscort ON 11549-59N 36-36WNorth Atlantic
31 July 1942U-754RCAF Squadron 113/ Hudson LAir Patrol43-02N 64-52WOff Nova Scotia
6 August 1942U-210HMCS AssiniboineEscort SC 9454-25N 39-37WNorth Atlantic
28 August 1942U-94HMCS Oakville, USN Squadron 92Sea and Air Escort TAW 1517-40N 74-30WCaribbean Sea
1 September 1942U-7562HMCS MordenEscort SC 9757-41N 31-30WNorth Atlantic
30 October 1942U-658RCAF Squadron 145/ Hudson YAir Patrol50-32N 46-32WOff Newfoundland
30 October 1942U-520RCAF Squadron 10/ Digby XAir Escort47-47N 49-50WOff Newfoundland
27 Dec. 1942U-356HMCS St. Laurent, Chilliwack, Battleford, NapaneeEscort ONS 15445-30N 25-40WNorth Atlantic
13 January 1943U-224HMCS Ville de QuebecEscort TE 1336-28N 00-49EMediterranean Sea
19 January 1943TritoneHMCS Port ArthurEscort MKS 637-06N 05-22EMediterranean Sea
8 February 1943AvorioHMCS ReginaEscort KMS 837-10N 06-42EMediterranean Sea
4 March 1943U-87HMCS Shediac, St. CroixEscort KMS 1041-36N 13-31WNorth Atlantic
13 March 1943U-1633HMCS PrescottEscort MKS 945-05N 15-00WNorth Atlantic
4 May 1943U-2094RCAF Squadron 5/ Canso WAir Escort56-38N 42-32WNorth Atlantic
13 May 1943U-7535RCAF Squadron 423/ Sunderland G; HMCS Drumheller, HMS LaganSea and Air Escort HX 23748-37N 22-39WNorth Atlantic
2 August 1943U-7066RCAF Squadron 415/ Hampden A; USAAF Squadron 4Air Patrol46-15N 10-25WNorth Atlantic
4 August 1943U-489RCAF Squadron 423/ Sunderland GAir Patrol61-11N 14-38WWest of Faroes
19 Sept. 1943U-341RCAF Squadron 10/ Liberator AAir Support58-40N 25-30WNorth Atlantic
8 October 1943U-610RCAF Squadron 423/ Sunderland JAir Escort55-45N 24-33WNorth Atlantic
20 Nov. 1943U-536HMCS Calgary, Snowberry, HMS Nene Escort MKS 3043-50N 19-39WNorth Atlantic
8 January 1944U-757HMCS Camrose, HMS BayntunEscort OS 64/ KMS 3850-33N 18-03WNorth Atlantic
11 February 1944U-283RCAF Squadron 407/ Wellington DAir Escort60-45N 12-50WNorth Atlantic
24 February 1944U-2577HMCS WaskesiuEscort SC 15347-19N 26-00WNorth Atlantic
6 March 1944U-744HMCS Gatineau, St. Catharines, Chilliwack, Fennel, Chaudiere, HMS Kenilworth Castle, IcarusEscort HX 28052-01N 22-37WNorth Atlantic
10 March 1944U-625RCAF Squadron 422/ Sunderland UAir Support52-35N 20-19WWest of Ireland
10 March 1944U-845HMCS Swansea, St. Laurent, Owen Sound, HMS ForesterEscort SC 15448-20N 20-33WNorth Atlantic
13 March 1944U-575HMCS Prince Rupert, USS Haverfield, Hobson, USS Bogue aircraft, RAF Squadrons 172, 206 and 220Sea Escort, Land and Carrier Air Escort ON 22746-18N 27-34WNorth Atlantic
14 April 1944U-448HMCS Swansea, HMS Pelican Patrol46-22N 19-35WNorth Atlantic
17 April 1944U-342RCAF Squadron 162/ Canso SAir Support60-23N 29-20WSouthwest of Iceland
22 April 1944U-3118HMCS Swansea, MatanePatrol52-09N 19-07WNorth Atlantic
4 May 1944U-846RCAF Squadron 407/ Wellington MBay Air Patrol46-04N 09-20WBay of Biscay
3 June 1944U-477RCAF Squadron 162/ Canso TAir Patrol63-59N 01-37EOff South Norway
11 June 1944U-980RCAF Squadron 162/ Canso BAir Patrol63-07N 00-26ESouthwest of Norway
13 June 1944U-715RCAF Squadron 162/ Canso TAir Patrol62-45N 02-59WEast of Faroes
24 June 1944U-971HMCS Haida, HMS Eskimo, Czechoslovakia Squadron 311Sea and Air Patrol49-01N 05-35WWest Channel
24 June 1944U-1225RCAF Squadron 162/ Canso PAir Patrol63-00N 00-50WNorth of Shetland
30 June 1944U-478RCAF Squadron 162/ Canso A; RAF Squadron 86Air Patrol63-27N 00-50WNorth of Shetland
6 July 1944U-678HMCS Kootenay, Ottawa II, HMS StaticePatrol50-32N 00-23WEnglish Channel
18 August 1944U-621HMCS Kootenay, Ottawa II, ChaudierePatrol45-52N 02-36WBay of Biscay
20 August 1944U-984HMCS Kootenay, Ottawa II, ChaudierePatrol48-16N 05-33WOff Ushant
31 August 1944U-247HMCS Swansea, Saint JohnPatrol49-54N 05-49WOff Land's End
16 October 1944U-1006HMCS AnnanPatrol60-59N 04-49WFaroes
27 Dec. 1944U-877HMCS St. ThomasEscort HX 32746-25N 36-38WNorth Atlantic
30 Dec. 1944U-772RCAF Squadron 407/ Wellington LAir Escort50-05N 02-31WEnglish Channel
16 February 1945U-309HMCS Saint JohnEscort WN 7458-09N 02-23WNortheast of Scotland
7 March 1945U-1302HMCS Thetford Mines, La Hulloise, and StrathadamEscort SC 16752-19N 05-23WSt. George's Channel
20 March 1945U-1003HMCS New GlasgowCollision55-25N 06-53WNorth of Ireland
2 May 1945U-2359 9RCAF Squadron 404, RAF Squadrons 143, 235, 248, and Norwegian Squadron 333Air Strike57-29N 11-24EKattegat (Baltic Sea)

Additional Notes

1. The loss of Faa di Bruno was previously credited to HMS Havelock.
2. The sinking of U-756 was first credited to British aircraft and then later to USN Squadron 73 before a revision credited HMCS Morden with its destruction.
3. The cause of loss was previously classified as unknown, or attributed to an attack by US submarine Herring.
4. U-209 was attacked and damaged on 4 May 1943 by Canso W of RCAF Squadron 5, but did not sink until 7 May 1943. This attack was previously credited with the destruction of U-630, which is now attributed to HMS Vidette. The loss of U-209 was previously credited to HMS Jed and Sennen.
5. This attack was previously credited with the destruction of U-456, which is now attributed to RAF Squadron 86. The cause of loss of U-753 was previously unknown.
6. Some sources only credit the US Army Air Force Squadron Liberator with the destruction of U-706 but according to German survivors the initial attack by the RCAF Hampden with depth charges had damaged the U-boat. Both Axel Niestle (German U-boat Losses during World War II: Details of Destruction) and Norman Franks (Search, Find and Kill) credit the RCAF with a share in the kill.
7. Some sources credit HMS Nene with sharing in the kill. This ship, however, ultimately classified the contact as non-sub and abandoned the hunt to Waskesiu and for this reason the Admiralty may have deprived it of a share of the credit.
8. U-311 was previously credited to RCAF Squadron 423.
9. Four Mosquito aircraft of RCAF Squadron 404 provided air cover for RAF aircraft which attacked with rockets and sank U-2359. The Canadian and Norwegian aircraft did not directly attack the U-boat.

Other Official Revisions of Credit affecting Canadian Forces

DateGerman U-boatForces Formerly CreditedTaskPositionAreaRemarks on Revision
7 Sept. 1943U-669RCAF Squadron 407Bay Air Patrol45-36N
10-13W		Bay of BiscayNow posted as missing in the Bay of Biscay, 29 August 1943.
21 Sept. 1943U-338RAF Squadron 120PatrolUnknownSoutheast of GreenlandThe cause of loss is now classified as unknown although it is believed that U-338 crash dived when HMCS Drumheller opened fire on it and could not regain control of the dive. It was never seen or heard from again.
26 Oct. 1943U-420RCAF Squadron 10Air Escort50-49N
41-01W		North AtlanticNow posted as missing in North Atlantic, 20 October 1943.
24 April 1944U-311RCAF Squadron 423Air Escort50-36N
18-36W		North AtlanticNow credited to HMCS Swansea and HMCS Matane, 22 April 1944 in position 52-09N, 19-07W.
11 Sept. 1944U-484HMCS Dunver, HespelerPatrol56-30N
07-40W		HebridesNow considered killed by HMS Portchester Castle and HMS Helmsdale on 9 September 1944 in position 55-45N, 11-41W.


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