German Submarine U-260 1945

51 24.141N 09 06.228W

Klaus Becker

German submarine U-260 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Germany’s Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. Construction started on 7 May 1941 by Bremer Vulkan, of Bremen-Vegesack. She was commissioned 14 March 1942.

With with Kapitänleutnant Herbertus Purkhold in command, U-260 started the first of her nine patrols. On her second, U-260 was part of Spitz wolfpack which attacked Convoy ON-154, making contact with the convoy on 28 December 1942, and sinking the 4,893 ton British freighter Empire Wagtail (lost with all hands – 43 dead).This was the only ship sunk by U-260.Purkhold was relieved in April 1944 by Oberleutnant zur See Klaus Becker. Becker commanded the boat until March 1945.

On 12 March 1945, U-260 was scuttled south of neutral Ireland, in position 51°15′N 09°05′W, after sustaining mine damage. The minefield had been laid by HMS Apollo, an Abdiel-class minelayer. After the sinking, a sealed container of papers floated to the surface. A British expert flew to Cork to examine them. The five officers and 48 crew were interned in Ireland for the remainder of the war. In her entire career, U-260 suffered no casualties to her crew.

The wreck site of U-260 was discovered in 1975 by local fisherman Colin Barnes after snagging nets and friends of his later dived it confirming it was a submarine.

Today U-260 lies in 45 metres of water in position approximately four miles south of Glandore, and is a popular scuba diving site from Baltimore, County Cork and Union Hall.

There is recent speculation that U-260 did not actually strike a mine, but instead struck an underwater pinnacle (now known as ’78 Rock’ but which was uncharted at the time.

On the 1st of July 2014, two divers got into trouble whilst exploring the wreck, the bodies of both of them were later recovered.

subtype/class:      

VII C class submarine

propulsion:      

diesel and batteries

date built:      

1941

tonnage:      

864.7       displacement

dimensions :      

67.1 x 6.18 x 4.74 m

material:      

steel

engine:      

2 × supercharged (Germaniawerft or MAN), 6-cylinder, 4-stroke M6V 40/46 diesels (3200 hp), 2 electric motors (750 hp), 2 x 62 batteries

armament:      

14 torpedoes, 5 x T.T. 53.3 cm, 4 (fwd), 1 (aft), 1 x 8.8 cm L/45 deck gun, 1 x 2 cm or 2 x 2 cm or 1 x 3.7 A.A.

power:      

3200       h.p.

speed:      

17.6       knots

yard no.:      

25

tonnage:      

864.7       displacement

complement:      

48

Image below of periscope taken by Maritime Historian Innes McCartney

Type VII U-995 one of two surviving submarines of this type that can be visited at: Deutscher Marinebund e.V. Strandstraße 92