U-405

Sunk on 1 November 1943 in the North Atlantic north of the Azores, in position 49.00N, 31.14W, by depth charges, ramming and small arms fire from the US destroyer USS Borie , during a storm. 49 dead (all hands lost). At 1145B/21, a U-boat was sighted 5 miles away which was estimated to proceed on a northerly course at about 3 knots. An attack was carried out from the port beam of the U-boat. Ten 100 lb. A/S bombs filled with T.N.T. were dropped from 100 feet, spaced 20 feet apart. The bombs had a three second delay fuse setting. One bomb was seen to burst 30 foot on each side of the conning tower and the remainder in a group some 90 feet beyond the U-boat. The U-boat was still visible at the time of the attack and was not observed to alter course. Five hundred rounds of machine gun fire were fired at the enemy of which, 50% were reported to be hits. Nothing further was seen and the aircraft left the vicinity four minutes later. Photographs that were taken during the attack were not useful. Tracking evidence strongly suggest that the U-boat arrived at a North Norway base. HMS P 48 was on an anti-Uboat patrol between 63°30'N and 64°20'N and 01°00'E and 05°00'E. Lt. Faber set course to intercept the German U-boat but sighted nothing. At 1144B/21, made alarm for a two-engined aircraft in Grid AF 8419 (which is centred in position 62°27'N, 03°22'E. The enemy hit the casing with two machine gun bullets causing some minor damage to the upper deck. 4 May 1943 19.24 hrs, Bay of Biscay , outbound: three bombs from British Halifax bomber A for Apple of RAF Sqdn 502 left the boat with an oil leak that that could not be stemmed. The patrol was aborted on 12 May. (Sources: Rohwer ) Unlike many other U-boats , which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-405 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss. We have 2 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.