Events on this day

31 October

This is a run-down from several databases on our site. It's meant to give a clear picture of events on this date, all year round.

U-boat Shipyard report

Ordered (0)	Laid down (7)	Launched (8)	Commissioned (2)
No U-boat orders on this date	1940: U-587, U-588, U-589, U-590 1941: U-639 1942: U-856 1944: U-2541	1940: U-71 1942: U-308, U-736, U-801, U-802, U-849 1943: U-772 1944: U-2346	1940: U-74 1944: U-2517
These are commissioned boats. For more see our Shipyard pages.

Allied Ships hit on this date

	U-boat	Commander	Name of ship	Tons	Country	Convoy
1939
	U-25	Schütze	Baoulé	5,874	fr	20-K
1940
	U-124	Schulz	Rutland	1,437	br	HX-82
1941
	U-374	Fischel	Rose Schiaffino	3,349	br
	U-552	Topp	USS Reuben James (DD 245)	1,190	am	HX-156
	U-96	Lehmann-Willenbrock	Bennekom	5,998	nl	OS-10
1942
	U-103	Janssen	Tasmania	6,405	br	SL-125
	U-172	Emmermann	Aldington Court	4,891	br	TRIN-16
	U-174	Thilo	Marylyn	4,555	br
	U-504	Poske	Empire Guidon	7,041	br
	U-504	Poske	Reynolds	5,113	br
	U-510	Neitzel	Alaska (d)	5,681	nw	SL-125
1943
	U-24	Petersen	SKA-088	56	sj
	U-262	Franke	Hallfried	2,968	nw	SL-138
	U-68	Lauzemis	New Columbia	6,574	br
				61,132
* Unless otherwise noted the ships listed here were sunk. (d) = damaged See all Allied ships hit by U-boats during WWII.

Attacks on this day

1941

U-96. While attacking convoy OS 10 on the surface during a full moon, Lehmann-Willenbrock fired into the convoy at long range, sinking one ship. The British escort sloop HMS Lulworth gave chase, and after driving U-96 under with gunfire, dropped 27 depth charges. None fell close, and the boat evaded the attack and continued the patrol. (Blair, vol 1, page 394)

U-201.

U-201 was detected and bombed by a British aircraft.

In a signal timed 1256A/31, the C-in-C Plymouth, had sent the following orders to the escort destroyers ORP Kujawiak (Kpt.mar. (Lt.Cdr.) L. Lichodziejewski) and HMS Atherstone (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Jenks, RN);
Attack enemy submarine reported by aircraft at 1228A/31 in position 48°05'N, 10°58'W, course 270°, speed 6 knots.

The aircraft, Hudson 'D' from 53 Sq. RAF, apparently also attacked the U-boat which was U-201.

In a signal timed 1304A/31, the Flag Officer Submarines (F.O.S.) sent the following information to HMS P 36 (Lt. H.N. Edmonds, DSC, RN);
An aircraft with call sign H.K.6.D. reported at 1228A/31 that she was over an enemy submarine in position 48°05'N, 10°58'W. Enemy course 270°, speed 6 knots.

In a signal timed 1432A/31, the C-in-C Plymouth sent the following info to ORP Kujawiak and HMS Atherstone;
My 1256A/31. U-boat was attacked by aircraft, one hit. One Catalina and one Whitley coming to co-operate.

In a signal timed 1440A/31, the C-in-C Plymouth sent the following info to ORP Kujawiak and HMS Atherstone;
You were reported by enemy aircraft at 1312A/31.

In a signal timed 1524A/31, F.O.S. sent the following info the HMS P 36;
My 1304A/31. Two destroyers have been sent to attack enemy submarine.

In a signal timed 1652A/31, The C-in-C Plymouth sent the following orders to ORP Kujawiak and HMS Atherstone;
1) If not in contact abandon hunt in time to pass through position 180° - Bishop Rock - 10 miles at 0800A/1. Thence HMS Atherstone to Plymouth and ORP Kujawiak to Milford Haven.
2) Fighter protection arranged from 0800A/1.

Attack report by the aircraft, Hudson 'D' from 53 Sq. RAF;

Time: 1220A/31.
Position: 48°05'N, 10°58'W.
Depth of water: 1000 fathoms.
Weather conditions: wind 325°, 24 knots, Weather good, Visibility 12 to 15 miles.

While flying at 800 feet a U-boat was sighted on the surface at a range of 3 miles. Its course was 270° and speed about 6 knots. Commenced attack at once and the U-boat started to submerge at a range of about 3 miles. At the time of dropping depth charges, it was only just below the surface. Three 250lb. depth charges were dropped, the first set to 24 feet and the second and third to 50 feet. The attack was made across the U-boats track and the depth charges fell spaced 30 feet apart on the U-boats port beam, the first and nearest estimated as 20 feet from the U-boats hull. It is thought that the first and second depth charge exploded together. The aircraft then made a tight turn to port and released a 250lb. A/S bomb about 30 feet ahead of the swirl. The U-boat could be observed just beneath the surface and it is though that the bomb made a direct hit on the bows. Oil was thrown up to the surface when the bomb exploded and two minutes afterwards dark brown oil patches appeared which could be seen for 10 minutes. The aircraft remained in the vicinity for about 20 minutes and returned to the area after 40 minutes when three oil patches were seen, the largest of which was about 40 yards long and 25 yards wide.

Submarine tracking room's opinion;

There is no tracking evidence indicative of the effect of this attack.

Decision of the U-boat assessment committee;

The depth charge attack failed to straddle the U-boat and the nearest explosion would have been too far distant to inflict damage. If the fact of the bomb attack are as stated the bombs should have detonated fairly close to the U-boat. In view, however, of the lack of any evidence to show that any damage was inflicted the result is assessed as 'insufficient evidence of damage', the committee reckon that the three oil patches subsequently seen were the 'strains' of the depth charge attack.

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Report of U-201;

No position given but position at 1200B/31 was grid BE 6364, which was centred in position 47°51'N, 11°55'W [Note the one degree difference in longitude !]
1312B/31 (Note the one hour time zone difference), Crash dived for an aircraft on bearing 350° coming out of the low clouds. The aircraft dropped three bombs followed by a depth charge. Only some minor damage was sustained.

1536B/31, Surfaced and continued passage. (ADM 199/1782 + KTB U-201 29 September 1941 to 9 December 1941 (NARA, T 1022, roll 3037, PG 30189/6))

1942

U-521. A Hudson bomber (Sqdn 145) attacked while U-521 was engaging convoy SC 107. Minor damage. (Blair, vol 2, page 45.)

1943

U-537. A Canadian Hudson aircraft (Sqdn 11) fired eight rockets at the boat which missed their mark. (Blair, vol 2, page 459)

U-91. Avengers from the USS Card found U-91 refuelling U-584 and called in other aircraft. After initially repelling them with flak, U-91 dived while U-584 stayed on the surface. U-584 was sunk with all hands by Fido homing torpedoes when she attempted to dive. U-91 escaped unscathed and escaped the subsequent search. (Blair, vol 2, page 438)

1944

U-170. The boat reported an attack on a convoy escorted by "destroyers" and fired a T5 torpedo, but was in return depth charged and severely damaged (War Diary, KTB).

U-boats lost

1943: U-306 +, U-584 +, U-732

135 men died when those 3 U-boats were lost on this date. 18 men survived.

Survivors from U-boats almost always landed in allied captivity.
U-boats marked with + were lost with all hands.

- For more information on U-boat losses check out our Fates section.

U-boat Men Lost or Wounded

There were no men lost from U-boats on this date, 31 October.

- For more information on Men lost from U-boats check out this page.

Personnel Information

The following men were born on this day:
Klaus Heinrich Bargsten (1911), Hans-Albrecht Kandler (1917), Wolfgang Rahn (1920).

The following men died on this day:
Joachim Deecke (1943), Claus von Trotha (1943).

See the entire U-boat commander listing showing all U-boat commanders.
We might include more officers (Allied and Axis) at a later date.

U-boat departures and arrivals on 31 October

This section shows the U-boat departures and arrivals from bases on this day of the year. Current country names shown with harbour names. Boats entering port display days at sea during that patrol.

1939

U-boats entering base:
To Wilhelmshaven, Germany: U-31 ( days)

1941

Sailed:
From Brest, France: U-373

U-boats entering base:
To Brest, France: U-81 ( days), U-83 ( days)
To St. Nazaire, France: U-71 ( days)

1942

Sailed:
From Bergen, Norway: U-376, U-601
From Brest, France: U-86, U-595 (lost 15 days later)
From Narvik, Norway: U-408 (lost 6 days later)
From Trondheim, Norway: U-334

U-boats entering base:
To St. Nazaire, France: U-382 ( days), U-610 ( days)

1943

Sailed:
From Narvik, Norway: U-355
From St. Nazaire, France: U-757

U-boats entering base:
To Hammerfest, Norway: U-277 ( days)
To Narvik, Norway: U-636 ( days)

1944

Sailed:
From Arendal: U-318
From Kiel, Germany: U-775, U-870
From Kristiansand: U-318
From Stavanger, Norway: U-244

U-boats entering base:
To Hammerfest, Norway: U-1163 ( days)
To Horten, Norway: U-1053 ( days), U-1232 ( days)
To Trondheim, Norway: U-737 ( days)

U-boats at sea on 31 October

Boats entering port on this day are not counted, but boats departing for patrol are. (+) indicates the boat was lost during this patrol.

1939

U-13, U-21, U-25, U-26, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-46, U-53, U-56, U-57, U-58, U-59, U-61.
14 boats at sea.

1940

U-28, U-29, U-31 (+), U-65, U-99, U-124.
6 boats at sea.

General Events on 31 October

1941

The first US Navy ship lost in the Atlantic U-552 was hunting the eastbound convoy HX 156, and at roughly 0525 hrs torpedoed one of the escorts. The ship's magazine exploded and the ship sank rapidly, with 100 from the crew of 144 going down with her. She was the destroyer USS Reuben James, and was the first US Navy ship lost in hostile action in WWII. This occurred nearly six weeks before war was declared between Germany and the United States, although US Navy ships had been escorting convoys and attacking U-boats for months before that.

1942

After sinking the Aldington Court, U-172 captured the vessel's First Officer.

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Events on this day

31 October

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U-boat Shipyard report

Allied Ships hit on this date

Attacks on this day

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U-boats lost

U-boat Men Lost or Wounded

Personnel Information

U-boat departures and arrivals on 31 October

1939

1941

1942

1943

1944

U-boats at sea on 31 October

1939

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1944

General Events on 31 October

1941

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