German submarine U-718

U-Boat Infobox
type=VIIC
fieldpost number=
yard number=
order date=
keel=May 18, 1942
launch=March 26, 1943
commission=June 25, 1943
yard=Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg
U-Boat Patrol
startdate=Start Date
enddate=End Date
assigned unit=Assigned Unit
U-Boat Patrol
startdate=No Patrols
enddate=
assigned unit=8th FlotillaU_Boat Command
startdate=January, 1944
enddate=June, 1944
name=Kptlt. Helmut Wieduwilt
U_Boat Sink
type=Type of Ship Sunk
total=Number of Ships Sunk
tonnage=Gross Registered Tonnage
U_Boat Sink
type=Commercial Vessels
total=None
tonnage=0
U_Boat Sink
type=Military Vessels
total=None
tonnage=0

U-718 was a short-lived German U-boat built during World War II. U-718 was the victim of a tragic accident during training exercises five months after completion, and thus never saw active service in the Kriegsmarine. Built at Hamburg during 1942 and 1943 and taking a year to complete, "U-718" was a type VII submarine and was intended for service in the Second Battle of the Atlantic.

On the 18 November 1943, "U-718" was conducting training as part of a "Wolfpack" near Bornholm in the Baltic Sea under Kptlt Helmut Wieduwilt, when she was accidentally rammed during by "U-476". The submarines had been maneuvering to attack the same target in the dark, and "U-479" ran aboard "U-718" whilst the submarines were running on the surface. "U-718"'s hatch was closed to prevent water entering the hull, and thus only the seven personnel in the conning tower, including Kptlt Wieduwilt, survived. The boat's hull was ruptured by the force of the impact, causing the submarine to fill and sink very rapidly, taking 43 sailors to the bottom with her. The survivors were rescued from the water by other German naval units and transferred to other boats.

References

* Sharpe, Peter, "U-Boat Fact File", Midland Publishing, Great Britain: 1998. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
* [http://www.uboat.net/boats/u718.htm U-boat.net webpage for "U-718"]

See Also: List of U-boats