The wreck of U-1302 lies in 93m of water and is orientated 015 (bow)/195 (stern). The wreck is 50m in length, and has a prominent high point at its southern end.
The wreck was originally identified by the UKHO as the SORELDOC (NPRN 518316). Research by Dr Innes McCartney (2022: 168) for the Echoes from the Deep project, following a detailed survey by Bangor University in May 2019, identified the wreck as being dimensionally, positionally, and archivally likely to be U-1302. The record has been updated to reflect that new research.
Event and Historical Information:
The U-1302 was ordered on 2 April 1942 and laid down on 6 March 1943 by Flensburger Schiffsbau, Flensburg (yard number/work number 495). The submarine was launched on 6 April 1944 and commissioned on 25 May 1944 under the command of Oblt Wolfgang Herwatz. Technical and configuration specifications are given as type VIIC/41; 871tons displacement submerged, 789tons displacement on the surface; 220ft 6in length x 20ft 4in breadth x 15ft 8in depth; armaments included four bow and one stern torpedo tube plus a 37mm gun and two 20mm guns; normal complement of 49 crewmembers.
From 25 May 1944 - 31 December 1944, the submarine was part of 4 Flotille (training). From 1 January 1945 - 7 March 1945, the submarine (still under the command of Herwatz) joined 11 Flotille (front boat). It was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater breathing apparatus. During its short service life, it survived one attack on 17 September 1944 and sank 3 ships (8386 gross tonnage total). Its last voyage under the command of Captain Wolfgang Herwartz was war patrol in St. George's Channel. It had sunk the steamship SORELDOC followed by the steamship NORFOLK COAST (see NPRN 340318) on 28 February, and the KING EDGAR (see NPRN 340319) and the NOVASLI on 2 March 1945. This caused several Royal Navy escort groups to concentrate searches in the area.
During the night of 7 March, the Canadian frigate LA HULLOISE (EG-25) had a radar contact followed by sonar evidence that they had found a submarine. The frigate had already dropped all its depth charges, but the commanding officer, Lieut Cdr John Brock, maintained asdic contact whilst sending out radio messages for reinforcements. Two frigates, the STRATHADAM and THETFORD MINES arrived on the scene. The STRATHADAM made a hedgehog attack which produced one positive strike, which was followed by a huge underwater blast, then a flash and a huge air bubble. Minutes later the U-boat surfaced and then sank leaving floating wreckage but no survivors. Oil, books, and clothing later floated to the surface.
Sources include:
Hessler, G (ed), 1992, U-boat War in the Atlantic 1939-1945, pg117
Goddard, T, 1983, Pembrokeshire Shipwrecks, pg126
Kemp, P, 1997, U-Boats Destroyed, pg236
Larn and Larn Shipwreck Database 2002
Keatts, H, 1987, Field Reference to Sunken U-Boats, pg73
McCartney, I., 2022. Echoes from the Deep. Leiden: Sidestone Press. https://www.sidestone.com/books/echoes-from-the-deep
Nielsen, A., 1998, German U-Boat Losses during World War II, pg111
Rossler, E, 1981, The U-Boat, pg335
UKHO ID 9911: Contains public sector information, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, from UK Hydrographic Office.
https://uboat.net/boats/u1302.htm
J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, November 2023.