German submarine U-712

German submarine U-712 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. Commissioned on 5 November 1942, she served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla until 31 October 1943 as a training boat, and as a front boat in the 3rd U-boat Flotilla under Oberleutnant Walter Pietschmann until 14 December, before being replaced by Oberleutnant Walter-Ernst Koch.

Service Record
Built in werk 778 of the HC Stülcken & Sohn shipyard in Hamburg, U-712 was launched on 10 August 1942. After the completion of system checks and crew training, U-712 was transferred to the 3rd Flotilla on 13 October 1943. On 1 January 1944, she was re-assigned to the 21st U-boat Flotilla as a training boat. On the 3 July 1944, Oblt. Koch handed over to Freiherr Eberhard von Ketelhodt, leaving to command U-975. U-712's purpose was succeeded by a similar function with the 31st from 1 March 1945

In the rest of her career under Walter-Ernst Koch and Freiherr Eberhard von Ketelhodt, she served as a training vessel, never having made a single patrol.

Fate
After Germany's surrender in May, 1945, U-712 was scuttled at Kristiansand in Norway. She was later taken to Loch Ryan in Scotland, where the British used her bulk for testing before braking her up at Hayle in 1950