German submarine U-305

German submarine U-305 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 30 August 1941 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as 'werk' 305, launched on 25 July 1942 and commissioned on 17 September under the command of Oberleutnant Rudolf Bahr.

During her career, the U-boat sailed on four combat patrols, sinking four ships, before she was sunk in January 1944 in mid-Atlantic, southwest of Ireland in position 49°N, -18°W.

She was a member of eight wolfpacks.

Service history
The boat's service life began with training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla in September 1942. She was then transferred to the 1st flotilla for operations on 1 March.

1st patrol
The submarine's first patrol began with her departure from Kiel on 27 February 1943. She passed through the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and into the north Atlantic Ocean. On 17 March she sank the Port Auckland and the Zouave southeast of Cape Farewell (Greenland), the latter foundering in five minutes. The boat arrived in Brest in occupied France, on 12 April 1943.

2nd and 3rd patrols
U-305's second foray was relatively uneventful, starting and finishing in Brest, as would all her remaining patrols, on 12 May and 1 June 1943.

On her third sortie, she sank HMCS St. Croix on 20 September 1943. The Canadian warship was one of the first victims of a GNAT acoustic torpedo.

4th patrol and loss
The boat's final patrol commenced on 8 December 1943. She successfully attacked HMS Tweed southwest of Ireland. This ship sank even faster than the Zouave (see above), going down in just two minutes.

U-305 was lost on 16 January 1944, probably a victim of one of her own torpedoes.

Fifty-one men died; there were no survivors.

Previously recorded fate
U-305 was originally thought to have been sunk by the British destroyer HMS Wanderer and the frigate HMS Glenarm on 17 January 1944.