German submarine U-1021

German submarine U-1021 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II.

Laid down on 6 May 1943 at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg, the submarine was launched on 13 April 1944, and commissioned on 25 May 1944, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See William Holpert.

Service history
U-1021 served with 31st U-boat Flotilla, a training unit, and later with 11th U-boat Flotilla from 1 December 1944 until its disappearance in March 1945.

Patrol and loss
U-1021 sailed from Bergen on 20 February 1945 and headed for the waters around Land's End.

U-1021 was presumed to have been sunk on 30 March 1945 in The Minch in the Hebrides, by depth charges from the British frigates HMS Rupert (K561) and HMS Conn (K509).

Discovery
However, the wreck of U-1021 was identified by nautical archaeologist Innes McCartney and historian Axel Niestle in December 2006, seven miles off Newquay, Cornwall, at position 50.555°N, -5.19333°W, close to two other U-boats, GS U-325 and GS U-400. Further research by Innes McCartney led to the conclusion that all three submarines were sunk in the Bristol Channel by a deep-trap minefield. Minefield "HW A3" which was fatal to the U-1021 was laid by HMS Apollo (M01) on 3 December 1944.

The attack of 30 March 1945 previously assumed to have sunk U-1021 is now believed to have sunk GS U-965.