Type: IX-D2
Built by: AG Weser (Bremen)
Launched: 10 August 1942
Commissioned: 22 December 1942
Feldpost Nr.: M49039
Sunk: 24 June 1943
Sunk by: USN aircraft (VP84)
Location sunk: SW of Ireland
Position sunk: 59º 00’N x 26º 18’W (62 men lost)

The only Commander of U-200 was Korvettenkapitän Heinrich Schonder, who had earlier commanded U-53, U-58 and U-77 before taking command of U-200.

As with most of the big boats, U-200 was based in Bordeaux, attached to the 12th U-Bootflottille and she was lost on her first and only patrol. This was indeed, a highly special patrol.

KK Heinrich Schonder

PETER HANSEN (251-LIFE-1987) sheds a little light on this voyage of U-200, with the Küstentruppe of the Brandenburg Division on board. He says,

“Those specialists from the Brandenburg Division were supposed to teach the Japanese and so-called Free Indian Forces in Burma, how to wage a more successful behind the front guerrilla war, to help defeat the British in Burma and ‘free’ India under the leadership of Subhas Chandras Bose, the former Mayor of Calcutta and Indian politician who had traveled via the Wladiwostock-Moscow-Railroad to come to Germany and solicit Indians amongst prisoners of war Indian troops from North Africa for his New Free Indian Legion. He was taken by a German U-Boat (U-180) from Kiel, transferred to the Japanese submarine I-29 in the Indian Ocean for the rest of the voyage, on to Singapore to get his scheme in working shape, but it really never did much good at all for a number of reasons, including Japanese suspicions regarding all foreigners.”

During her time in the war, U-200 made no attacks on any shipping. Due to her highly sensitive mission, the broken Enigma codes, and the strengthening of the hunter-killer groups, it is no wonder that U-200 was a very high priority target.