Axis airmen rescued by German U-boats

[Rainer]

U-255 (Kptlt Reinhart Reche) rescued the crew of a Blohm & Voss BV 138 in M.Qu. ÄF 7563 (approx. 78°33'N, 54°15'E, about 100 nautical miles south of Franz Josef Land) at 2010hrs on 12 September 1943. The U-boat had set up a refueling station on Novaya Zemlya and co-operated with several BV 138 flying boats during Operation "Wunderland II" (planned attack of the German heavy cruiser LÜTZOW on the Siberian sea route). It left the anchorage after one of the flying boats became lost due to a compass error and was forced to land at sea when the fuel ran out at 1730 hrs on 11 September. The drifting flying boat was found by U-307 (Oblt Friedrich-Georg Herrle) at 1600 hrs on 12 September and taken in tow until being relieved at 2010hrs by U-255, which eventually took off the crew and scuttled the BV 138 in worsening weather in M.Qu. ÄF 7275 (approx. 79°03'N, 50°45'E) at 1550 hrs on 13 September.

1943-09-11, 1./SAGr 130, Bv 138 C-1, 0311034, BC+TH (Vbknz?)
Emergency landing at sea due to fuel starvation in Pl.Qu 57 Ost 3942, loss 100%
Unknown number of crewmen survived