(Op-16-Z)
 20 June 1945
  REPORT OF INTERROGATION OF THE CREW OF U-805
  WHICH SURRENDERED TO THE USS VARIAN ON 13 MAY
  1945 OFF CAPE RACE.
   
Number: U-805.
   
Type: IX-C.
   
Yard Number: 714.
   
Tonnage: 750 Tons.
   
Building Yard: Seebeck, Wesermünde.
   
Commanding Officer: K. K. Richard Bernardelli (P/W) Class of 1932.
   
Launched: December 1943.
   
Commissioned: 12 February 1944.
   
Armament: 6 Torpedo tubes.
  2 Twin 20 mm on Platform 1.
  1 37 mm Automatic on Platform 2.
   
Ammunition: Tracer and A.P.
   
Torpedoes: 6 T-5 with Pi 4C Pistols.
  7 LUT with Pi 3 Pistols.
  1 FAT with Pi 3 pistols.
   
SBT: Fitted.
   
Diesels: 2 MAN 9 Cylinder.
   
Supercharger: Mechanical.
   
Schnorchel: Standard type fitted.
  Head covered with rubber.
   
Cut-away Deck: Fitted.
   
Electric Motors: Siemens.
   
Switchboard: Siemens.
   
Batteries: MAL 44 AFA.
                                          
GSR: 2 Amplifiers, Type ZM4 for Tunis Antenna.
  1 Amplifier, Naxos type, for Runddipol.
  1 Borkum for Runddipol.
 
     
 
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GSR (Continued): 2 Runddipol fitted. One on bridge and one atop Schnorchel.
   
Radar: Hohentwiel with Matress aerial.
                                          
D/F Gear: Fitted covering range of 70 - 12,000 kilocycles and 15 - 33 kilocycles.
   
Transmitters: 1 200 Watt short wave transmitter (20 - 90 meters).
  1 150 Watt long wave transmitter (600 - 800 meters) both by Telefunken.
  40 Watt emergency transmitter (20 - 80 meters) by Lorenz.
   
Receivers: 1 "Grosschiff" Type (80 - 100 meters).
  1 All-wave receiver (20 - 20,000 kilocycles).
   
Echo Sounding Gear: Atlas Type fitted.
   
U.T: Atlas Type fitted.
   
GHG: AN 301 Type fitted (Balkongeraet).
   
RDE: Carried.
   
Rubber Boats: 3 6-man rubber boats.
  53 1-man rubber boats.
   
Early History: After the commissioning on 12 February, 1944, U-805 proceeded to Kiel for U.A.K. trials. On 15 March, 1944, having completed these trials, the boat went to Gotenhafen and was attached to the T.V.A. for three months. The principal activity here was the experimental shooting of the T-5 torpedo.
   
  The latter half of June was filled with the Agru-Front training, followed by torpedo exercises at Pillau and Libau and further repairs and adjustments at Danzig. From 20 September until 30 September, 1944, U-805 participated in the regular tactical exercises and on 2 October returned to the Seebeck Yard in Wesermünde for final overhaul, remaining there until 22 January 1945. Then U-805 proceeded to Kiel to complete the Schnorchel installation and to prepare for patrol. At this time, the following work was carried out:
   
          (1)  Cut-away bow fitted.
          (2)  Head fitted with compressed air flushing.
          (3)  Upper deck torpedo tubes removed.
          (4)  Bridge armored. New Twin 20 mm and 37 mm guns added.
     
 
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                                                 (5)  Diesel exhaust bled underwater.
          (6)  Schnorchel head covered with rubber.
          (7)  Radar Matress antenna replaced.
          (8)  Old style GHG replaced by "Balkon" Type.
          (9)  Both screws replaced.
   
First Patrol: U-805 left Kiel for her first patrol on 10 February, 1945, accompanied by three other U-boats, one of which was U-Knollmann. The four boats proceeded to Horten. Schnorchel trials here lasted for three days. She was delayed somewhat in Horten because of British air-laid mines and arrived at Kristiansand on 25 February. Here she topped up with oil and provisions and made minor repairs. On her final deep-dive test, at a depth of 160 meters, she incurred superficial damages.
   
  U-805 finally left Kristiansand on 3 March after one false start because of weather conditions, with three other U-boats - one of which was U-Frömmer. In the vicinity of the Rosengarten, Schnorchel trouble developed and U-805 was forced to return to Trondheim where she arrived on 10 March. Necessary repairs were made and she was able to leave here on 17 March for an operational area off New York. She surfaced for the first time after 37 days and from then on surfaced irregularly but almost always for a short period at night. When she was two weeks out she received orders from Admiral commanding U-boats to join the Reconnaissance Group "Harke". THere were six U-boats in this group, one of which was U-1228 and another probably U-546. U-805 was in this group for 8 days and on the second day after formation of the group, a 14,000 ton transport was sighted but because of her speed, none of the group were able to make contact. Two days after the group was disbanded, U-805 was surprised on the surface by a Catalina aircraft when about 400 miles northwest of the Azores but no attack developed from this sighting. At about this same period, U-805 was kept submerged by the presence of what was assumed to be a killer group. On one occasion when at 190 meters depth, they were attacked by depth charges for six hours without suffering any damage. After this attack, she proceeded North for 5 or 6 days on the assumption that she was leaving an oil trace. She then proceeded Southwest for six days at which point she received the first signal from an Allied station about the capitulation of the Germans. She then proceeded Southerly exercising great caution primarily to kill time until the surrender terms were clarified.
 
     
 
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                                         U-805's first signal from a German station was to make for the nearest Allied port so she proceeded to head for the Azores. On the following day she received orders to report her position, speed and course. This message was received uncoded from Flensburg. At this time, she threw away her ammunition, breech locks and disarmed all torpedoes. Her signal as to her position was apparently received by a station in Capetown which ordered her to proceed to St. Johns. Events from here on were quite confused and, generally, only parts of signals were received. However, she obeyed the last clear signal and set course for St. Johns. Her next contact was from the USS VARIAN ordering her to give position, course and speed. Sometime later contact was made with the VARIAN and the U-805 was escorted into Portsmouth where she arrived on 15 May.
   
Other U-boats: U-KNOLLMANN.  On about 20 February while U-805 and a U-boat commanded by Knollmann were entering Horten, U-KNOLLMANN hit a mine. The boat sank almost immediately and only six of the crew were saved.
   
  U-DOBRATZ.  While U-805 was in Kristiansand, during February, 1945, a U-boat commanded by Kapt. z. S. Dobratz returned from a patrol off Halifax claiming 40,000 tons of enemy shipping. At about the same time, a Type XXIII boat returned to Kristiansand from a patrol in the English Channel.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
     
 
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