The outset of the year 1945 was dominated by bad weather, so that the boats did not leave harbour. An attempt to sail for a torpedo-action of the 4., 6. and 9. SFltl on 05.10.1945 had to be broken off, an other attempt of th 4., 6., 8., and 9. SFltl with 24 boats on 09.01.1945 as well.

On 09.01.1945 "S 116" run on ground in the Elbe estuary and was damaged so much, that she was decommissioned and layed up at Lürssen--Shipyard surviving the end of war. It was not turned over to the Allies but taeken over by Schiffsicherungslehrgruppe of the Bundesmarine on 13.06.1957 as trainings-hulk.

The 5. SFltl had arrived at Den Helder with the six boats "S 48", "S 67", "S 85", "S 92", "S 98", and "S 127" on 10.01.1945.

For the night 14./15.01.1945 a common minelaying operation of the 2. and the 5. SFltl was planned. The 5. SFltl with "S 98", "S 67", "S 127 "S 48", "S 92" and "S 87" had left harbour in the evening with mines. "S 98" and "S67" had to be dismissed due to enginetrouble. The other boats laid four UMB and 15 LMB on the convoy-route notheast of Cromer. (see Minelayingsketch below).

Minelayingsketch óf the 5. SFltl - Picture from Leinen los 5/2021

At the same time was the 2. SFltl with "S 221", "S 176", "S 210", "S 180", "S 174" "S 209", "S 181" and "S 177" at sea with mines. "S 221", "S 180", "S 181" and "S 177" had to turn around because of engine trouble. The remaining four boats laid 6 LMB and 8 UMB on the convoy-route off Cromer. "S 209" lost contact to the flotilla because of jamming of two mines, laid her mines and returned to Den Helder alone. On this barrier sank on the same day the freighter "Dalemore" (5835 BRT). On the 19.01. reported the recconnaissance group that on the barrier a steamship and the freighter "Grainton" (6341 BRT) were sunk. As dammaged were reportet: The tanker "San Nicolas" and the freighters "Empire Milner", "Leaside Park" and "Carrier". In reality only the Norwegian freighter "Carrier" (3036 BRT) sank. "Leaside  Park" and "Empire Milner" had rammed the wreck of "Dalemore" but could enter Hull with slight damages.

The German boats had been detected ba a recconnaissanvce aircraft and a group of Coastal Forces left Yarmouth. At 01 o'clock radarstation Trimingto detected the boats, the destroyer escort "Middleton" directed to them pursued an own tug which sailed around in the area. When a Lancaster-bomber crashed into the radartower of station Bard Hill this lost contact just having established it. 

The boats of the 2. and the 5. SFltl laid mines on the convoi-route off Cromer. When returning "S 180" (OLt zS Albrecht Pillet) run into a German mine. The torpedoes exploded and the boat sank. The commanding officer and SKad. Hermann Trulsen, StrmMt. Bernhard Kolthoff, FkObGefr. Friedrich Braun, Gefr. Brenner, MaschGefr. Leonard Armbichler, and five other men were killed in action. Three wounded and nine unharmed men could be rescued.

During the night 15./16.01.1945 a torpedo operation was conducted with different attack points in the Thames estuary and off Zeebrügge.The 8. SFltl succeeded to torpedo the landing ship tank "LST 415" off the Thames estuary. The boats returned undamaged.

The next evening the 2. SFltl with "S 221", "S 174", "S 209" and "S 181" and the 5. SFltl with "S 98", "S 67", "S 92" and "S 48" were at sea for a torpedo-operation against a northbound convoy north of Cromer. The convoy was not found and the boats came into a fight with destroyer escort "Farndale". The boats come back to Den Helder unharmed in the early morning.

The 8. SFltl with "S 194", " 196",m "S 197", "S 199" and "S 701" was at sea also and was detected just after leaving harbour and attacked with bombs. Close to Fort Sand Tangues teh boats fired eight FAT and LUT on a convoy. The British tanklandingship "LST 415" (1625 ts) was hit and had to be sat on the beach. A fight with the sloop was overcome without damages.

The 9. SFltl was detected by sloop "Guillemot" south of North Falls and reporteded by unencrypted Enemy Contact Report. Therefore, F.d.S. could warn the 8, SFltl which could thus avoid the sloop. When the flotilla run into the convoy "S 168" and "S 175" fired four torpedoes againsst a struggler of the convoy. The freighter „Halo“ (2.365 BRT) was sunk with a fan-shot. The trawler "Turquise " could rescue the entire crew. Half an hour before midnight the 8. SFltl was attacked by frigate "Stayner" with "MTB 495", "MTB 446", "MTB 496" and "MTB 497" angegriffen, whereby "S 168" (Oblt.z.S. Dau) got a 7,6 cm hit on the bridge, a 5,7 cm hit destroyed the port-torpedotube, one man was killed, six men were wounded, among them the commanding officer. 

The 8. SFltl (Korv.Kapt. Zymalkowski) advanced in direction North Forland and run shortly after midnight into the Sloop "Guillemot", a torpedo fired by "S 194" failed. "S 194" had to take a hit, one man was killed. But the flotilla could sail away from the slow Sloop and took again course on North Forland. About 03.00 lct. "S 701" detected targets with her FuMB (ESM) and the boats approached a convoy. Two fired torpedoes failed and the boats were taken under fire by Fort Tonge Sands and came into fights with the British Frigate "Seymour", the Sloop "Guillemot" and three MTB-groups consisting of three resp. two boats ("MTB 451", "MTB 452" und "MTB 450", "MTB 495" und "MTB 446" sowie "MTB 454" und "MTB 447"MTBs 451, 452 and 450, MTBs 495 and 446 as well as MTBs 454 and 447). In these actions collided "S 701" and "S 199". The bow of  "S 199" (Oblt. z.S. Quistorp) was torn apart, the boat was so badly damaged, that it could not be held afloat and therefore was scuttled. Due to a collision between the MTBs "MTB 495" was badly damaged. 

 

One of the last Immages of "S 199" before her Loss - Picture from Steve Wiper: Kriegsmarine Schnellboote

In some sources - especially in Britsh - it is presumed that "S 199" was sunk by the AA-batteries of Fort Tongue Sand. 

But according to a report of OLt.z.S. d.Res. Quistorp (†) on 25.08.2012 in a conversation with the WEB-Master the survivors were rescued after 6 1/2 hours in the life-rafts by minesweeper RCS "Neave" from the icecold waters of the Channel. One man was killed  and three men were wounded by the propellers of "Neave". Oblt.z.S. Quistorp (†and 17 survivors were taken to Gillingham and became POWs. Oblt.z.S. Quistorp stated, that the seamanship and the friendliness of the Canadian "Neave"-crew was outstanding.

 

Locations of Forts in the Thames estuary - Picture from Wikipedia

 When entering Ijmuiden "S 194" run aground but could free itself again. "S 701" was taken under fire by own pickets, it had taken so severe damages by the ramming that it did not become ready for action again before the end of the war.  

War Diary 8. SFltl

Fight Report S 701

The other flotillas remained without successes. The 6.  SFltl had to dismiss "S 704" shortly after lealving harbour becaus of engine trouble. The flotilla made way by going north of the battle scene, did not find the convoy and returned without result. On the march back "S 705" had a rudder failure and waterpenetration in compartment I. In the 4. SFltl "S 204" had enginetrouble and lost contact to the flotilla. By searching for the boat the flotilla lost so much time that it could no more get to the convoy. Therefore, the march back was started. The flotilla tried to operate against the convoy reported by the 8. SFltl. when the FuMB on teh boat of the guide failed and visibility went below 2000 m they marched back "S 175" was slightly damaged. On "S 219" an auxilliary engine failed, on "S 202" so strong vibrations occurred that the boat was damaged. Both boats had to be reported AKB.

In the  night 23./24.01.1945 the 4., 6. awith eight boats left harbour for a torpedo-operation against the Thames-Scheldt-traffic. They had to return because of bad weather. The 5. SFltl with "S 98",  "S 48", "S 85", "S 127", "S 92" und S 67" left harbour for a mining action east of Dungeon. Upon sighting by a contact-holder the boats were attacked by Wellington-bombers several times. Because of engine trouble on  "S 92" and "S 67" the boats had to be dismissed and because "S 127" lost contact to the flotilla due to poor visibility,  only three boats laid mines on the route. After having laid the mines the flotilla was attacked by aircraft with bombs and aircraft weapon several times. The guide "S 98" got splinter damages on the bridge and at the ship's side. 

During the night 24./25.01.1945 again mining operations were conducted against the convoy route off Orfordness. The 2. SFltl with "S221", "S 176", "S 209", "S 181" and "S 177" left harbour at 20.30. "S 176" had engine failure an was dismissed together with "S 209". The other boats laid their 12 UMB-mines as planned. The 4. SFltl also left harbour with "S 206", "S 175" and "S 703" in the evening. "S 204" could not take part because it has a damaged propeööer. The other three boats lais their mines as planned. The 6. SFltl with "S 211", "S 222", "S 704" and "S 223" laid 24 UMB. In a fight with a destroyer and MTBs several 20mm-hits were observed on the destroyer. All boats returned unharmed to their harbours.

In the night 20./21.02.1945 the 2. SFltl with "S 221", "S 176", "S 210"/"S 174", "S 181" and "S 209" performed a torpedo-operation againt a southbound convoy at Smith's Knoll. Boats "S 174" and "S 209" found themselves in the middle of the convoy. "S 174" fired two LUT, "S 209" two T-1 without hits. After reloading "S 209" fired two more torpedoes also without suiccess. When pulling back they heard five detonations. A freighter had burst in flames. "S 209" got several hits in a fight with escorts. A fire could be extinguished rapidly. One man was wounded. The first group of the 2. SFlktl and the 5. SFltl attacked a convoy south of Great Yarmouth and could report four rsp. seven hits.  The British freighters „Goodwood“ (2.780 BRT) and „Blacktoft“ (1.109 BRT) sank, the ex-Danish freighter „Skjold“ (1.345 BRT) was fired to burn. Alle boats of the 2. SFltl had enginetroubles during this action because of salty diesel-fuel. The flotilla fell out for two days in order to remove and to clean the tanks.

On the barriers laid on 21.02. the French motorfishingboat "Notre Dame de Grace" (26 BRT), on 26.02. the British steamer "Auretta" /4751 BRT) and the American freighter "Nashaba" (6054 BRT), on 27.02. the British freighter "Sampa" (7176 BRT) and on 01.03. The American Liberty-Ship "Robert L. Vann (7176 BRT) sank. 

In the night 24./25.02.1945 another mining-operation was conducted by the 4., 8. and 9. SFltl in the area along the coast of Flandres. The 4. SFltl laid their mines west of Blankenberge and came into heavy fights with MGBs. On the way back "S 204" had water penetration and "S 703" rudder failure. warf ihre Minen westlich Blankenberge und geriet in heftige Gefechte mit MGBs. From the 8. SFltl "S 196" had rudder failure and was dismissed together with "S 209" as escort. The other three boats laid their mines northwest of Ostende. The 9. SFltl had several fights with  destroyers and MGBs but laid their mines northwest of Zeebrügge. On the way back "S 167" (St.Ob.Strm. Seifert) had a rudder failure and rammed "S 705". "S 167" had to be given up dure to the severe damages suffered. The complete crew was taken over by the other boats. On "S 205" Mech.Gefr. (T) Hans Brzemek was killed.

 In the evening of the 28.02.1945 four boats of the 4. SFltl laid 24 mines in the same area. On their way back they came into a fight with frigate "Seymour" and destroyer escort "Cotswood". The boats tried to withdraw with 41 knots speed but "S 220" (Kptlt. Dross) got a hit in the starboard engineroom. A fire developped and finally the boat could only proceed with 10 knots and lost contact to the flotilla. Therefore, the CO decided to scuttle the boat. The complete crew left the burnign boat after the secret documents had been destroyed. The boat was under fire by the escorts for a longer time. Just before midnight the boat sank after an explosion, probably of the torpodoes. The survivors were fished out of the water by the British. Masch.Mt. Josef Krzyzok, Matr.ObGefr. Gottfried Wahl und Fk.ObGefr. Siegfried Bandemeer were not among the rescued.

Also the 6. SFltl had left harbour with five boats to lay mines butr only "s 212" could lay her mines. The 2. and the 5. SFltl with 11 boats were shadowed by enemy air recconnsaissance and near Norfolk detected the destroyer "Mackey" three S-boats at the buoy of Hearty Knoll and pushed them away. The frigate  "Riou" and three MTBs detected four S-Boots and pushed them away. The 6. SFltl with only two boats could not penetrate the escorts and had to return without success.

 In the night 09./10.03.1945 the 4. SFlt with "S 204", "S 205" und "S 219"; "202" and"S 703" had returned premature; conducted a mining operation off the SCheldt estuary. At the same timne the 9. SFltl with four boats laid mine on the Thames-Scheldt-route and had first to dogfight around with MGBs and than with destroyers.

In the nights following the boats tried to arrive  at the convoy-route off the English eastcoast several times. The 4. SFltl had to break of its operation after a bomb-attack and developping fog. The 2. SFltl with six and the 5. SFltl with five boats went through the same. The 6. SFltl with four boats cancelled its minelaying operation because of poor visibility. The 9. SFltl was at sea for an operation with "Linsen" which were launched north of West Hinder.

Similar were all actions of the five flotillas in the hight to the 14.03.1945. 

In the night to the 18.03.1945 the 4. and the 9. SFltl with together 10 boats had to break of a torpedo-operation in teh Thames estuary. The other three flotillas laid mines, the 5. SFltl with five boats 36 LMB off Cromer, Teh 2. SFltl with seven boats 36 LMB and ELM and teh 6. Sfltl with six boats 38 UMB and ELM on the Thames-Scheldt-route.

In the night to the 19.03.1945 the 6. SFltl was at sea with "S 212", "S 213", "S 704" and "S 223"; "S 222" had returned because of a waterpenetration and "S 704" with engine breakdown, in order to lay mine northeast of Lowestoft. In the mining area it came to fight with a  SGB and four MTBs, which had lurked for them. Afterwards the flotilla attacked convoy FS.1759 off Lowestoft with torpedoes. Seven sunk ships with 24.500 BRT and one torpedoed destroyer were reported. In reality only the freighters „Rogate“ (2.871 BRT) and „Crichtoun“ (1.097 BRT) sank.

In this night teh S-boats laid a total of 110 mines along the Englisch eastcoast, the 2., SFltl off the Humber estuary, the 5. Sfltl off Cromer, the 4. and the 9. SFltl off Orfordness.

On the mines laid in the night to the 18.03.sank on 19.03. the British freighters "Samelbu" (7253 BRT) and "Empire Blessing" (7062 BRT) aso well sa the Belgian trawler "Nelly" (75 BRT) and teh British landingship tanks "LST 80" (2750 ts). The American Liberty-Schip "Hadley F. Brown" was damaged by  a mine on 20.03.1945.

During the night 25./26.03.1945 the 4., 6., and 9. SFltl were underway again to contaminate the convoyroute with mines. Only the 9. SFltl could lay its mines. The two other flotillas were attacked and pushed away by the destroyers escort "Arendal" (Norwegian) and "Krakowiak" (Polish) and the British frigate "Riou". "S 205", "S 204", and "S 703" had to take hits, in the battle three man were killed on "S 205". On the mines of the 9. SFltl sank the American Liberty-Ship "Charles D. Melver" (/176 BRT) and der Greek freighter "Elefthenia" (7247 BRT) and on the 25.03. and the British motorlaunch "ML 466" (75 ts).

On the mines laid on the Thames-Scheldt-route sank on 28.03. the Belgian trawler "St. Jan" (75 BRT) and the British Landing Craft "LCP 840" (11 ts).  The Norwegian motor tankship "Belinda" (8325 BRT) was damaged.

Not earlier than in the night 06./07.04.1945 the 2. SFltl (Kptlt. Wendler) with "S 174", "S 176", "S 177", "S 209", "S 210" and "S 221" could leave harbour for a mining operation off the Humber estuary. After the flotilla-commander, KorvKapt. Opdenhoff, first bearer of the knight's cross with 142 sorties against the enemy was killed in action, Kptlt. Hugo Wendler became new flotilla-commander. As a commanding officer he was relieved by Oblt.z.S. Hans-Jürgen Stohwasser. Under fire of the British frigate "Cubitt" and the British destroyer escort "Haydon" the mines were laid. Then "MTB 5001" and "MTB 781" intervened in the battle. "MTB 5001" sank after a hit in the engine. On the way back three MTBs suddenly bumped into the 2. SFltl. "S 176" (Oblt.z.S Stockfleth) rammed "MTB 494", which capsized and floated bottum up. "S 177" and "MTB 493" collided and the MTB also rammed the wreck of "MTB 494". In the fighting "S 177" got many underwater-hits and had to be scuttled. "S 174" took over the complete crew. "S 176" burst in flames by the gunning and had also to be scuttled. The complement was rescued by "MTB 497" and "MTB 775" . Five men were killed in actin. Of "MTB 494" there were only two survivors. The remaining four boats of the flotilla entered Den Helder in the morning. "S 210" had lost contact to the flotilla and sailed back alone. When the commanding officer, Oblt.z.S. Kurt Neugebauer, climbed over the kalotte holding til the mashine-gun a shot was released that wounded him so seriously that he died in the sick-bay in the afternoon same day.

In the night 07./08.04.1945 the 4. SFltl with "S 205", "S 204", "S 219", "S 202", "S 703" and "S 304" and the 6. SFltl with "S 222", "S 705", "S 211", "S 223", "S 704", "S 212" and "S 706" were in a minelaying action on the Thames-Scheldt-route and laid 52 mines.  In a fight with British MTBs and the frigate"Rutherford" collided "S 202" (Kptlt. Wiencke †) and "S 703" (Oblt.z.S. d.Res. Steinhauer). Both boats had to be scuttled. Of "S 202" were killed in action:The commanding officer,  Kptlt. Joachim Wiencke, ObMasch. Heinz Niefaber (L.M.), ObFhnr.z.S. Helmut Niessen, SKad. Hans-Joachim Werning, Masch.HptGefr. Peter Müller, Masch.ObGefr. Josef Naber, of "S 703" were killed in action: ObMasch. Helmut Schneider, ObBtsm.Mt. Otto Koch, SKad. Hans-Richard Koch, Matr.ObGefr. Karl-Heinz Brinckmann, Fk.ObGefr. Johann Czerwinski,  Fk.ObGefr. Herbert Schwientek und Matr.Gefr. Karl-Heinz Grefe. The 40 survivors were rescued by the British and became prisoners of war.

 In the night 12./13.04.1945 the 4., 6. and 9. SFltl with a total of 12 boats perforn´med a last minelaying action based on Ijmuiden. AFter laying the barrier the boats came under fire of the British destroyer escort " Hambledon" and the British frigate "Ekins". "S 205" got a severe 5,7cm-hit, she went to maximum speed imediately and was suddenly attacked by a MTB on collision-course. "S 205" could avoid the ramming, the MTB passed her with 2 m distandce astern. Then "S 205"got another 5,7cm hit in compartment VI, thereby "S 205" lost contact to the flotilla, but could as the other boats, which also came under fire of destroyer escort "Quantock" and were attacked by aircraft, enter Hook van Holland.

On the minebarriers laid last the British freighter "Canakrian" (4876 BRT) was damaged, on 16.04. sank the British Motortankship "Gold Shell" (8208 BRT), on 16.04. the American freighter "Benjamin H. Bristow" (/191 BRT) and on 08.05. the American freighter "Horace Binney" (7191 BRT) were damaged by mine-hits.