After training with the
8th U-boat Flotilla, the boat became operational on 1 November 1942 when she was transferred to the
6th flotilla.
First and second patrols U-264s first patrol began when she departed
Kiel on 3 November 1942. She entered the Atlantic Ocean after negotiating the
gap between the
Faroe and the
Shetland Islands. On 17 November, she sank the
Mount Taurus. She was attacked by a Norwegian corvette, HNoMS
Potentilla, on the 20th. No damage was sustained. She entered
St. Nazaire in occupied France, on 4 December. The boat's second sortie was relatively uneventful.
Third patrol On 26 February 1943 just off
Cape Finisterre she fired a salvo of four
torpedoes at but all four missed; Sussex had just attacked and sunk the German Tanker
Hohenfriedburg. On 17 April 1943, she was in the process of attacking
Convoy HX 233 when she was attacked by the escorts. The boat was badly damaged, but was repaired by the crew and the patrol continued. She then sank the
Harperley and the
West Maximus south of
Cape Farewell (Greenland) on 5 May. She docked at
Lorient, on the French Atlantic coast, on 1 June. There then followed a pair of short 'hops' between Lorient and St. Nazaire in August and September 1943.
Fourth patrol While on her fourth patrol,
U-264 and two other U-boats were re-fuelling from the supply submarine on 4 October 1943 when they were surprised by aircraft from the American carrier . The more nimble Type VIIs escaped, but the '
milch cow' was sunk by the
Avengers.
U-264 did not remain unscathed for long; later that day she was attacked, the damage inflicted forced a return to base.
Fifth patrol and loss For her final sortie, she was again in the
North Atlantic. She was damaged by
depth charges dropped by the British sloops and and forced to the surface on 19 February 1944 in position .
Starling opened fire on the submarine, scoring several hits, as the crew abandoned the boat and it then sank. The entire crew of 52 officers and men were taken prisoner.
Wolfpacks U-264 took part in eleven
wolfpacks, namely: •
Kreuzotter (15 – 20 November 1942) •
Delphin (23 January – 9 February 1943) • Rochen (9 – 20 February 1943) • Without name (15 – 18 April 1943) • Specht (19 April – 4 May 1943) • Fink (4 – 6 May 1943) • Naab (12 – 15 May 1943) • Donau 2 (15 – 19 May 1943) • Mosel (19 – 23 May 1943) • Igel 2 (15 – 17 February 1944) • Hai 1 (17 – 19 February 1944) ==Summary of raiding history==