The clandestine nature of U-boat operations have inevitably coloured many accounts of events during the war. Many strange lights or inexplicable occurrences have often been ascribed to U-boats; more often than not in complete error. In an effort to clarify matters I have tried to give as complete an account as possible of each boat to illustrate the nature of the U-boat war. It can be seen that Bristol Channel operations only made up a small part of the careers of the various boats. I know of many   stories where strange lights or unusual occurrences were assigned to U-boats operating off the coast. Such stories are rarely if ever true. The German U-boats were considered as vital assets to the German trade war against the Allies. Any boat coming into water less than 100 feet deep off the coast of Britain would represent an unacceptable risk to security and safety. The boat would present a completely vulnerable target to both air and naval power. A boat wrecked in such circumstances would present the enemy with a first class opportunity of salvage of technical and cryptographic information. Throughout the war, Admiral Dönitz fought constantly against the use of U-boats to land spies or saboteurs ashore on hostile territories. He was almost always successful. The few occasions when U-boats were used like this are well known and are well documented. They do not occur in the Bristol Channel or the Irish Sea.

Operational and strategic necessities brought the U-boats to the Bristol Channel for two campaigns; first there was the early period of coastal and mine warfare in the months before the Battle of the Atlantic began. Secondly there was the inshore campaign of 1944 and 1945 when the boats made a far deadlier foe for coastal traffic. In addition, U-boat Command nominated the Bristol Channel and particularly the waters off Milford Haven as an important secondary target area. This secondary status became operational in autumn 1944 when Allied air and naval power made it too dangerous for U-boats to operate in the waters off Cherbourg and within the established shipping lanes for supply traffic to the French beaches. So for example, U 322, U 400 and U 772 were all given patrol areas off Cherbourg in November 1944, but were to divert to Milford Haven if conditions at Cherbourg were unfavourable, however, none of those boats were recorded as appearing off the Welsh coast during those particular patrols.