fog, but was forced to dive by a destroyer and heavily depth charged, but managed to escape unharmed. U-333 joined wolfpack 'Schill 1' on 16 November. On the 18th, while attacking the combined convoys SL 139 and MKS 30, the U-boat was rammed by the frigate , losing her periscope. U-333 was then subjected to an attack from warships and an aircraft that lasted for eight hours, before making her escape. The U-boat returned to La Pallice on 1 December 1943 having had no success. Ninth and tenth patrol U-333 sailed out on a patrol on 10 February 1944, but returned after only two days on the 12th. The U-boat left again on 14 February and headed into the waters west of Ireland. There, on 21 March, the U-boat was spotted by Allied aircraft which in turn brought in the Royal Navy's renowned U-boat hunters, the 2nd Support Group, under the command of Captain F.J. Walker. Pursued relentlessly, Cremer eventually took U-333 to the bottom and sat on the sea floor at a depth of for 10 hours. Although releasing the U-boat from the grip of the mud was a problem, she eventually freed herself, and once again U-333 escaped. The U-boat returned to base on 20 April 1944, again having had no success. Eleventh patrol Departing from La Pallice on 6 June 1944, U-333 fell victim to the increased anti-submarine activity by the Allies after the Normandy landings. On 10 June, while still in the Bay of Biscay, U-333 was attacked by an Australian Sunderland flying boat patrol bomber of No. 10 Squadron RAAF, and suffered some damage, although she managed to repel the aircraft with her flak. The next day U-333 was attacked, again by another Sunderland, this time from No. 228 Squadron RAF. U-333 managed to shoot the aircraft down, but suffered further damage, forcing her to abort her patrol and return to base on 13 June. Twelfth patrol On 19 July 1944 Cremer left U-333 in order to commission the new Type XXI Elektroboot , and Kapitänleutnant Hans Fiedler was appointed as commander on the 20th. His first, and U-333s final patrol began on 23 July, as she headed into the Western Approaches. Sinking U-333 was sunk on 31 July 1944, west of the Scilly Isles, in position , by the first use of the Squid anti-submarine mortar from the British Royal Navy sloop and frigate