ship, U-262 hit her with another torpedo, breaking the ship in two. She also sank the 7,178 GRT British cargo ship Ocean Crusader, a straggler from Convoy HX 216 northeast of St. John's on 26 November. U-262 arrived at her new home port of La Pallice on the French Atlantic coast on 9 December 1942. Fourth patrol The U-boat departed La Pallice on 16 January 1943 for a patrol out into the mid-Atlantic. On 6 February she fired five torpedoes at a tanker and a steamer, sinking the 2,864 GRT Polish cargo ship Zagloba, east southeast of Cape Farewell (Greenland), a straggler of Convoy SC 118. There were no survivors. U-262 returned to La Pallice on 15 February. Fifth patrol U-262 sailed again on 27 March 1943 and headed across the Atlantic to Prince Edward Island to pick up German POWs that were to escape from their camp in Operation Elster. On 15 April, while en route, she was shadowing Convoy HX 233, when the U-boat was attacked by depth charges and gunfire from the convoy escorts, forcing her to break off the attack. The U-boat then completed her mission, but no escaped POWs showed up at the rendezvous. She returned to La Pallice on 25 May. Sixth patrol U-262 left La Pallice next on 24 July 1943, commanded by the newly promoted Kapitänleutnant Heinz Franke, and headed across the Atlantic. On 8 August U-262 was waiting to refuel from while was being supplied, when a Grumman TBF Avenger/Grumman F4F Wildcat team from the aircraft carrier located the boats and attacked U-262. While attempting to drop depth charges, the Avenger was hit by flak and caught fire, but managed to drop two charges, severely damaging U-262, before ditching into the sea. The Wildcat was also shot down by U-262 during a strafing run. The damage received forced the U-boat to abort her patrol, she returned home on 2 September. Seventh patrol The U-boat sailed on 14 October 1943 for the waters northeast of the Azores. There she was involved in attacks on three Allied convoys. On 31 October during the attack on SL 138/MKS 28, she sank the Norwegian 2,968 GRT merchant ship Hallfried. Francke's actions in this patrol were marked by efficient shadowing and determined attacks, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. U-262 returned to La Pallice on 7 December. Eighth and ninth