U-426 left Brest on 3 January 1944 for another cruise under its commander, Kapitanleutnant Christian Reich, but five days later was spotted about 400 miles west of St. Nazaire by Sunderland G.R.Mk.III (EK586) of No.10 (RAAF) Sqd., flown by Flying Officer J.F. Roberts from Mount Batten, Devon. Six depth charges were dropped, straddling the stern of the U-boat. The bows rose (as shown here) and some of the crew began to clamber out of the conning tower. They were left in the water after the U-boat sank, but there were no survivors from the crew of fifty-one. Ref: AIR 27/153
