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The real U-571, captained by Oberleutnant zur See Gustav Lüssow, was lost with all hands on 28 January 1944, west of Ireland.

She was hit by depth charges, dropped from a Short Sunderland Mk III flying boat, EK577, callsign " D for Dog ", belonging to No. 461 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ).

The aircraft's commander, Flt Lt Richard Lucas, reported that most of the U-boat's 52 crew managed to abandon ship, but all died from hypothermia.

" D for Dog ", which was crewed partly by Royal Air Force ( RAF ) personnel, was based at RAF Pembroke Dock, in Wales.