Watching U-571 got me questioning; hollywood and reality. Did the Germans use depth charges in the Atlantic? Also, were they accurate and actually caused some imprisonment, destruction or crippling of any Allied submarines?

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yes friend. The Kriegsmarine had U-Jäger boots with the sole purpose of hunting down enemy submarines. The men were awarded the Minen badge just as servicemen on Mine ships.

also the Germn destroyers were also equipped with depth charges as well as torpedo tubes. depended on their mission as well.

E ~

Yes, the Germans had depth charges (150 - 200 kg) similar to early war Allied ones. The equipped anti-submarine ships with both stern racks and throwers similar to the British K gun. Whether or not a particular vessel was equipped had alot to do with its intended use. More often than not, most German vessels had their ASW replaced with mine rails as this was a more common and needed function (mine rails took up the deck space where the depth charge racks / throwers would be placed.
German destroyers and some other ASW vessels also had sonar / ASDIC comparable to early war British sets installed (based on a quartz modulator).
Note, that the Germans also continued development of anti-submarine weapons like the RW 61 that eventually was mounted on the SturmTiger. This rocket launcher was originally designed as a depth charge thrower.

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However, U-571 and reality are incompatible terms...

There were no single German destroyers operating in the Atlantic, let alone a shipborne aircraft, etc., etc.

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E, TA, Knightmove; good stuff, thanks. I was wondering about that. The depth charge throwers were used by the Americans in the Pacific theater if I'm not mistaken, correct, nicknamed the mole I think.

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Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it- Sun Tzu

The US and British used pretty much the same anti-submarine weapons everywhere (primarily in the Atlantic though). These were:

300 and 500 lbs depth charge
330 lbs fast sinking depth charge (shaped like a teardrop)
4000 lbs Mk X depth charge (British only as far as I know). This monster was fired from a torpedo tube and usually replaced one torpedo on British DD's.
Mousetrap. An ahead throwing rocket launched ASW bomb. Usually mounted in pairs on the forecastle of ships that had it. Most ships were smaller vessels unable to accomidate Hedgehog. Relatively inaccurate as it was not stabilized.
Hedgehog. An ahead throwing 24 bomb spigot mortar employed either singly replacing a 5" gun mount (normally #2 just ahead of the bridge) or, in pairs if fixed mounted. This was a fairly vicious weapon for the period. The ahead throw meant that sonar contact was maintained right up to the launch of the bombs. The bombs only went off on contact so a explosion meant the sub was finished.
Squid / Limbo: The British 3 round ahead throwing 12" depth charge mortar. A late war weapon that supplemented Hedgehog.

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