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Mirror Newspaper 22nd Dec U-325, U-400, U-1021
Posted by:
tim fraser
()
Date: December 22, 2006 03:33PM
22 December 2006
GOT U!
Three wrecked Nazi subs reveal success of secret British mine trap
By Richard Smith
THE discovery of three Nazi U-boat wrecks has shed light on a deadly British minefield trap that remained secret for 60 years.
Divers found the remains of the Second World War vessels all lying close to each other seven miles off Newquay in Cornwall, where no U-boats had ever been recorded as being lost.
But using de-classified wartime documents, historians revealed they were victims of a deep minefield laid to defend supply lines.
The secret project was sparked when a U-boat commander sunk a British destroyer after finding a gap in a minefield protecting supply ships heading to Cardiff and Bristol between Cornwall and Ireland.
He radioed the news to Germany but the message was intercepted by British intelligence.
The deep mines were laid to allow surface ships through safely while destroying the deadly U-boats.
Naval historian Eric Grove said the fate of the U-325, U-400 and U- 1021, which disappeared in late 1944 and early 1945, shows just how successful the trap was.
He said: "It was only recently the Government revealed the existence of this deep water minefield.
"The U-boat crews were under orders to patrol coastal waters hunting Allied shipping.
"Records show two of the three U-boats were thought to have been sunk by depth charge in the Bristol Channel. This research shows they actually struck mines off Cornwall."
Submarine investigator Innes McCartney added: "A surface ship could survive a mine but U-boats had no chance of recovery. The crew were doomed. When we dived on these U-boats we saw the whole bow had been blown off, which is where the crew would have been quartered.
"We could still see the sea boots of crew members sticking out, which was rather eerie."
Mr McCartney traced the 82- year-old widow of one of the Uboat commanders in Germany and told her its wreck had been found.
"She went through the whole gamut of emotions," he said.
"They had been childhood sweethearts and married and had children - and then he disappeared.
"His fate was a mystery, so to finally discover his whereabouts was very emotional.
"It was so rewarding to be able to complete the history for these three U-boats."
richard.smith@mirror.co.uk
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GOT U!
Three wrecked Nazi subs reveal success of secret British mine trap
By Richard Smith
THE discovery of three Nazi U-boat wrecks has shed light on a deadly British minefield trap that remained secret for 60 years.
Divers found the remains of the Second World War vessels all lying close to each other seven miles off Newquay in Cornwall, where no U-boats had ever been recorded as being lost.
But using de-classified wartime documents, historians revealed they were victims of a deep minefield laid to defend supply lines.
The secret project was sparked when a U-boat commander sunk a British destroyer after finding a gap in a minefield protecting supply ships heading to Cardiff and Bristol between Cornwall and Ireland.
He radioed the news to Germany but the message was intercepted by British intelligence.
The deep mines were laid to allow surface ships through safely while destroying the deadly U-boats.
Naval historian Eric Grove said the fate of the U-325, U-400 and U- 1021, which disappeared in late 1944 and early 1945, shows just how successful the trap was.
He said: "It was only recently the Government revealed the existence of this deep water minefield.
"The U-boat crews were under orders to patrol coastal waters hunting Allied shipping.
"Records show two of the three U-boats were thought to have been sunk by depth charge in the Bristol Channel. This research shows they actually struck mines off Cornwall."
Submarine investigator Innes McCartney added: "A surface ship could survive a mine but U-boats had no chance of recovery. The crew were doomed. When we dived on these U-boats we saw the whole bow had been blown off, which is where the crew would have been quartered.
"We could still see the sea boots of crew members sticking out, which was rather eerie."
Mr McCartney traced the 82- year-old widow of one of the Uboat commanders in Germany and told her its wreck had been found.
"She went through the whole gamut of emotions," he said.
"They had been childhood sweethearts and married and had children - and then he disappeared.
"His fate was a mystery, so to finally discover his whereabouts was very emotional.
"It was so rewarding to be able to complete the history for these three U-boats."
richard.smith@mirror.co.uk
Print article Email to a friend
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
Mirror Newspaper 22nd Dec U-325, U-400, U-1021
|
tim fraser | 12/22/2006 03:33PM |
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Re: Mirror Newspaper 22nd Dec U-325, U-400, U-1021
|
Rob Hoole | 12/23/2006 10:48AM |
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Re: Mirror Newspaper 22nd Dec U-325, U-400, U-1021
|
Clio | 12/25/2006 03:14PM |