An overwhelmingly successful expedition led by submarine-hunter Innes McCartney has uncovered the resting places of 10 German U-boat wrecks from World War Two in the crystal-clear waters off the north coast of Ireland. The excellent photographs and video images bring to life World War Two’s U-boats, the most tenacious enemy Britain faced.
In the winter of 1945, the allies disposed of 116 U-boats in ‘Operation Deadlight’. These submarines represented the bulk of Germany’s Ubootwaffe that had surrendered in May of that year.
Operation Deadlight was the result of an allied policy to place out of reach, for all time, these once feared undersea weapons. It was intended that all of the submarines should be towed out and sunk in the deep waters of the eastern Atlantic. However, the execution of Operation Deadlight was fraught with difficulties and hampered by bad weather. Only 58 U-boats (exactly half) reached the allocated dumping ground. Of the other 58, many lie in depths that can be reached by the most experienced of ‘mixed gas’ scuba divers.
The Operation Deadlight waters also contain the remains of at least five U-boats destroyed during World War Two, four of which contain the remains of their entire crews and had never been found.
Operation Deadlight 2001 has been an attempt to locate some of these wrecks and identify them. During the course of the expedition, eight U-boats from Operation Deadlight and two war-graves have been found, filmed, photographed and given identities. This is a major landmark in the contributions of amateur divers in tracing and identifying a living part of Britain’s, Ireland’s and Germany’s undersea heritage. This has been funded entirely by the divers themselves.
The three most remarkable finds were:
U2511 – This is a very rare example of the Type XXI ‘electro-boat’ – the world’s first true submarine design. Developed too late to attack allied ships, the Type XXI would have proved a deadly menace to the allied war effort. Several post-war submarine designs were based on the Type XXI template. U2511 was commanded by KKpt Adalbert Schnee, a Knight’s Cross holder and one of the most successful U-boat commanders. It was the only Type XXI to sight an allied convoy, shortly after it had been given the order to surrender on the last day of World War Two. This is undoubtedly one of the most important 20th century shipwrecks around the coasts of Britain and Ireland. She was sunk by gunfire, having broken her towing line during disposal in Operation Deadlight.
U155 – This was one of the most successful U-boats of World War Two. Mainly under the command of Knight’s Cross holder, KKpt Adolf Piening, U155 sailed on 10 patrols and sunk 26 allied ships including the aircraft carrier HMS Avenger, which sunk with the loss of 700 lives.
U743 – This U-boat was located by chance and turned out to be a war-grave. Working with the German U-boat historian Axel Niestlé, the expedition can confirm that this is the wreck of U743, lost on patrol, reason unknown with all 50 on board. The evidence from the wreck site points to her being involved in an accidental collision while at periscope depth. Now at least, the relatives of those lost have a place to grieve in space and time. This is the fifth such wreck Innes McCartney has found in the past four years.
The Operation Deadlight Expedition 2001 was conducted with the full knowledge and approval of the UK Ministry of Defence. The divers did not interfere with any of the wrecks in any way. The expedition has been conducted purely for historical research purposes.
Phase II of the Operation Deadlight Expedition begins in May 2002. The expedition organisers are keen to talk to potential sponsors as, at present the expedition has been self-funding. With greater financial backing far more could be achieved.
Video footage and stills photographs are available from Innes McCartney.
Innes McCartney can be contacted at: innes@periscopepublishing.com
Expedition Official website: www.operationdeadlight.co.uk