Summer 2013
Page 9
Solved: Mystery of missing WW1 German submarines uncovered after explorers find remains
A vast ocean graveyard of British and German vessels sunk during the First World War has been discovered by a team of explorers. A total of 41 German U-boats, as well as three English submarines, have been unearthed at depths of up to 50 feet close to England’s southern and eastern coasts by a team led by underwater archaeologist Mark Dunkley. He now hopes to find memorabilia that will give a clue to the identity of those who died in what were undoubtedly horrendous and terrifying circumstances. The Germans used the submarines to inflict heavy losses on merchant shipping in the Great War. They only had 28 of the relatively new U-boats at the beginning of the war, but as the technology proved its effectiveness production was ramped up significantly. 'Many have forgotten how successful the German U-boat fleet was for a time,' added Dunkley. However, the risks to the crew were enormous. Torpedoes often misfired, killing crew, and aiming them was a difficult and uncertain process. If they missed, the slowmoving vessels were easy prey for warships, which would ram them or use depth charges. Nearly half of the 380 U-boats used by the German navy in World War I were lost.
Above: a U-boat stranded on the south coast of England in 1917 Left: two German submarines, the U35 and U42 surface off the Mediterranean coast
The find is expected to clear up a number of mysteries about the fates of ships that sank fighting in the conflict. Mr Dunkley, who is employed by English Heritage, said: 'We owe it to these people to tell their story. We divers only approach the boats with great caution. Venturing inside would definitely be extremely dangerous.' He says his team will now to use robots to cut through the hull to find the mysteries that lie within. 'Perhaps we'll find a cup or a sign with a name on it,' Dunkley told reports German news magazine Der Spiegel. Several U-boats with the German Imperial Navy are still officially considered missing to this day. Lists provide details on which of the U-boats the German naval forces had lost by the time the war ended in November 1918, but the fate of many is still shrouded in mystery. One such mysterious vessel is UB 17, which vanished with its crew of 21 men. Another is the UC 21, commanded by naval Lieutenant Werner von Zerboni di Sposetti, a minelayer that disappeared with all 27 hands. Dunkley believes he has found both.
Above right: German U-Boat U-118 attracts the attention of locals after washing up on the beach at Hastings, 1919. The ships were labeled 'baby killers' by British propagandists Right: the underwater archaeologists