Posted on 12/22/2006 3:58:11 PM PST by Paddlefish
Divers have uncovered the wrecks of three Second World War German submarines off the British coast, shedding light on a British operation that has remained secret for more than 60 years. Historians were amazed at the discovery of the severely damaged U-boats, which are lying close to each other seven miles off Newquay, Cornwall, because none had ever been recorded as being lost there. After extensive research it was found that they had been sunk in a secret minefield laid after the British intercepted a radio message from a U-boat commander.
His boat had sunk a British destroyer after discovering a gap in the Irish Sea minefield that allowed supply ships in to Cardiff and Bristol. He radioed the news to Germany but his message was deciphered by British Intelligence. The British then laid deep mines to allow ships through but trap U-boats.
Historians were unaware of the minefield until recently, when the relevant documents were declassified.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
A little off topic but I heard recently of a U-Boat sunk in WW2 that was bound for Japan with a cargo of 65 tons of mercury and the newly designed jet engine. The mercury is now leaking and contaminating the sea life.
The Brits came up with some brilliant stuff during that war. I always marvel at the story of the Dam Busters. Along with the Aussies, one of our few reliable allies in spite of all the political disagreements.
ping
I wish it was possible to lure our enemies as well into a killing field like it was 60 years ago, but then again what if we really find out what happened to OBL 6 decades from now?
From "Silent Victory," Clay Blair, Jr. - 1975
" ... In June 1943, Congressman Andrew Jackson May, a sixty-eight-year-old
member of the House Military Affairs Committee returning from a war zone
junket, gave a press interview during which he said, in effect, 'Don't
worry about our submariners; the Japanese are setting their depth
charges too shallow.' Incredibly, the press associations sent this story
over the wires, and many newspapers, including one in Honolulu,
thoughtlessly published it ... "
After the war Admiral Lockwood wrote, " ... I consider that indiscretion
cost us ten submarines and 800 officers and men ... "
AAAAUUUUGGGGHHH!!! (Runs off screaming into the night)
Okay, I'm back now, with a word of explanation. I was down for a couple of months after some really serious surgery a few years ago. I was stuck in the house, and it seemed that every show on the History Channel was either about Bletchley Park, or contained some reference to it.
A year later- something similar happened to a friend, with the same result. It turned into a running inside joke. :-)
The Chicago Tribune also gave away in an article on the Battle of Midway during the war that we were reading Japanese messages.
Ditto.
Flat out amazing what they had to overcome to do that. Watch the TV shows about it when ever they come on.
Hit 'Play Ad' when you get there... :-)
http://www.visit4info.com/details.cfm?adid=24268
ping
A really informative and interesting book on German submarine warfare in WWII is 'Operation Drumbeat'. It deals mainly with German efforts off the U.S. coast, but it gives a good picture of the Allied efforts to counter the German subs (pitiful to begin with, but devastatingly effective later on). I don't know if it's still in print, but it's well worth tracking down.
I like what the Kraut does at the end, cool.
Thanks for the link.
ping...
You're right. It is.
Duranty was a real piece of work and the Times covering his butt was just the icing on the cake for them.
But, that's what they do.
My grandfather passed some model kits down to me when he died, and that one might be the one I chose to make when I pulled the kit out of the stash. I don't remember the number, but I remember she was an I-19 class boat and that her last voyage involved carrying freight and engineers from France to Japan, including a jet engine and blueprints for an Me 262 fighter. She stopped in Singapore to pick up cadet candidates for the naval academy and two US subs (I think one of them was USS sawfish) were waiting outside the straits for her.
I never did build that kit. Too many missing pieces.
The models my grandfather had were just the regular injection-molded model kits you can buy at any hobby store. In WWII he was a soldier involved in the Italian campaign. Despite his Army background he was a real ship fanatic and the kits he passed to me included a Soviet aircraft carrier, a U.S. Gato sub and Ticonderoga cruiser, HMS Victory, and I-19 sub and a Mississippi riverboat.
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