[BBC News] Divers to verify war submarines

[Newsbot]

A group of dive enthusiasts are hoping to identify three submarines discovered off the Manx coast.

 

Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/...man/6412147.stm

[Albert Tatlock]

Eerie stuff.

 

The German U-boat U246 lies off the south of the Isle of Man. She is fairly intact but some live torpedoes lie strewn across the wreck. Her 44 crew are still trapped inside, their grave since 1945.

 

U-1024 was captured at sea on 12 April, 1945 but sank while in tow to harbour. U-1051 also 47 dead (all hands lost).

 

Clicky Map

 

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[The Last Bulgam Miner]

Eerie stuff.

 

The German U-boat U246 lies off the south of the Isle of Man.

 

Clicky Map

 

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Very interesting map. So what will the BBC broadcast next ? New island discovered off the Manx coast. It is to be named Anglesey. ?

 

These wrecks, according to the map, appear to be outside the manx 12 mile limit and one is closer to Ireland than to the Isle of Man.

 

Why do they need 'verifying' ??? It seems that Albert has dived them already. He certainly has all the information, and certainly nothing new can be learnt. They have obviously been dived already.

 

This smacks of self promotion by local divers and an excuse to collect artifacts from the wrecks to add to their already huge illegal collections stored in their garages and bedrooms. As war graves they should be left alone.

[Gladys]

The divers were interviewed on MR this week, they are very conscious of the fact that the submarines are war graves and said that they would not remove artefacts. They would, however, give the exact location to the German authorities (through the British Diving Association) so that they could notify the descendants. Assuming that they are honourable and people of their word, I can't see anything to criticise.

[The Last Bulgam Miner]

The divers were interviewed on MR this week, they are very conscious of the fact that the submarines are war graves and said that they would not remove artefacts. They would, however, give the exact location to the German authorities (through the British Diving Association) so that they could notify the descendants. Assuming that they are honourable and people of their word, I can't see anything to criticise.

 

 

There is nothing to criticise regarding their spoken intention. I am just commenting on what I have seen on previous behaviour from some divers.

[Declan]

"I think any family would want to know where their loved ones were resting if it was finally identified."

 

How sanctimonious! Has she asked them all?

 

I certainly would be content with "North East of the Isle of Man". I would need or want the exact GPS co-ordinates (what could I do with that info - I'm not gonna visit) especially if it meant a group of hobbyists on a jolly poking around the grave.

[Hugh Jampton]

The U-246 has been dived a couple of times by the Aquaholics diving club.

They only took photographs, nothing else.

 

Submariners gain the greatest respect from divers

 

If non divers want to have a look at the remains of a U-boat then go to Birkenhead for a superb example

[Heathen]

I went aboard U-505 when I was in Chicago at new years and found it amazing just how anyone operated in one of those. "Das Boot" gives you some idea of what it must have been like although nothing like actually standing inside one and even that cannot give you any idea what it was like to serve in one in wartime. Utmost respect to any submariner.

 

U-505

[Gladys]

"I think any family would want to know where their loved ones were resting if it was finally identified."

 

How sanctimonious! Has she asked them all?

 

I certainly would be content with "North East of the Isle of Man". I would need or want the exact GPS co-ordinates (what could I do with that info - I'm not gonna visit) especially if it meant a group of hobbyists on a jolly poking around the grave.

Declan, it is actually very important to people who have lost relatives in war to be able to visit their graves. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission does just that; it flies relatives all around the world so that they may visit the graves of their loved ones at least once. Remember the specifics of any losses in wartime are pretty well kept quiet, but after war, then relatives, rightly, want to visit the place their relative died. It's not sanctimonious, just understanding.

[tameelf]

looking at alberts map they seem to be already identified

[Karellen]

I went aboard U-505 when I was in Chicago at new years and found it amazing just how anyone operated in one of those. "Das Boot" gives you some idea of what it must have been like although nothing like actually standing inside one and even that cannot give you any idea what it was like to serve in one in wartime. Utmost respect to any submariner.

 

U-505

 

I went aboard the B-39 Soviet Attack Submarine at the San Diego maritime museum last year. Its staggering to think that this submarine was in active service into the 1990's. To say the conditions aboard are primative is an understatement.

 

San Diego maritime museum