johnboy Posted 9 September , 2015 Share Posted 9 September , 2015 he fixes as about 250 miles west of Brest. Not a million miles away from his "150 miles west of Lands End". A strange way to give a location? If he is Irish waters then would you not expect the location to be given in relation to an Irish port or in relation to somewhere along the English coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cormorant1898 Posted 9 September , 2015 Share Posted 9 September , 2015 Far be it for me to drop a fly into the ointment but Chatterton relates how the US Destroyer Fanning depth charged and immobilised U58 on 17 Nov 1917 seven miles south of the Daunt's Rock lightvessel (which could well have been the Cormorant). The sub crew scuttled their ship and forty prisoners were taken. The end of U58. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 9 September , 2015 Share Posted 9 September , 2015 If U58 was sunk in Nov 1917, why is there still reference to U58 meeting up with 2 other subs in September 1918? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medaler Posted 9 September , 2015 Author Share Posted 9 September , 2015 If U58 was sunk in Nov 1917, why is there still reference to U58 meeting up with 2 other subs in September 1918? Good question!!! Just when I thought I might be getting somewhere, we have a whole new mystery. The U-Boat.net website confirms 1917 for the end of U58. I will go back and re-read Sims again, I am beginning to think I am going potty. OK, I have checked, and Sims is talking 1918, so what is he talking about? SOLVED!!!!!!!!!! Taking the info from U-Boat.net, the U-Boat Captain that Sims mentions is ROSE - He had charge of U53 NOT U58. Either something wrong with Sims' memory or a typo in the book. Regards, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cormorant1898 Posted 10 September , 2015 Share Posted 10 September , 2015 Mike, I followed the link you gave to Sims' book. At first, like you, I read U58, but enlarging the page showed it to be U53. Old age betrays us all ! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medaler Posted 10 September , 2015 Author Share Posted 10 September , 2015 Mike, I followed the link you gave to Sims' book. At first, like you, I read U58, but enlarging the page showed it to be U53. Old age betrays us all ! David Doh!!! Where in the rules does it say that I have to make life easy for people who are trying to help me? Seriously, to all who are following - and helping. Sorry about that tangent - My fault! So we are after information on the 2 boats that met up with U53 at the end of August / start of September 1918. Warmest regards, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lowrey Posted 11 September , 2015 Share Posted 11 September , 2015 I’m glad that several of you find this is so exciting. From my perspective, it’s rather straight forward. The location of the sub chaser attack was 50°17'N, 5°46'W. Per ADM137/4150: At 1130 three units of American Submarine Chasers were patrolling off the Cornish coast. Submarine was located by sound and attacks carried by these units in succession. Possibly slightly damaged. Note by E1: Chart evidence shows that only one submarine was operating in the vicinity of these attacks at the time and its subsequent movements can be definitely traced. The identity of U-boats at sea on that day is known -- it can be worked out easily from Spindler's official history. You can get most of them also from the uboat.net database of ships hit. U-boats kept both a log and a war diary (KTB). (Naval historians will generally use the KTBs.) At the end of WWII, the British captured the German naval archives. The Americans were allowed to make a microfilm copy of the files, including U-boat KTBs. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration today sells copies of those microfilms. I have a copy of most of the WWI U-boat KTB microfilm rolls but I need to go down to the local university library to use their microfilm reader. I'll check the KTBs of all the boats in the area, broadly defined. In case you were wondering, the original copies of the KTBs are now at the German military archives at Freiburg. Maybe 20 percent of WWI U-boat logs survive; those are also at Freiburg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medaler Posted 11 September , 2015 Author Share Posted 11 September , 2015 Michael, "I’m glad that several of you find this is so exciting. From my perspective, it’s rather straight forward." For my part, I am deeply appreciative that someone with your knowledge and expertise is taking the time and trouble to help me out. I think there are several people following this with interest now, who were all intrigued by the Sims account in Massie that I mentioned in the opening post. Things have moved on quite a bit since then, and your input has been crucial. Again, my sincere thanks. Warmest regards, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allison01 Posted 11 September , 2015 Share Posted 11 September , 2015 It is moving on and still following with interest! (Despite being up to my eyes with Waterloo ) Alli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lowrey Posted 16 September , 2015 Share Posted 16 September , 2015 OK, I've checked all but one of the KTBs of U-boats in the area and found no matching attack. I still need t look at U 82's KTB, but she seems to have been further west in any case. Best wishes, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medaler Posted 16 September , 2015 Author Share Posted 16 September , 2015 OK, I've checked all but one of the KTBs of U-boats in the area and found no matching attack. I still need t look at U 82's KTB, but she seems to have been further west in any case. Best wishes, Michael My sincere thanks for all your efforts Michael, Your help and guidance on this has been crucial. Warmest regards, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Lowrey Posted 28 September , 2015 Share Posted 28 September , 2015 And I had a look at U 82's KTB, no match there either. U 82, U 105, and U 67 were frequently in radio contact, which may explain one element of this story. Best wishes, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medaler Posted 28 September , 2015 Author Share Posted 28 September , 2015 Michael, My sincere thanks for all your efforts in looking at those documents for me. I looks like we are left with a different mystery to the one I thought we had. The conviction in the Sims account, reproduced in Massie, is doubtless sincere, but completely misleading. I don't mind saying that I am really glad that he got it wrong, but it would make a great story for a piece of fiction writing! Again, my sincere thanks Michael. Warmest regards, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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