HMS Garry vs UB110

[Felix C]

Anyone have the escort commander report of the incident and/or survivor interrogations to advise?

Furbinger of UB110 claims they were shot at with handguns and light weapons while in the water and obviously surrendering. Pelted with coal as well.

Lightoller of the Garry writes in his bio that " when one did surrender to us, I refused to accept the hands-up business. In fact it was simply amazing that they should have had the infernal audacity to offer to surrender, in view of their ferocious and pitiless attacks on our merchant ships."

 

Would the after action report specifically state men were shot at while in the water?

Edited 20 July , 2019 by Felix C

[Hyacinth1326]

 I have ADM 137/3060.. It contains the following report which I will provide verbatim.  There is also a complete crew list in the file.  The matter was discussed some time ago in this thread https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/85454-the-blucher/?tab=comments#comment-798744

 

'Sinking of UB-110'

 

 

 

 

Edited 25 July , 2019 by Hyacinth1326

[Hyacinth1326]

ADM 137/4150 contains the following;

 

HMS Garry and ML263 and ML49, 19.7.18

 

 

Edited 25 July , 2019 by Hyacinth1326

[Hyacinth1326]

I copied material from ADM 137/3917  Room 40 decrypts concerning this boat

 

'9 July Left 

10 July 22.10 Torpedoed oiler Sprucol in 54 20' N 0 25' W

12 July 18:21 Reported in 54 20' N 0 20'W

14 July 13.15  D/Fd at 54 20' N    0 25'W

18 July 12:20 Reported in 54 35'N 0 44' W

19 July 13:13  torpedo fired at SS Jolande in 54 40 N 0 59W missed'

[Hyacinth1326]

 

 

'

Edited 25 July , 2019 by Hyacinth1326

[Malcolm12hl]

Although Hyacinth has done a comprehensive job with the primary sources, readers will also be able to source much of the material in R. Young & P. Armstrong, SILENT WARRIORS: SUBMARINE WRECKS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, VOLUME I  pp.81-86 (Tempus, 2006).  UB 110 was salvaged by the RN during the war, and towed to the Swan & Hunter shipyard on the Tyne for examination.

[Hyacinth1326]

Silent Warriors is a superlative reference source but now out of print I fear. 

Local newspapers (Hartlepool and South Shields) record that German POWs were treated for gunshot wounds.    Something very irregular happened here IMO.  

Edited 22 July , 2019 by Hyacinth1326

[Malcolm12hl]

Yes, they are an excellent source, covering losses in both wars on both sides, and providing a huge amount of background and primary source information.  Volume 3, dealing with the west coast, is still available new on Amazon from a number of vendors at remainder prices, and Volume 2, dealing with the south coast, is widely available second-hand at reasonable prices on Abe Books.  Unfortunately, the story is not so happy regarding Volume 1, dealing with the east coast, as there only appear to be a few second-hand copies available at inflated prices.

[Hyacinth1326]

This final report is for me the most interesting.  It is written by Rear Admiral East Coast and was incorporated into the Admiralty Staff Technical History Monograph 

Edited 25 July , 2019 by Hyacinth1326

[Michael Lowrey]

The German official Der Krieg zur See 1914-1918: Der  Handelskrieg mit U-Booten, Volume 5, page 127 states that there were 13 German survivors as opposed to the 15 (16 mines one that died 20 minutes later) listed above. Did two additional members of UB 110's crew die after being landed?

[Hyacinth1326]

That is the clear implication from these documents.  None were buried locally at Preston or South Shields and there is no evidence of later translation to Cannock.  Any bodies were disposed of before HMS Bionetta and HMS Stour reached the Tyne.

 

 

Edited 25 July , 2019 by Hyacinth1326