Clandestine German Naval Bases in the Caribbean?

[Hoplophile]

I'm currently writing an extensive article on the US intervention on Hispaniola (Hait and the Dominican Republic) during World War I. In the course of my research, I constantly run into accusations of German attempts to gain influence on the island, as well as fears that an unnamed 'European Power' might try to obtain naval bases, particularly at the Mole St. Nicholas in Haiti. (Mole St. Nicholas was across the Windward Passage from the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.)

I am wondering if anyone has run into any evidence of that the German Navy had serious plans to create such bases, or that the Allied navies had serious fears that the Germans might somehow exploit the highly fluid political situation on the island to create such bases. I would be particularly interested to know if the Royal Navy had any contingency plans to deal with such an eventuality.

[historydavid]

Hello Bruce,

I don't know anything about German intentions to create a naval base, but they were certainly interested in the general area. The possibility of the US entering the war was strong from early on (ships and US civilian deaths) and you will recall their overtures to Mexico in the Zimmerman telegram.

Best wishes

David

[domsim]

Hi Bruce

Did a quick search of catalogue at Kew, this was the only thing thast came up-a bit more of search might turn up some more:

CO 23/281/4 'Admiral Anderson United States Squadron patrol force has been here and states that he has received intelligence that German submarines are likely to appear in Caribbean and West Indian waters this winter. He therefore strongly advises that Little Bahamas Bank should be continually patrolled by local launches. 1917 Oct 12

Cheers

Dominic

[Hoplophile]

Gentlemen, many thanks for your replies. I knew that the Germans were interested in the area, but did not imagine that World War I submarines could operate so far away from their bases.

[michaeldr]

Bruce,

I have not come across mention of possible Caribbean/West Indies bases

However Admiral Reinhard Scheer see here (chapter 14A) describes the extra fuel & stores etc which U53 had to take on board for its trip to American waters

"The supplies of the boat had had to be increased so as to make the voyage possible. Four ballast tanks were altered for use as fuel tanks, so that the oil supply was increased from 90 cb. m. to 150 cb. m.; the supply of lubricating oil of, 14½ cb. m. was considered sufficient for the voyage. Added to this, there was the increase in fresh water and food supplies, so that the boat's draught was increased by 40 c.m. So far as her sea-going qualities were concerned, her commander reported that the boat rode very steadily on the whole, but that every sea went over her upper deck, even when the force of the wind was only 4; from almost every direction spray flew over the bridge. Consequently for those on duty on the bridge, the voyage, especially at first, was a tremendous strain. The commander did not think that the officers and petty officers would be able to stand it (the rubber suits that had to be worn almost daily for the first fortnight were not watertight), and he would have turned back if the weather had not improved soon after September 24."

In view of this and the boats handling under such conditions, then it makes sense that if they wished to extend their activity into that area on a regular basis, then someone should have been looking for western hemisphere ports/bases to obviate the necessity to carry so much in the way of extra stores etc.

best of luck with your researches

Michael

[centurion]

There was a book of the 'ripping yarn' variety published at the end of 1917 called the Cruise of the Endeavour in which such a base (and its discovery by the heros) plays a significant part. Perhaps it helped spark the idea off in peoples' minds? Or perhaps the author had heard stories of such a base and decided to use it in the book.

[Hoplophile]

Many thanks, Michael, for the details of the trans-Atlantic cruise, which make the value of a 'secret' base in Haiti or the Dominican Republic very plain. (At the very least, the submarine could be resupplied with food, fresh water, medical supplies and the like. A rendezvous with a tanker - which could easily be bought or leased in a neutral country - could provide fuel. One could even imagine the improvisation of a submarine tender, complete with a machine shop for making spare parts, being improvised in a neutral country as well.)

Thanks also to Centurion, who is kind enough to remind me that, even if I am lost in Cloud-Cuckoo Land, at least one other person is there with me!

Now, if I could only find some evidence that sensible, sea-faring men with lots of gold lace on their cuffs with thinking similar thoughts ... Unfortunately, the US documents I run into either fail to specify what is meant by 'naval bases' or identify a naval base with a 'coaling station'.

A hearty thank you, once again, to all who responded!

[Deamon]

In view of this and the boats handling under such conditions, then it makes sense that if they wished to extend their activity into that area on a regular basis, then someone should have been looking for western hemisphere ports/bases to obviate the necessity to carry so much in the way of extra stores etc.

This problem was supposed to be addressed with U-Cruisers from which some were build at the end of the war, which conducted some patrols at the US coast.

The plan was to build more of this cruisers which could sail all the way over the atlantic, wrack havoc the shipping and run all the way back again. A common practice to save fuel was to capture a merchant ship and tow the u-boat with it for some time.

Regards,

Deamon

[Wdragon]

I'm currently writing an extensive article on the US intervention on Hispaniola (Hait and the Dominican Republic) during World War I. In the course of my research, I constantly run into accusations of German attempts to gain influence on the island, as well as fears that an unnamed 'European Power' might try to obtain naval bases, particularly at the Mole St. Nicholas in Haiti. (Mole St. Nicholas was across the Windward Passage from the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.)

I am wondering if anyone has run into any evidence of that the German Navy had serious plans to create such bases, or that the Allied navies had serious fears that the Germans might somehow exploit the highly fluid political situation on the island to create such bases. I would be particularly interested to know if the Royal Navy had any contingency plans to deal with such an eventuality.

Hi Bruce,

This is probably of no use to you, but here goes anyway.

In August/September 1914 the Germans used Trinidad Island (aka Trinidade Island I think) to fit out the Cap Trafalgar as an AMC, the guns were removed from the SMS Eber, the island, which I think was uninhabited was occupied during the refitting. Not quite a base more a anchorage. Note this is not Trinidad but a smaller island of the same title.

Regards

David

[Hoplophile]

Hi, David,

This incident is of great interest to me, for it shows that the sort of thing that I was imagining is something other than a by-product of a youth spent watching adventure films.

Many thanks,

Bruce

[Wdragon]

Hi, David,

This incident is of great interest to me, for it shows that the sort of thing that I was imagining is something other than a by-product of a youth spent watching adventure films.

Many thanks,

Bruce

Hi Bruce,

If you can get your hands on a copy of The Ship that hunted itself, by Colin Simpson (published 1977) you will find an account of the German use of island.

Regards

David

[Hoplophile]

Thanks, David. I am, once more, in your debt.