Huge Sub find

[SlipBall]

Not sure if anything will wind up on display

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/07/21/explorers-find-dozens-wwi-u-boats-off-united-kingdom-coast/

[Feathered_IV]

Odd for there to be so many. Perhaps they were scuttled there after the armistice.

[SlipBall]

Odd for there to be so many. Perhaps they were scuttled there after the armistice.


Yes odd...but they mention the expectation of finding crew members.

[Feathered_IV]

Nah. Probably just full of Spitfires.

[JG5_emil]

Yes odd...but they mention the expectation of finding crew members.

A lot of U boats were scuttled off the coast of Northern Ireland I believe.

[SlipBall]

A lot of U boats were scuttled off the coast of Northern Ireland I believe.


That's interesting, I always assumed that navy vessel's were cut up for scrap

[JG5_emil]

Here you go! There must be some amazing stuff down there :)

http://www.uboat.net/fates/deadlight_hist.htm

http://www.uboat.net/fates/deadlight_map.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Deadlight

[Igo kyu]

As I read between the lines, this is a rush job because in 2018 or earlier these will come under preservation orders, which will prevent amateur divers from removing items. So, from then on it will only be professional historians, and then only maybe, who are allowed to dive on these.

So, while there is a lot of talk about doing right by the crews, what it actually is, is a gold rush before the deadline falls.

<edit>

These are WW1 subs, not WW2, this is nothing to do with operation Deadlight.

[JG5_emil]

As I read between the lines, this is a rush job because in 2018 or earlier these will come under preservation orders, which will prevent amateur divers from removing items. So, from then on it will only be professional historians, and then only maybe, who are allowed to dive on these.

So, while there is a lot of talk about doing right by the crews, what it actually is, is a gold rush before the deadline falls.

<edit>

These are WW1 subs, not WW2, this is nothing to do with operation Deadlight.

Have you got a link?

I'm struggling to understand how there could be 40 WW1 or WW2 subs in one place which have dead crew members in them. Or are they talking about 40 individual sites which will become preserved and there fore stop people pillaging them. If the latter how has that not already happened? Most British wrecks sunk with loss of life are designated war graves I believe.

[JG5_emil]

AH Never mind I think you are completely right Igo Kyu

[arthursmedley]

Nah. Probably just full of Spitfires.



Well that is interesting, Feathered. In a way this is a bit of a buried Spitties story. From the article in Fox News - which is lifted from the Der Speigel story - you get the idea that a large number of submarines have been "discovered" and dived on and the "quartet" of divers are planning to cut their way in to find "artifacts".

Of course just like David Cundall and his buried Burmese Spitfires; it's bollox. However, unlike David Cundall, Mark Dunkley is a well respected, experienced Marine Archeologist who works for English Heritage - a UK government organisation. Their starting point is that we know from the historical record that the RN sunk over forty U-Boats in inshore waters in WWI.

Re read the two articles and look for the quotes by Mark Dunkley. He actually says nothing about having dived on any wrecks at all! If you're a lazy journo you can construct just about anything you want with a few out of context quotes.

Here is the original story from the Daily Telegraph in the Spring of this year. 'Fraid it's a rather more sober account of an archeological survey rather than Raiders of the Lost Ark.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/britain-at-war/10080492/Hunt-for-lost-First-World-War-submarines.html

In preparation for next years 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WWI English Heritage are doing a large survey of wrecks around English coastal waters. 'Aint nuthin gonna' be raised!