Hi Barrie,

Thanks for the note. Just in case you are not familiar with the details of the loss of U-407 on 19 Sep 1944: U-407 was first spotted and attacked with Hedgehog bombs at 1700 by the destroyer Garland which was soon joined by four other destroyers, Troubridge, Terpsichore, Brecon and Zetland. These five vessels relentlessly pursued and bombed U-407 for more than 11 hours (!) but without destroying her until 0438 the next morning at which time her commander, Oblt.z.S. Hans Kolbus, had to bring the boat up to the surface because the crew was in danger of dying from CO2 poisoning, i.e.lack of oxigen. After his men had gone overboard, he set off the prepared charges and scuttled the boat. Six men, among them the First Watch Officer and a war correspondent, could not be found and died, 47 including Kolbus and Pientka survived. By the way, nearly two years earlier, on 11 Nov 1942, under a different commander, U-407 had sunk the P&O liner Viceroy of India, one of the larger British vessels destroyed by a U-boat in WWII.

Hope your contact with Miro Herold works out fine.

Cheerio and good luck,
Gert