Technology and Operations
This forum is for discussing technological & operational matters pertaining to U-boats.
Bay of Biscay 1940
Posted by:
Tony Lea
()
Date: February 13, 2002 01:07AM
Immediately after the fall of France in June 1940 (June 22-24), my mother's
family fled, on the Dutch ship "Queen Wilhelmina," from the port of Bayonne,
France. While refugees' possessions were being loaded onto the ship, word
arrived that the German army was marching in on the opposite side of town,
and the dock workers fled, leaving the remaining valuables on shore. The
Wilhelmina was the last ship to leave Bayonne before the invaders seized
the harbour.
As the ship crossed the Bay of Biscay, my mother and her brother, on the
port side of the ship, noticed a "floating stick" that appeared to travel on a parallel course and at the same speed as the ship. They brought this to the attention of a passing sailor and it transpired that the "stick" was in fact the periscope of a German U-boat travelling alongside the vessel. Evidently the submarine had either run out of ammunition, or was under orders to fire only on military vessels, for the Queen Wilhemina was not attacked. The U-boat was eventually chased away by the RAF.
The Wilhelmina reached Plymouth safely, but I do not know about its
subsequent history or the identity of the U-boat that pursued it. Is there a
source, either on-line or in the British, Dutch or German archives, that
would provide me with this information?
I am particularly interested in the log book of the U-boat commander, which
might explain why he did not open fire. Is it possible that this journal might reside in the German
naval records?
family fled, on the Dutch ship "Queen Wilhelmina," from the port of Bayonne,
France. While refugees' possessions were being loaded onto the ship, word
arrived that the German army was marching in on the opposite side of town,
and the dock workers fled, leaving the remaining valuables on shore. The
Wilhelmina was the last ship to leave Bayonne before the invaders seized
the harbour.
As the ship crossed the Bay of Biscay, my mother and her brother, on the
port side of the ship, noticed a "floating stick" that appeared to travel on a parallel course and at the same speed as the ship. They brought this to the attention of a passing sailor and it transpired that the "stick" was in fact the periscope of a German U-boat travelling alongside the vessel. Evidently the submarine had either run out of ammunition, or was under orders to fire only on military vessels, for the Queen Wilhemina was not attacked. The U-boat was eventually chased away by the RAF.
The Wilhelmina reached Plymouth safely, but I do not know about its
subsequent history or the identity of the U-boat that pursued it. Is there a
source, either on-line or in the British, Dutch or German archives, that
would provide me with this information?
I am particularly interested in the log book of the U-boat commander, which
might explain why he did not open fire. Is it possible that this journal might reside in the German
naval records?
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
Bay of Biscay 1940
|
Tony Lea | 02/13/2002 01:07AM |
|
Re: Bay of Biscay 1940
|
Harvey | 02/17/2002 04:06PM |
|
Re: Bay of Biscay 1940
|
Tony Lea | 02/18/2002 04:17AM |
|
Re: Bay of Biscay 1940
|
kpp | 02/20/2002 10:38AM |