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Re: U38 - Valentiner
Posted by:
Yves D
()
Date: November 11, 2003 06:47PM
<HTML>Ray,
In Spindler "Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten", vol. II there are a few lines about that operation.
U38 sailed out from Helgoland on Aug.4 for a patrol on the western coast of GB. He was also ordered for a special mission. Between 14 and 16 Aug., he had to wait in the Irish Sea, close to Great Ormes Head, for 3 officers PoW whith whom the Headquarters could have had a contact and whose camp was close to sea. They would try to flee from the camp one of those nights.
The first part of the patrol, U38 sank several ships on his way to the Irish Sea and met U27 (KL Wegener) at night on the 13th at a pre-arranged rendez-vous point. There it was decided between the 2 commanders that U38 would perform the special operation off Great Ormes Head. So, Valentiner headed for the welsh coast and started to cruise W and S of the point formed by Great Ormes Head. He waited very close to shore during two nights, 14 to 15 and 15 to 16. On the 16th by the evening, the sea becoming stormy, he could not wait one more night and had to abandon the mission.
It was known after the war that the 3 officers were well on the spot those nights but they had been hidden by a rocky point and neither the submarine nor them could have a visual contact. So the operation was narrowly missed and the following day, the 3 men were captured by local police.
I remember I have read some more details about that story in Valentiner's book published after the war but for the moment, I have no acces to this book. If you wish, I can try to find it within a couple of days.
Hoping this helps.
VBR
Yves</HTML>
In Spindler "Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten", vol. II there are a few lines about that operation.
U38 sailed out from Helgoland on Aug.4 for a patrol on the western coast of GB. He was also ordered for a special mission. Between 14 and 16 Aug., he had to wait in the Irish Sea, close to Great Ormes Head, for 3 officers PoW whith whom the Headquarters could have had a contact and whose camp was close to sea. They would try to flee from the camp one of those nights.
The first part of the patrol, U38 sank several ships on his way to the Irish Sea and met U27 (KL Wegener) at night on the 13th at a pre-arranged rendez-vous point. There it was decided between the 2 commanders that U38 would perform the special operation off Great Ormes Head. So, Valentiner headed for the welsh coast and started to cruise W and S of the point formed by Great Ormes Head. He waited very close to shore during two nights, 14 to 15 and 15 to 16. On the 16th by the evening, the sea becoming stormy, he could not wait one more night and had to abandon the mission.
It was known after the war that the 3 officers were well on the spot those nights but they had been hidden by a rocky point and neither the submarine nor them could have a visual contact. So the operation was narrowly missed and the following day, the 3 men were captured by local police.
I remember I have read some more details about that story in Valentiner's book published after the war but for the moment, I have no acces to this book. If you wish, I can try to find it within a couple of days.
Hoping this helps.
VBR
Yves</HTML>
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
U38 - Valentiner
|
Ray Lloyd | 11/11/2003 06:20PM |
|
Re: U38 - Valentiner
|
Yves D | 11/11/2003 06:47PM |
|
Re: U38 - Valentiner
|
Ray Lloyd | 11/12/2003 07:26PM |