Hello

I am not sure how to go about suggested discrepancies in uboat.net's accounts other then going 'public'. If you think the following is an inappropriate route, then please let me know.

The site says that UC 39 was depth charged and then sunk by gunfire by HMS Thrasher off Flamborough Head on 8 February 1917. I can't comment on the depth charge and gunfire, although she was certainly brought to the surface and holed. I can say that UC 39 didn't sink for a further two hours and thirty-five minutes after capture. The affair was a great embarrassment to the Royal Navy who had the boat in tow - and was kept secret.

The story is told in TNA ADM 156/28 (thirty pages) which covers the court of enquiry of 13 February into the sinking of the interestingly-named 'HMS UC 39' and the subsequent court martial of the commanding officer of HMS Itchen which had the tow. The commanding officer 'received distinct orders by signal to make sure that UC 39 would float or to beach her'. He did neither. The boat was boarded and documents taken off, but no effort was made to search for or to patch up the damage. After over a hour of towing when shallow water could easily have been made, and during a towing manoeuvre, UC 39 suddenly and quickly sank in deep water.

The commanding officer got off on a legal technicality because of the framing of the charges; the Admiralty was not happy about the acquittal which the fourth sea lord saw as 'very fortunate' for the Itchen's captain.

'This officer probably did his best, but his best was not good enough; and he didn't rise to the occasion.'

This was the Admiralty's first chance to get hold of a complete Series II uc-boat and they lost it.

Best wishes
Chris