Hello Nom Anor

"Erich Gerth tried to get on patrol again on 10 August [1918], sailing out with a torpedo boat and U 35. In the Straits of Otranto two ships were sighted, possibly older Italian cruisers, one of which steered towards the u-boat. Gerth dived to sixty metres, the port engine had to be switched off because of overheating and water began coming in through the long-faulty hatch. It was back to base again avoiding an enemy submarine which luckily could not fire a torpedo because of the heavy swell. Workers at Cattaro could not handle the repairs so it needed a further retreat to Pola, where Gerth handed in his torpedoes and planned an optimistic fourteen days in docks. In September, an additional two weeks of tests and repairs were needed."

From my book, 'Sound of Hunger', published this May, Uniform Press, with a following wind. Erich Gerth then conducted his only successful war patrol in UC 53, and was again beset by serious technical problems. Also, U 35 was one of only two boats that failed to get home to Germany in the dash across the Med when the Adriatic bases were abandoned. Faced with impossible mechanical problems, Heino von Heimburg opted for internment in Spain.

Best wishes
Chris Heal