Hi, reading this account, I believe it could have happened. Firstly, lets say Bauer was on U179, and was dropped off prior to her sinking. I have info of a uboat been spotted off the west coast in september 1942, might be a little early for U179, but we will have to work that out. Dont forget the navigator aboard U179 Paul Temme, was the same navigator that dropped off Robbie Leibrandt in 1941. Now Bauer could have received help from the OBW like Robbie did. The west coast did and still has diamond mining. Dont forget after Robbie Leibrandt was captured he also escaped with the help of sympathetic police members attached to the OSW. The four engined aircraft, well four engines would be a good size to make the trip. Refueling in German occupied North Africa, and the former German colony of South West Africa, that had a huge german population, also partly sympathetic to Germany. From SWA it would not be to difficult to follow the coast down and land in the Northern Cape. Since a huge operation that involved the blowing up of Durban dry dock was planned for U200 and the Brandenburgers, I imagine there should have been some advance work needed with the OSW, as Robbie had at that point been captured for the second time and had, had a fallout with the OSW leadership.

Regards
Juliet