The 'Independent on Sunday' article describing how newly identified sites have revealed that far more submarines were sunk by mines than previously thought is at [www.independent.co.uk]:

"The final resting places of six German U-boats sunk in the final months of the Second World War's greatest naval conflict have finally been identified. After years of research, maritime experts say their discoveries will force historians to re-evaluate the battle for control of the Atlantic.

Evidence from the wrecks suggests many U-boats were sunk by mines rather than attacks by Allied air and naval forces, as had previously been believed. The findings show coastal minefields were around three times more effective than British naval intelligence gave them credit for. Experts believe their view was distorted, unintentionally, by reports from over-enthusiastic airmen and escort ship commanders who sometimes claimed they had sunk U-boats with depth charges or anti-submarine mortars..."

U-1208 and U-326 were sunk by depth charges and U-650 was sunk by 'hedgehog' but it's surprising that the main findings of Dr Niestlé's report on this website (http://www.uboat.net/articles/index.html?article=69), written 14 February 2004 and amended 17 October 2006 and 11 May 2007, have only just been noticed by the British press. I believe I provided Dr Niestlé with the minefield details via this forum several years ago i.e. before it was revamped.

The mined U-boats were lost as follows:

* U-325 in minefield HW A1 (N.B. This is off Padstow, nowhere near the Lizard as reported in the Indy article)
* U-1021 in minefield HW A3
* U-400 in minefield HY A1

According to the 'Naval Staff History - British Mining Operations 1939-1945 Vol I' published in 1973:

"Deep minefields off the Cornish coast. Operations "HW" and "HY":

In pursuance of their stated policy and to meet the expected concentration of U-boats in the SW Approaches, the Admiralty ordered, by signal on 25th November, that the APOLLO should lay three lines of deep mines off Trevose Head, before cleaning boilers and making good defects at Plymouth. The operation - "HW" - was to be conducted by C in C, Plymouth, and it was forecast that the PLOVER would be available, at the beginning of December, to continue these fields along the swept channel between Trevose Head and Hartland Point - Operation "HY".

Operation "HW A1". 29th November 1944:

Operating unescorted from Milford Haven as before, between 0031 and 0056 on 29th November the APOLLO laid 156 Mk XVII (39)/XVII units, at a depth of 70 feet, along a line extending for five miles in a direction 179 deg from position 50 deg 34.5' N, 05 deg 23.0'W.

___________________________________________________

Operation "HW A3". 3rd December 1944:

The APOLLO reached the initial laying position at 0031 and between that time and 0056 laid 156 Mk XVII (39)XVII units, at a depth of 70 feet, along a line extending for five miles in a direction 182 1/2 deg from position 50 deg 36.7'N, 05 deg 11.1' W. One possible failure was observed. On completion, the APOLLO proceeded to Plymouth as previously arranged, having carried out fourteen operations since 14th October.

Operation "HY" serials A1-A8. 12th December 1944 to 3rd January 1945:

The PLOVER was ready for service as forecast and her programme of lays in the swept channel between Trevose Head and Hartland Point was passed by signal to C in C, Plymouth on 6th December: eight lays - serials A1 to A8 - were involved consisting of 100 mines each. The converted yacht CONQUEROR acted as escort to PLOVER on each of the night operations carried out from Milford Haven, details of which are recorded below.

Serial A1. 12th December 1944:

100 Mk XVII (39)/XVII units were laid, at a depth of 70 feet below chart datum along a line extending for 3.3 miles in a direction 171 deg from position 50 deg 42'30"N, 05 deg 05'24"W. Two surface failures were reported..."

The British laid a total of 10,043 mines in 'deep trap' minefields in the Western Approaches in 1944/5. The Mk XVII in the minefields off north Cornwall was a general purpose moored mine containing a charge weight of 320 lbs or 500 lbs of explosive. It was suitable for laying in depths down to 500 fathoms on a Mk XVII sinker and could be fitted with switch horns for use as a contact mine or with a variety of acoustic sensors for use as an influence mine. The number '39' refers to the fitting of hydrostatic safety switches, eliminating the necessity for skimming sweeps to check there were no 'active' mines shallow enough to hazard surface ships.