Sorry, think I managed to reply to the wrong post, there! No apology needed, and thanks for answering my question.
Forum: General Discussions

No apology necessary - and thank you for answering my question!
Forum: General Discussions

My thoughts exactly. However, it wasn't really the moment to challenge it. The audience had fallen silent in response to the story, although whether they were moved by the bravery of the mayor, or whether - like me - they were distracted by alarm bells going off in their heads, I'm not sure. It was supposed to be a talk about the Wars of the Roses... how we moved onto an alleged inci
Forum: General Discussions

Last night I went to a talk in which an anecdote was related concerning the sinking of a U-boat, given as an example of self-sacrifice. However, somehow it didn't ring true to my ears, and I was wondering if anyone else has heard it and knows whether it happened, or if there was an incident which may have survived the story. In essence, a damaged U-boat was in need of repairs and sought
Forum: General Discussions

Ken Dunn Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi MPC, > > You left out the fact that the Eck case is the > only proven case during the war. Another fact is > that U-boat crews usually helped survivors when > they could. It's also perhaps worth noting that Eck's actions seem to have been directed towards the destruction of wreck
Forum: Movies and Films

PatW ------------------------------------------------------- > I've never accepted "well, nobody knows whether > it's right or not" as an excuse for tossing > authenticity out the window. For several years, I > was a Revolutionary War/War of American > Independence re-enactor. The orginization I > belonged to, the Brigade of the American > Revolu
Forum: Movies and Films

Oh right. Interesting.
Forum: General Discussions

Right - thanks very much!
Forum: Technology and Operations

I've seen references to a U-boat's jumping wire. I know what it physically is, but what's if for? A bit of research I've done has resulted in conflicting answers - some sources have said it's essentially to fend of obstacles like nets, others that it's an aerial. Which is it? Or is it even both? Sorry if this seems a very basic question!
Forum: Technology and Operations

So, in short there were many aspects to Allied anti-submarine measures, and it would be unwise to place any one as being more important than the others, yes? Thanks all. I fear I was over-zealous in dismissing Ultra, but at least it does look as if my suspicion that its importance has been promoted at the expense of other aspects is true - for a given value of 'true'!
Forum: General Discussions

We've been having a bit of a debate (it hasn't turned into an argument - yet!) on the BBC's history messageboards about the importance of Ultra in beating the U-boats. On the one hand there are those who maintain that Ultra essentially won the Battle of the Atlantic. On the other there is... well, me, basically, who believes that Ultra is much overrated. I was once a member of t
Forum: General Discussions

Volker Erich Kummrow Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ; maybe > even the UK Navy might also be interested in > preserving her I'm sure they would. However, with all the defence budget cuts I fear the Royal Navy can barely afford to hang on to their own ships, never mind those of the Kriegsmarine!
Forum: General Discussions

I got my reply from Downing Street as well. I'm sorry to say I'm not surprised. To be frank, even if they were in the habit of making grants to such causes U-534 would be unlikely to get anything. As a qualified museum worker, I've seen the horrors inflicted by the Olympics on heritage funding. Something like two thirds of the Heritage Lottery Fund has been diverted to the Ol
Forum: General Discussions

Ken, Thank you. I have vague memories of the neutral vessel in the incident being Swiss, so that's almost certainly the one I was thinking of.
Forum: General Discussions

By 'original version' do you mean the original movie or the mini-series? I know (or at least I was told on these very fora) that the mini-series is accurate - unliked the dubbed version of the original movie *shudder*
Forum: Movies and Films

Ken Dunn Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > In one unusual case, Archie Gibbs an American > merchant seaman was rescued by U-126 (Bauer) after > U-126 sank his ship and kept onboard for a few > days because there was no lifeboat to put him in. > Bauer later stopped a neutral vessel by firing a > shot across her bow and set Gibbs free
Forum: General Discussions

Well, I've alerted the Naval Artillery folks at Kriegsmarine Küstenabteilung Atlantik. Every little helps.
Forum: General Discussions

I hear and obey! I must admit to a certain cynicism over how effective these petitions are, but it can't do any harm.
Forum: General Discussions

U-523 collided with the battlecruiser 'Scharnhorst' in August 1942 (or rather the other way round - Kapitan zur See Huffmeier, the then commander of the 'Scharnhorst', had a reputation for what might be charitably called misfortunes) during maneouvers in the Baltic. 'Scharnhorst' had to go into dry dock for repairs, but U-523 survived; I imagine the battlecruiser di
Forum: General Discussions