RAISING THE U-778

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Shergar
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RAISING THE U-778

Post by Shergar »

http://www.irishnews.com/appnews/540/58 ... nstor.html

An article to ponder over that featured in the Irish News this morning , I have saved the complete article and will make copies .
Shergar
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Shergar »

Some additional information

Operation Deadlight Expedition 2001
DAY SEVEN: - 22nd July 2001
Target: U369 VIIC
Depth: 67 metres
Weather and sea conditions: Sunny - 2-3SW - 20 metres underwater visibility.

Diving report:
In excellent sunny conditions we travelled back to the Deadlight area and arrived in time to make a dive on an undived U-boat. We believed that this could be either U778 or U369. (Now it's very likely that this was the U-778).

The wreck itself is the most intact U-boat any of us have ever seen!! The conning tower retains its cladding, and all of its bridge equipment!! Really an incredible sight to see!! Again, the video images are stunning, even when considering that the divers encountered strong currents on this dive.

As for identity, the wreck has a mounting for a 88mm deck-gun, it is schnorchel-equipped, with the head having both 'bali' and the sorbothane coating. There were no life raft canisters on the bow. From this information, we deduce that this is probably the wreck of the school boat U369.

A school boat is a rare dive in British waters. It was especially pleasing to find it so intact
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SchnellMeyer
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by SchnellMeyer »

Very interesting indeed .U 778 was a type VIIC .Laid down in 21.07.42 , launched in 06.05.44 and commissioned on 07.07.44. It's only CO was Ralf Jurs who was a DK/G Holder , it had only one patrol from 04.03.45 to 28.03.45 .The boat surrendered in May '45 and disposel of on 04.12.45 . Interesting to note that even at that late stage it carried a 88mm deck gun .
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Tychsen
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Tychsen »

A few more additional notes on U-778.
She was attached to 11th Flotilla based in Bergen.
Her one patrol was off the Moray Firth extending as far east as Petershead, she returned to Bergen on 26th March 1945 were she was on surrendered on 9th May , on 31st May she made the transfer voyage to Loch Ryan.
She was en route to be scuttled off NW Donegal when she foundered approx. 12 miles North off Malin Head. (Nr. Innistrahull Island).
Today she lies in 34 fathoms , apparently well preserved.

Her emblem was a Bee , choosen beacuse the Jurs fiancee's name was Sabine - the name / emblem was chosen by the crew nad not by her Captain.

Ralf Jurs - a German Cross in Gold Holder - this being awarded to him on 24th June 1943.
( He was then an Admiralstaboffizier. ** , carrying the rank of Oberleutnant z. See.)

Jurs was born on 7th September 1919 and was in the Class of 1937 (a).
He served on Gneisenau from September 1939- March 1940.
Trained with the Luftwaffe April - September 1940. ( Sea Reconnaissance ).
2/Seeaufklaregruppe 125 Oct-1940- June 1943.**
UBoat training June 1943 - May 1944.

Then to U-778.
He held the rank of Kapt.Leutnant when "778" was surrendered , Jurs was released from captivity in March 1947.

Above information taken from several sources.
"U-Boat Operations of WW2 Vol. 2" by Kenneth Wynn.

"German U-Boat Commanders of WWII - A Biographical Dictionary" By R. Busch and Hans -Joachim Roll.

"German U-Boat Losses During WW2 - Details of Destruction" by Axel Niestle.***

"U-Boat Emblems of WW2 1939-1945" by George Hogel.
( As far as I recall Hogl was Lemp's radio operator).

"Die Inhaber Des deutschen Kreuzes in Gold, In Silver (Kriegsmarine) Und Die Inhaber Der Ehrentafelspange Der Kriegsmarine" by Bernd Gericke.

Also see Innes McCarty's site Periscope publishing , Innes and a team of divers surveyed the Deadlight boats back in 2000/2001.
http://www.periscopepublishing.com/Merc ... ory_Code=V
http://www.operationdeadlight.co.uk/
http://www.operationdeadlight.co.uk/
Axel Niestle was instrumental in positively identifying U-778. ***
( He has worked closely with McCarthy on several major TV documenteries ).

As one living in the North West I would dearly love to see this project come to fruition , the down side is the U-534 experience.
Recovering the boat will be hugely expensive and dependent on the weather , which off the NW Coast is often anything but co-operative.
Once recovered the undertaking enters an even more costly phase - that of preservation of the boat and her contents.
Before any of this is done consideration has to be given as to where she will go - what expertise is required to stablise her and then to preserve her - a covered enviroment is a "must" and believing that money will just appear is wishful thinking.
This will be a multi-million pound undertaking, and as long as it has been costed propely , planned and thought through I am all for it - if it has not I say leave her where she is.
it would be absolutely shameful to bring her ashore only to watch her fall apart and face the potential future that U-534 faced, it would both disgust and make me (for one) very angry.
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Shergar
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Shergar »

once again james excellent and interesting information , i was up at malin head yesterday and there seems to be a genuine buzz about the raising of at least one u boat from the depths . apparently the u-778 did not have an 88mm fitted although it did have the base plate for an 88mm . ???????
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Tychsen
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Tychsen »

On a clear day Malin is a great to place to sit and watch the world go by - the old British built tower and the "EIRE" laid out in rocks similar to that I showed at St. John's Point ( Donegal Bay).

The deckgun in 45 would have been quite useless - she was a snort equipted boat and operating relatively close to shore right under Coastals nose it would be difficult to see any U-Boat being able to chance a surface engagement of any kind , it would have been suicide.
With the enlarged wintergarten and 3.7cm flak and twin 20mm's it is difficult to see an 88 being carried as well - it would have just increased stability problems.

A photo of the boat in 45 would answer the question for definate.
Terry Andrews has a book coming out in a short time on the Deadlight boats - , if anyone knows he would.
Last edited by Tychsen on Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Shergar
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Shergar »

perhaps this will throw more light unto the identification james


Type VIIC
Ordered 20 Jan, 1941

Laid down 3 Jul, 1943 Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven (werk 161)
Launched 6 May, 1944

Commissioned 7 Jul, 1944 Oblt. Ralf Jürs
Commanders 7 Jul, 1944 - 8 May, 1945 Kptlt. Ralf Jürs

Career 1 patrol 7 Jul, 1944 - 28 Feb, 1945 31. Flottille (training)
1 Mar, 1945 - 8 May, 1945 11. Flottille (front boat)

Successes No ships sunk or damaged
Fate Surrendered at Bergen, Norway on 8 May, 1945. Transferred to Loch Ryan, Scotland for Operation Deadlight.

Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info)
While in tow for the scuttling ground on 4 December, 1945 she foundered and sank roughly 11 miles NE of the Inistrahull Light, in position 55.32N, 07.70W.


View the 1 war patrol


Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in January 1945. Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Annoucements related to this boat

A diver died while filming the U-778 (13 Oct, 2007)
U-778 to be raised? (20 Aug, 2007)

Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-778 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

Day Seven: 22nd July 2001


Target: U369 VIIC this has now been identified as u-778 with apparently only the 88mm mounting . :D

Weather and sea conditions: Sunny, wind 2-3S/w

Depth: 67 metres

Underwater visibility: 20 metres

Diving report:

In excellent sunny conditions we travelled back to the Deadlight area and arrived in time to make a dive on an undived U-boat. We believed that this could be either U778 or U369.

The wreck itself is the most intact U-boat any of us have ever seen!! The conning tower retains its cladding, and all of its bridge equipment!! Really an incredible sight to see!! Again, the video images are stunning, even when considering that the divers encountered strong currents on this dive.

As for identity, the wreck has a mounting for a 88mm deck-gun, it is schnorchel-equipped, with the head having both 'bali' and the sorbothane coating. There were no life raft canisters on the bow. From this information, we deduce that this is probably the wreck of the school boat U369.

A school boat is a rare dive in British waters. It was especially pleasing to find it so intact.

Comments:

It looks as if we are in for a few days good weather, so look out for some exciting reports in the next few days.

Innes McCartney
Operation Deadlight Expedition 2001

http://www.operationdeadlight.co.uk/index.htm
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pzrwest
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by pzrwest »

I wonder if they know the location of my uboot vet friend Edgar's boat U901 it was also disposed of in this operation after the war ended
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Shergar
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Shergar »

pzrwest wrote:I wonder if they know the location of my uboot vet friend Edgar's boat U901 it was also disposed of in this operation after the war ended
Not sure Harold but my father has just come in a read this and told me when he was evacuated to Ardglass a fishing port in Co Down during the war that , a U boat to the best of his recollection as stranded on the sands outside of Tyrella , and the allies didnt know about it until the tide had released it . Now it might have actually been a British submarine as his memory has faded with the years , but also that he remembers taking a coach trip up to Derry to witnesses the vast German U boat fleet that surrendered at the port . He counted at least 100 plus all sorts and types ,some big some small , also the crews were in good spirits and marched off in capativity glad that they had survived the war .
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Tychsen
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Tychsen »

Some info onU-Boatnet. regarding U-901's location.
http://www.uboat.net/boats/u901.htm

55.50N 08.30W
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&g ... iwloc=addr
Type the location in to this google earth page , it will give an indication of her location off the NW Coast of Donegal.

She was most likely sunk by gunfire - U-778 is intact because she sank under tow.

The boats were by and large unseaworthy and had required more maintance that the few German sailors retained to look after them could provide whilst moored up.
Although the majority of the boats were the obselete the terms of the agreement were that those not allocated to the Allied navies would have to be destroyed.

I have some notes upstairs from basae records at Lisahally showing the moored locations of the boats , think I have the same for Loch Ryan will look them out and note any mention of U-778 or 901.

http://www.taucher.net/berichte/bericht.html?nummer=25
Last edited by Tychsen on Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:21 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Shergar
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Shergar »

Tychsen wrote:Some info onU-Boatnet. regarding U901's location.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&g ... iwloc=addr
Type the location in to this google earth page , it will give an indication of her localtion off the NW Coast of Donegal.
excellent , i have also made several copies of the article and will make available to patrons on this and other forums , and as the story unfolds i will let you know off further updates .
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pzrwest
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by pzrwest »

Edgar told me when they received the message that the war was over(actually 9 days after it ended) they were ordered to sail to Ireland on the surface displaying a black flag. But he said they didn't have enough fuel to get to Ireland being in the North Sea they were then instructed to sail to Stavhanger(spelling?) Norway which they did and then he was transported to an internment camp in Ireland. I have posted his discharge paper from the camp in Ireland in a previous thread. I also have audio files on my website by Edgar from the time he enlisted till he surrendered if anyone is interested
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by JB--06 »

Yea it would be nice you shared it with us...


Thanks

Jb
Shergar
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Shergar »

correct harold as u778 surrendered apparently in norway . also my father told me the menwhere quite emaciated and they wore an assortment of clothing .. ie mix and match rather than uniforms . 19 u boats actually surrendered in the to port of derry the rest where then transported there by the allies in the days and weeks after the war .
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Tychsen
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Re: RAISING THE U-778

Post by Tychsen »

From todays' Belfast Newsletter from Ian Starrett's Comment section.

Mr Starret mentions Liverpool but does not mention U-534 , the word "Nazi" is used whenever and wherever possible and his facts regarding the boat are incorrect , he also ignores the fact that the Kriegsmarine of all Germany's armed servcies was least influenced by "The "Party".

Unfortunately wartime corvettes and destroyers are very rare - most having long gone to the breakers yards , U-778 may be a U-Boat but she at least is a direct link with the past and to the City itself.

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