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{{Short description|1946 UK operation to scuttle German U-boats}} | {{Short description|1946 UK operation to scuttle German U-boats}} | ||
[[Image:HMS Ferret surrendered Uboats.jpg|thumb|right|Forty-two surrendered U- | [[Image:HMS Ferret surrendered Uboats.jpg|thumb|right|Forty-two surrendered [[U-boat]]s moored at [[Lisahally]], Northern Ireland, June 1945]] | ||
[[File:The Polish Navy during the Second World War HU55913.jpg|thumb|Polish Navy destroyer | [[File:The Polish Navy during the Second World War HU55913.jpg|thumb|Polish Navy destroyer {{ORP|Krakowiak|L115|6}} towing German Type XXIII U-boat {{GS|U-2337||2}} out to sea for [[scuttling]] on 28 November 1945]] | ||
'''Operation Deadlight''' was the code name for the [[Royal Navy]] operation of November 1945 – February 1946 to [[scuttling|scuttle]] German [[U-boat]]s surrendered to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] after the defeat of [[Nazi Germany|Germany]] near the end of [[World War II]]. After the surrender, political discussions continued between the Allies concerning the final disposal of the surviving German naval vessels, the result of which was an agreement to retain 30 U- | '''Operation Deadlight''' was the code name for the [[Royal Navy]] operation of November 1945 – February 1946 to [[scuttling|scuttle]] German [[U-boat]]s surrendered to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] after the defeat of [[Nazi Germany|Germany]] near the end of [[World War II]]. After the surrender, political discussions continued between the Allies concerning the final disposal of the surviving German naval vessels, the result of which was an agreement to retain 30 U-boats in total, to be divided equally between the United Kingdom, the United States and the [[Soviet Union]]. The remainder would be scuttled. | ||
== Operation == | == Operation == | ||
Of the 156 U- | Of the 156 [[U-boat]]s that surrendered to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] by [[Nazi Germany|Germany]] at the end of [[World War II]], 116 were [[Scuttling|scuttled]] as part of Operation Deadlight.<ref name=Waller>{{cite web |url= http://uboat.net/articles/84.html |title = Operation Deadlight |last= Waller |first= Derek |website= German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net |access-date=7 November 2010|url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101112011008/http://www.uboat.net/articles/84.html |archive-date = 12 November 2010 |df= dmy-all}}</ref> The [[Royal Navy]] carried out the operation, and planned to tow the submarines to three areas about {{convert|100|mi|km}} northwest of Ireland and sink them.<ref name=Paterson161 /> The areas were codenamed XX, YY, and ZZ.<ref name=Paterson161 /> They intended to use XX as the main scuttling area, while towing 36 boats to ZZ to use as practice targets for aerial attack. YY was to be a reserve position where, if the weather was good enough, they could divert submarines from XX to sink with naval forces.<ref name=Paterson161 /> Submarines that were not used for target practice were to be sunk with [[explosive charge]]s, with naval gunfire as a fallback option if that failed.<ref name=Paterson161>{{cite book |title=Black Flag. The Surrender of Germany's U-Boat Forces 1945 | ||
|last=Paterson |first=Lawrence | |last=Paterson |first=Lawrence | ||
|year=2009 |publisher=Pen & Sword books | |year=2009 |publisher=Pen & Sword books | ||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
==U-boats excluded from Operation Deadlight== | ==U-boats excluded from Operation Deadlight== | ||
Several U-boats escaped Operation Deadlight. Some were claimed as [[prize (law)|prizes]] by | Several U-boats escaped Operation Deadlight. Some were claimed as [[prize (law)|prizes]] by the United Kingdom, France, Norway, and the Soviet Union. Four were in [[East Asia]] when Germany surrendered and were commandeered by [[Empire of Japan|Japan]]. {{GS|U-181||2}} was renamed ''I-501'', {{GS|U-195||2}} – ''I-506'', {{GS|U-219||2}} – ''I-505'', {{GS|U-862||2}} – ''I-502'', and two other boats, {{GS|U-511||2}} and {{GS|U-1224||2}}, had been sold to Japan in 1943 and renamed ''RO-500'' and ''RO-501''.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://uboat.net/fates/after-dl.htm |title=Fates – U-boats after World War Two |last= Helgason|first= Guðmundur |website= German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net |access-date= 12 February 2009 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090204072447/http://uboat.net/fates/after-dl.htm |archive-date = 4 February 2009 |df= dmy-all}}</ref> Two U-boats that survived Operation Deadlight became [[museum ship]]s. {{GS|U-505||2}} was earmarked for scuttling, but American Rear Admiral [[Daniel V. Gallery]] argued successfully that she did not fall under Operation Deadlight. [[United States Navy]] [[task force|Task Group]] 22.3, under then-Captain Gallery, had captured ''U-505'' in battle on 4 June 1944. Having been captured, not surrendered at the end of the war, she survived to become a war memorial at the [[Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)|Museum of Science and Industry]] in [[Chicago]]. {{GS|U-995||2}} was transferred to Norway by the United Kingdom in October 1948 and became the Norwegian ''Kaura''. She was returned to Germany in 1965, to become a museum ship at [[Laboe Naval Memorial|Laboe]] in October 1971.<ref>Gallery, Daniel V. (1965). ''Eight Bells and All's Well''. W.W. Norton & Company. p. 248. {{LCCN|6518021}}.</ref> | ||
==Salvage proposals== | ==Salvage proposals== | ||
In the late-1990s, a firm applied to the British Ministry of Defence for salvage rights to the Operation Deadlight U-boats, planning to raise up to a hundred of them. Because the U-boats were constructed in the pre-atomic age, the wrecks contain [[low-background steel|metals that are not radioactively tainted]], and are therefore valuable for certain research purposes. The ministry awarded no salvage rights, due to objections from Russia and the | In the late-1990s, a firm applied to the British Ministry of Defence for [[Marine salvage|salvage rights]] to the Operation Deadlight U-boats, planning to raise up to a hundred of them. Because the U-boats were constructed in the pre-atomic age, the wrecks contain [[low-background steel|metals that are not radioactively tainted]], and are therefore valuable for certain research purposes. The ministry awarded no salvage rights, due to objections from Russia and the United States, and potentially from the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/aug/20/secondworldwar.northernireland|title=Raise the U-boat: council plans to put Nazi sub in maritime museum|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831225711/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/aug/20/secondworldwar.northernireland|archive-date=31 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> {{irrelevant citation|date = January 2020|reason = Article references a different salvage}} | ||
Between 2001 and 2003, nautical archaeologist [[Innes McCartney]] discovered and surveyed fourteen of the U-boat wrecks;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uboat.net/gallery/DivingE/ | Between 2001 and 2003, nautical archaeologist [[Innes McCartney]] discovered and surveyed fourteen of the U-boat wrecks;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uboat.net/gallery/DivingE/ | ||
|title=Operation Deadlight Expedition phase 1 |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uboat.net/gallery/DivingF |title=Operation Deadlight Expedition phase 2 |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net}}</ref> including the rare [[Type XXI U-boat]] | |title=Operation Deadlight Expedition phase 1 |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uboat.net/gallery/DivingF |title=Operation Deadlight Expedition phase 2 |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net}}</ref> including the rare [[Type XXI U-boat]] {{GS|U-2506||2}}, once under the command of [[Horst von Schroeter]]; the successful [[Type IXC/40 submarine|Type IXC U-boat]], {{GS|U-155|1941|2}} commanded by [[Adolf Piening]] and {{GS|U-778||2}}, which was the most promising salvage.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Budanovic |first1=Nikola |title=‘The Most Intact U-Boat Wreck I’ve Ever Seen’ U-Boat Hunter Dr Innes McCartney |url=https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/u-778-the-story-of-submarine.html |access-date=27 September 2024 |work=War History Online |date=25 April 2019 |language=en}}</ref> | ||
In 2007, [[Derry City Council]] announced plans to raise ''U-778'' to be the main exhibit of a new maritime museum.<ref name="Bowcott">{{cite news |last=Bowcott |first=Owen |title=Raise the U-boat: council plans to put Nazi sub in maritime museum |work=The Guardian |date=20 August 2007 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/aug/20/secondworldwar.northernireland |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831225711/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/aug/20/secondworldwar.northernireland |archive-date=31 August 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> On 3 October 2007, an Irish diver | In 2007, [[Derry City Council]] announced plans to raise ''U-778'' to be the main exhibit of a new maritime museum.<ref name="Bowcott">{{cite news |last=Bowcott |first=Owen |title=Raise the U-boat: council plans to put Nazi sub in maritime museum |work=The Guardian |date=20 August 2007 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/aug/20/secondworldwar.northernireland |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831225711/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/aug/20/secondworldwar.northernireland |archive-date=31 August 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> On 3 October 2007, an Irish diver died whilst filming the wreck as part of the salvage project.<ref>{{cite news |title=Team to recover U-boat diver body |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=3 October 2007 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7025213.stm |access-date=21 November 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227103651/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7025213.stm |archive-date=27 December 2008 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> In November 2009, a spokesman from the council's heritage museum service announced the salvage project had been cancelled for cost reasons.<ref>{{cite news |title=Costs sink plan to raise U-boat |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=12 November 2009 | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/8356157.stm |access-date=25 November 2009}}</ref> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[List of Operation Deadlight U-boats]] | * [[List of Operation Deadlight U-boats]] | ||
* | * {{HMS|Ferret|1940 shore establishment|6}} | ||
* [[Operation Regenbogen (U-boat)]] | * [[Operation Regenbogen (U-boat)]] | ||
* [[Scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow]] | * [[Scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow]] | ||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{Commonscat | {{Commonscat}} | ||
* [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1945/1945%20-%202512.html "Operation Deadlight"] a 1945 ''Flight'' article | * [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1945/1945%20-%202512.html "Operation Deadlight"] a 1945 ''Flight'' article | ||
Latest revision as of 12:41, 15 September 2025
Operation Deadlight was the code name for the Royal Navy operation of November 1945 – February 1946 to scuttle German U-boats surrendered to the Allies after the defeat of Germany near the end of World War II. After the surrender, political discussions continued between the Allies concerning the final disposal of the surviving German naval vessels, the result of which was an agreement to retain 30 U-boats in total, to be divided equally between the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union. The remainder would be scuttled.
Operation
Of the 156 U-boats that surrendered to the Allies by Germany at the end of World War II, 116 were scuttled as part of Operation Deadlight.[1] The Royal Navy carried out the operation, and planned to tow the submarines to three areas about Template:Convert northwest of Ireland and sink them.[2] The areas were codenamed XX, YY, and ZZ.[2] They intended to use XX as the main scuttling area, while towing 36 boats to ZZ to use as practice targets for aerial attack. YY was to be a reserve position where, if the weather was good enough, they could divert submarines from XX to sink with naval forces.[2] Submarines that were not used for target practice were to be sunk with explosive charges, with naval gunfire as a fallback option if that failed.[2]
When Operation Deadlight began, the navy found that many of the U-boats were in poor condition from being moored in exposed harbours while awaiting disposal.[2] These issues, combined with poor weather, sank 56 of the boats before they reached the scuttling areas, and those that did reach the area were generally sunk by gunfire rather than explosive charges.[2] The first sinking took place on 17 November 1945 and the last on 11 February 1946.[2][3]
U-boats excluded from Operation Deadlight
Several U-boats escaped Operation Deadlight. Some were claimed as prizes by the United Kingdom, France, Norway, and the Soviet Union. Four were in East Asia when Germany surrendered and were commandeered by Japan. Template:GS was renamed I-501, Template:GS – I-506, Template:GS – I-505, Template:GS – I-502, and two other boats, Template:GS and Template:GS, had been sold to Japan in 1943 and renamed RO-500 and RO-501.[4] Two U-boats that survived Operation Deadlight became museum ships. Template:GS was earmarked for scuttling, but American Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery argued successfully that she did not fall under Operation Deadlight. United States Navy Task Group 22.3, under then-Captain Gallery, had captured U-505 in battle on 4 June 1944. Having been captured, not surrendered at the end of the war, she survived to become a war memorial at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Template:GS was transferred to Norway by the United Kingdom in October 1948 and became the Norwegian Kaura. She was returned to Germany in 1965, to become a museum ship at Laboe in October 1971.[5]
Salvage proposals
In the late-1990s, a firm applied to the British Ministry of Defence for salvage rights to the Operation Deadlight U-boats, planning to raise up to a hundred of them. Because the U-boats were constructed in the pre-atomic age, the wrecks contain metals that are not radioactively tainted, and are therefore valuable for certain research purposes. The ministry awarded no salvage rights, due to objections from Russia and the United States, and potentially from the United Kingdom.[6] Template:Irrelevant citation
Between 2001 and 2003, nautical archaeologist Innes McCartney discovered and surveyed fourteen of the U-boat wrecks;[7][8] including the rare Type XXI U-boat Template:GS, once under the command of Horst von Schroeter; the successful Type IXC U-boat, Template:GS commanded by Adolf Piening and Template:GS, which was the most promising salvage.[9]
In 2007, Derry City Council announced plans to raise U-778 to be the main exhibit of a new maritime museum.[10] On 3 October 2007, an Irish diver died whilst filming the wreck as part of the salvage project.[11] In November 2009, a spokesman from the council's heritage museum service announced the salvage project had been cancelled for cost reasons.[12]
See also
- List of Operation Deadlight U-boats
- Template:HMS
- Operation Regenbogen (U-boat)
- Scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow
References
Further reading
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External links
- "Operation Deadlight" a 1945 Flight article
Template:Uboat Template:Use dmy dates
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- ↑ Gallery, Daniel V. (1965). Eight Bells and All's Well. W.W. Norton & Company. p. 248. Template:LCCN.
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