The North Sea and English Channel hunt for the WWI
battle of Jutland shipwrecks, the U-20, which sank the
Lusitania; the WWII troopship, Leopoldville; and the CSS
Alabama. May/June, 1984.
This was NUMA's most ambitious project yet. With Bob Fleming's
able help on the research along with the cooperative people
at the British Admiralty and Danish Fisheries, I put together
an expedition to search for nearly thirty ships. Talk
about a 'cockeyed optimist'.
I charted our faithful boat and crew from the '79 Bonhomme
Richard expedition. Good old Jimmy Flett returned as
skipper, along with quiet John the first mate, and Colin
Robb the cook. Good Scotsmen tried and true. No shipwreck
search operation ever had a better crew.
We rounded off the team with Bill Shea, my good friend
from Brandeis University, who ran the side scan sonar.
Bill is a great asset to any project. A genuine nice
guy, his wit is second to none.
After five days of waiting for equipment to arrive
and a force 8 gale to blow itself out, we finally left
the port of Aberdeen, Scotland and headed south to search
for the HMS Pathfinder, the second ship to be torpedoed
by a submarine (the USS Housatonic was the first) and
the first by a German U-boat. In this case the U-21
skippered by WWI's most famous submarine commander,
Lieutenant Commander Otto Hersing, who later took the
U-21 into the Mediterranean and sank a score of ships
including two battleships.
The Pathfinder plunged into the North Sea in September
of 1914, taking nearly 260 of her men with her. Since
we had discovered the Housatonic we thought it would
be nice to make a one/two hit on the unlucky but historic
ships.
On the way, however, we spent a successful three hours
looking for the U-12, which had been rammed by the HMS
Ariel in October of 1915. Though a British sonar sweep
in 1977 had failed to find her, we had an excellent
recording of her two miles from the Admiralty position.
We then moved further south to sweep for the Pathfinder.
We recorded indications of her wreck on the first pass.
We ran over her several times and found her badly broken
up at 150 feet. Made an excellent sonar reading that
was lost and a echo sounder recording that pins down
her site within a hundred feet.
We were then going to try for another U-boat, but the
weather kicked up, and we plodded through the increasing
swells back to Aberdeen.
While we were at sea, our underwater camera, backup
EG&G sonar, and the Schonstedt gradiometer finally
showed up, and we were ready to shove off across the
sea to the Jutland peninsula of Denmark.
Just before we departed, the British customs officials
came aboard. They considered us a highly suspicious
group, as did every other country we visited. They couldn't
figure out why we were using a yacht for an archaeological
survey instead of a work boat. Shea's guess was they
thought we were smuggling drugs from Scotland to Denmark.
Not a likely route for cocaine traffic. This was not
the last time we got into trouble by appearing dumb.
On our way to Denmark we paused and searched for the
British cruiser HMS Hawke, torpedoed by the U-9. We
found her very close to the reported Admiralty position,
one of the very few times this occurred. The wreck outline
was distinguishable and the calculated dimensions were
on the money. Her hull was intact, but the superstructure
badly decayed. Also tried for the HMS Defence, HMS Warrior
and German cruiser Wiesbaden. Struck out on the first
two but found a large broken target on the Wiesbaden
site.
Docked in the fishing port of Thyboron. Weather turned
bad so we spent the next few days conferring with Danish
fishermen and local archaeologists.
Finally went out in heavy fog combined with rain squalls,
lightening and thunder. Next day everything clicked
despite a rising sea, and we struck the British battle
cruiser Invincible on the third pass. A huge target,
she was broken in two, a reading confirmed by the fact
that she had blown up and sank in two sections.
Next we found the German destroyers S-35 and V-48.
Both readings were confirmed by Danish fishermen and
are known to be the only wrecks in a ten square mile
area. We topped off the voyage with finding a British
destroyer, the HMS Shark. Winds at gale force so we
beat it back to Thyboron.
Headed out again and found the HMS Defence, an immense
battleship. The wreck appears to be partially silted
over, confirming Danish fisherman recordings. Once again,
bad weather beat us back to port.
A year after sinking the Lusitania, the U-20 grounded
in heavy fog on the west coast of Jutland. She was abandoned
by her crew without loss of life and later blown up
by the Danes in 1925 on or near Vielby Beach.
We met with Danish diver and marine archaeologist Gert
Normann Anderson, who searched for the U-20 in '79.
He and another diver had zeroed in on the sub's location
at that time. Working with Gert, we positioned it in
'84. Its remains were almost entirely exposed. She lies
a good two miles north or her former recorded site.
A photo of the dive in my files shows landmarks on the
shore.
We then made a side scan survey of the coast for the
Danes who had ballpark locations for a number of shipwrecks,
but no equipment other than a grapple for looking for
them. We swept back and forth with our sonar and found
a number of targets, four of which Gert later identified
as the Odin, a Royal Swedish steamship that ran aground
in 1836; the Alexander Neuski, a Russian steam frigate
which stranded while carrying the crown prince in 1868;
the Kirkwall, a British steamship that ran aground in
1874; and the Arctic, a British steamship that stranded
in 1868 with the loss of all hands.
Weather turned terrible once more. Decided to leave
Denmark and head for Bridlington, England. Time has
run out for the Jutland wrecks and we have other sites
to check out before he must make our way south to Cherbourg
and the Alabama.
Headed west straight into a Force 8 gale. Our indomitable
Scots crew and the bonny Arvor II saw as through while
listening to MAYDAY distress messages all around us.
After thirty hours of being bashed around the sea the
winds decreased, enabling us to search for the U-21
and German battle cruiser Blucher. Though we were exhausted,
Bill had one foot in the grave from mal de mer, the
stabilizer was gone and the autopilot dead, we dropped
the sonar fish and began our grid lanes. Got a vague
picture of the Blucher in correct Admiralty position.
No great feat since the ship has been salvaged over
the years. A wonder the sonar recorded anything, the
sea was so awful.
Thankfully it calmed considerably by the time we reached
the U-21 area. Found one other wreck in nearby but too
large for submarine. Four hours into search sonar produced
nice little reading of sub with correct dimensions.
Admiralty and Danish records off by about one mile.
A nice find, the first German Uboat to sink a warship.
If only we had found the Hunley.
Reached Bridlington under a bright blue sky on calm
seas. Provisioned and rested up for a few days and then
made a two day try for the Bonhomme Richard. We searched
about 27 miles out. No particular site in mind except
an area marked by psychics. Why I never give up on this
gig is a mystery. Sonar gave us trouble so other than
wiping out a five square mile area we accomplished very
little.
NUMA's illustrious attorney and secretary, Wayne Gronquist,
arrived from Texas, so we bid a fond farewell to Bridlington
and sailed for Cherbourg and the sunny beaches of Normandy.
If Only I had known the mess we were about to encounter,
I'd have ordered Jimmy to keep right on going and steer
a course for the Riviera.
It seemed both the Alabama and Leopoldville rested
in the middle of the French navy's submarine exercise
ground, and they were about to test their latest nuclear
sub. For over a month, half the intelligence agencies
around the world had been in Cherbourg, setting up their
cover to monitor the tests. The CIA; KGB; the British,
Israeli, German and Italian secret services, all were
represented and covertly stationed around Cherbourg
harbor.
Naturally, with my incredible talent for timing, who
should show up with all flags flying but jolly old Clive
Cussler along with his merry band of pirates and a boat
load of underwater detection gear.
To say the excretion struck the oscillator is putting
it mildly.
After we moored in the yacht basin, a squad of French
customs officials tore the boat apart, helicopters hovered
overhead while photographers shot pictures of us making
obscene gestures back, navy frogmen sneaked around under
the hull, several spotters around the area observed
us through binoculars, and the bastards even planted
bugs all over the boat.
In our ignorance we marshaled all our forces and went
over to the attack. Susan Wynne and Admiral Bill Thompson
struck in Washington at the French embassy and friends
in the navy. Wayne Gronquist took the train to Paris
and worked through the U.S. embassy on our end. Meanwhile
I struggled to no avail with the French Commander of
Civilian Maritime Affairs.
A week passed, and though we failed to get permission
to search for the shipwrecks, I was told later we became
a cause celebre and the darlings of the French news
media.
My son, Dirk, and Derek Goodwin, old friend and correspondent
for the New York Times, arrived and added to the uproar
by their antics and routines in town.
Knowing it was useless to search for the Alabama (the
French would be on our stern in less than ten minutes
because of their underwater sensors picking up our sonar
pulses), I made the decision to make a stab at the Leopoldville
with our echo sounder since it wouldn't be overly obvious.
It was a long shot, but I figured the troopship was
large and we might get lucky and pass over it.
We sneaked out of the harbor early. Actually every
intelligence agency in the world observed our departure.
We then cruised around as if we were fishing, fooling
nobody. After two hours, I was ready to throw in the
towel, but as with the Keokuk in Charleston. We passed
over the Leopoldville at the end of the final run.
We tried to throw in the sensor for a fast sonar reading,
but it wasn't tuned up and the target was very vague.
The French, of course, radioed for us to return to Cherbourg
immediately. I looked at Skipper Jimmy Flett, who'd
been torpedoed twice in WWII and had little love for
the 'frogs'. He smiled, reached up and nonchalantly
flicked off the radio.
Then we beat it across the channel to the English port
of Weymouth.
A wise decision. I found out later that if we'd returned
to Cherbourg, we'd still be locked up. It seems the
French were so shook, so sure we were spies, they postponed
their nuclear sub trials for six months. And don't think
the other intelligence agents weren't pissed off too.
Their month long preparations to establish a cover went
down the dumper.
Oh well, knowing the French, their submarine was probably
made out of cardboard anyway. Our only satisfaction
was pelting a French naval frigate moored outside of
Weymouth with Irish potatoes every time we passed in
and out of the harbor.
We found two more wrecks off Weymouth, but were unable
to identify them. Locals thought one might be a lost
treasure ship, but I've never been into that end of
the shipwreck business.
We had traveled the North Sea and Channel for six weeks
and found, surveyed and positioned 17 wrecks with our
old EG&G sonar and Schonstedt gradiometer and positioned
them.
We bid our good Scots' crew goodbye and took the train
to London where we rested up for a couple of days before
heading for home.
Word later came to me through devious channels from
the CIA, requesting that I notify them when I launch
another expedition so their people can be on the other
side of the world.
H.M.S. PATHFINDER
British scout cruiser. Second ship in history to be
sunk by a submarine, first by a German U-boat. Badly
broken up. Her remains lie at 56 07' 21 by 02 09' 15"
in 160 feet.
U-21
First German U-boat in history to sink a warship. Only
second submarine to do so. Had a long and illustrious
career under Lt. Commander Otto Hersing, sinking several
warships including two battleships and many merchantmen.
Hersing and the U-21 survived the war. He scuttled her
when on her way to England in 1919 to be impounded and
scrapped, defiant to the end. We located this historic
ship at 54 14' 30" x 04 02' 50" in 150 feet
of water. We also struck a target to the west, but it
was much larger and had the appearance of a freighter.
U-20
Infamous submarine that sank the luxury liner Lusitania,
off Kinshead, Ireland, in 1915. The sub was under the
command of Lt. Commander Walter Schwieger. He was a
very successful undersea raider, sinking a score of
ships before he was lost in 1917 while captain of the
U-88. The U-20 ran aground on the Jutland coast in fog
during 1916. It was abandoned by the crew and oddly
blown up by the Danes in 1925. Her scattered debris
and lower hull and engines lie at 56 35' 00" x
08 07' 50" about 400 yards from the beach.
LEOPOLDVILLE
Belgian troop transport that was torpedoed five miles
west of Cherbourg on Christmas eve of 1944. She went
down with two hundred men of the 66th Panther Division.
A further 600 died from drowning and exposure. A great
tragedy that has been swept under the rug. We found
her massive target at 49 45' 57" x 01 36' 20".
H.M.S. HAWKE
A first class British cruiser. 360 x 60 feet. Sunk
by the German submarine U-9 in October of 1914. Only
49 men saved out of 500. She lies at 57 47' 05"
x 00 11' 50". There was some doubt about her position
as there was thought to be a substantial wreck nearby.
We determined that the second target was actually two
ships, the largest only 120' in length. Their position
is 57 48' 45" x 00 10' 48".
U-12
One of Germany's earliest U-boats, the U-12 was rammed
and sunk by HMS. Ariel in October of 1915. She lies
in 180 feet of water at 56 04' 30" by 02 18' 00".
H.M.S. INVINCIBLE
British battle cruiser sunk at the Battle of Jutland
in May of 1916. A lucky shot blew up her magazines.
We found her mass on the bottom at 57 03 00" x
06 04' 45".
S-35
German destroyer sunk during battle of Jutland. Wreck
located at 57 02' 00" x 06 01' 00".
V-48
German destroyer sunk during battle of Jutland. Wreck
located at 56 54' 22" x 06 06' 28"
H.M.S. SHARK
British destroyer sunk during battle of Jutland. Found
at 56 58' 30" x 06 03' 00"
WIESBADEN
German light cruiser, sunk off Jutland. Wreck shows
at 57 00' 05" x 05 53' 37"
H.M.S. DEFENSE
British battle cruiser blown up during battle of Jutland.
Massive partially silted over wreck found at 56 58'
02" x 05 49' 50".
BLUCHER
German heavy cruiser sunk during battle of Dogger Bank
in 1915. Located at 54 33' 30" x 05 27' 50".
ODIN
A Royal Swedish steamship built in 1832 ran aground
off Thyboron, Jutland, with the Swedish prime minister
aboard in 1836. Suspected vessel lies at 56 42' 60"
x 08 09' 20".
ALEXANDER NEUSKI
A Russian steam frigate that stranded off Thyboron
in 1868 while carrying the crown prince. The wreck is
only 300 yards from shore in 60 feet of water. Location
is 56 41' 00" x 08 08' 30".
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