Die Geschichte des deutschen U-Bootes U-767 gesunken im Englischen Kanal vor
der französichen Kueste im Juni 1944
U-767 - entdeckt und zum ersten Mal seit dem Untergang betaucht, durch Leigh
Bishop
Why did we go searching for U767?
The Starfish Enterprise wreck diving team had returned to the North French coastline
to ongoing filming work for a television documentary on specific deep wrecks
in the area. Expedition leader Leigh Bishop" We had several promising days
of weather and with filming operations ahead of schedule we decided to make
a search for U767 which I knew was lost in the area"
Leigh had obtained information on the whereabouts of 767 from Channel Isles wreck hunter John Ovenden, and went on to say " From the research carried out we knew this was a significant and historic U-Boat with a classic wartime story connection, if we could locate her and carryout a full survey we could possibly close yet another chapter of U-boat history"
History
On the 18th June 1944 U767 was heading east on route to intercept the D-Day
landings when allied forces encountered her. At 1005 a U-Boat W/T transmission
was heard by HMS Fame bearing 070º and HMS Inconstant bearing 080º.
The bearings were reported to admiralty, which fixed the U-Boat within 10 miles
of 49º 10' north and 03º 10' west. The 14th proceeded to this position
at full speed and commenced a sweep at 15 knots on course 150º, turning
to 240º. Fame, in the centre of the line of search, gained asdic contact
at 1420, bearing Red 20º at 2,300 yards, and attacked with Hedgehog. Two
or three explosions followed at 95feet, and the rest of the pattern exploded
on the bottom. The group proceeded to carry out depth charge attacks, after
the third of which one survivor surfaced in an air bubble and wearing Drager
breathing apparatus. Further attacks were delivered, while oil and air bubbles
surfaced in large quantities. After the final attack at 1735, the group withdrew
under smoke, having been shelled from the French coast.
There was a German 30.5cm (12inch) heavy naval artillery battery on Guernsey
during the war which fired on numerous Allied ships from Autumn 1942. It's
range was an 'over the horizon' 38km (reduced from 51km after reliability problems).
In the section on the operation of the battery " 'Mirus' - The making of
a Battery" by Colin Partridge & John Wallbridge
ISBN 0 946 346 04 6 published by the Ampersand Press (page 84) it states the
following:-
"Nevertheless, on the 18th June HMS Icarus was on a general patrol...........The
3 vessels located a submerged enemy submarine, in in the course of pursuit,
came within 16 kilometres of the west coast of the island. Suddenly, a salvo
of 4 rounds of 30.5cm shells straddled the destroyer formation. The British
ships succeeded in sending the U767 to the bottom, and were able to escape unscathed."
So it would appear that it was the Guernsey based guns, rather than French based
ones that scared the Allied ships off. Unfortunately there are no recorded sinkings
of ships by battery Mirus, but it was possible to cause severe damage to 2 ships
by a shell going off between them! (Deep Image is thankfull
to Mark Page for this shore battery information)
No of Attacks……………1st…………2nd………….3rd………….4th
Time 1429 1438 1440 1457
Ship Fame Fame Havelock Fame
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doppler Slight high Same Same to Nil
to low slight high
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
H.E. Nil Nil --- Nil
Movement of Left --- low left ----
Target
Range of loosing Held to Held to 100 yards -----
Contact Firing Firing
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time to fire Recorder Recorder & eye 100yards eye
Obtained by
No. of D/C's Hedgehog 10 10 10
Settings 150ft & 300ft 150ft & 300ft 100 &225ft
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remarks 3 explosions 4.5 seconds after bombs hit water.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surface evidence; Oil, wreckage and one survivor.
Ca.pts Opinion; Fame; U-Boat sunk.
Inconstant; U-Boat sunk by Fames first attack.
Havelock; U-Boat sunk.
P.O.W. Evidence; The boat went down rapidly and settled on the bottom in 75m
of water / 250ft.
Decision of U-Boat assessment committee;
Examination of Fames recorder trace shows that her initial Hedgehog attack
was an accurate one. The projectiles detonated at about 100ft, which corresponds
with the estimated depth of the target. It is considered that the U-Boat was
hit by this salvo and surfaced lethal damage. The recorder traces from Havelock
and Inconstant have faded and no information can be obtained from them. It is
considered that the large quantity of oil, together with the evidence of the
single survivor, confirms that this U-Boat was destroyed, and the hunt is assessed
as U767 known sunk.
10th July 1944.
U767 Data
Laid down 5th April 1941 Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven
Commissioned 11th Sept 1943 Oblt Walter Dankleff
Commanders 11th Sept 1943 - 18th June 1944 Oblt Walter Dankleff
Career One patrol 11th Sept 1943-30 April 1944 8 Flottille (training)
1st May 1944 -18th June 1944 1. Flottille (front boat)
Successes 1 Ship sunk for a total of 1,370 tons