Gents,

Today the Dutch navy in cooporation with Wijsmuller are attempting to raise a German Uboat to the surface off the coast of Egmond aan Zee. It is a U-boat of the XXVII B5 SEEHUND class. This was a two persons mini sub that was used later in the war. This Uboat (no. unknown to me) was commanded by Hans Wachsmuth, run a-ground and scuttled by the crew in Februari 1945 after being attacked by British Naval forces.

Wachsmuth tried to blow the Uboat but only one (of two charges) exploded, which blew up the front part of the Uboat. Two torpedos are known to be 'onboard' (actually hanging from the Uboat).

The top of the Uboat can just be made out by low tide, and due to the fact that it has two torpedoes and lies close to the beach, the municipality decided to salvage it. The operation is thought to last about 35 days.

It is not clear what is going to happen with the SEEHUND. The municipality does want to preserve it but is afraid of it 'becoming a gathering place for neo-nazi's'...

Let's hope that common sense prevails and this Uboat will be preserved and not sold for scrap.

__________________
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Hey thats cool! if you hear anything more about it--please let me know and if there is anything on the web--please let me know--thanks Stevin. [img]smile.gif[/img]

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Achtung, achtung !

Stevin, I must have been sleeping today as I must have passed over this posting. what an excellent find ! Hopefully the Dutch government will allow photographers to the scene....hope, hope ? you'll be there right ? ! This would be great to have a little write up for this web-site as the Seehund during ops was just about closed down and the boats sunk before they coudle ven release their torpedos.

good work !

E

Strangely enough there is not much notice given about it. Only in the local press, where I stumbled across it. I have contacted the municipality and they said they just don't want masses off people there. It is public ground (the beach) so anybody who wants to can look.

Obviously I will be there (not all the time, but during the "interesting parts").

I will try and get some good pictures and the story behind the Uboat. I could not locate a Hans Wachsmuth, as Uboat commander. Anybody got something on him? I know that in '98 he visited the site with the people who were investigating the Uboat.

Anyway, I'll post more here when I know. Carl, There are only two or three articles on the internet about this and they are on the site of the Dutch local paper. Interesting only if you speak Dutch, I am afraid.

Have a good one!

Stevin

PS: Found the following on a German site;

Noch eine weitere Angelegenheiten soll erwähnt werden: U 5097. das Boot von Hans Wachsmuth und seinem verstorbenen L.I. Feine ist noch immer Gegenstand von Bergungsüberlegungen im niederländischen Egmond aan zee. Inzwischen haben Nachforschungen bei der Wehrtechnischen Dienststelle 71 (Nachfolger der TVA) in Verbindung mit dem Militärhistorischen Museum zu einer theoretischen Grundlage geführt, die das Risiko bei der Bergung der Torpedos und der Sprengladung die sich noch an bzw. in dem Boot befinden, erträglich erscheinen lassen. Nach Eingang entsprechender Erfahrungsberichte aus dem Sprengmittelräumdienst der niederländischen Marine, wird über die Bergungschancen dieses Bootes entschieden werden.

The 'Bergung' has indeed begun...

[ 28 March 2002, 02:59 AM: Message edited by: Stevin Oudshoorn ]

__________________
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

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Thanks Stevin ! By the way, I haven't checked this morning but has a notation been sent to www.uboat.net about this ?

Erich

Yes, I have sent Gummi an e-mail...

But I can't get on to the site anymore. I have to call in on a different server or something. Do you have any trouble?

[ 28 March 2002, 04:36 PM: Message edited by: Stevin Oudshoorn ]

__________________
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

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Stevin :

No problems loggin onto the uboat.net site. I do know that he is asking $ 40.00 US to be a member of the conning tower and access the data base there. other than that all systems are a go !

By the way Barry Smith is right on track and is hopeful for a major part of the story to be compelted by this sontag.....

Frohe Ostern !!

E

I didnt know Gummi was requesting $40.00 to access the database? that bites BUT I do underestand his reasons behind the cost.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Carl, Erich,

Yes I do know about the membership for the conningtower. But I can't get onto the site anymore at all! 'Gummi'wrote back he didn't understand and also that he had put an anouncement on his site. I will get him (and this forum) more info as I get it.

Carl, maybe you know this; I believe pictures cannot be posted here, right. Then I should contact Otto, or send the stuff to you for 'further processing', provided there is a space for this stuff on ww2n.com.

Erich, Great to hear about Barry. Haven't heard from him in a while. He got some exciting news about the Jan.11 1944 mission with which I think I was able to help him out. Will write him soon with the results of the chats I had with US vets...Can't wait to read his book!

Latest news; Not much joy for all you non-Dutch speakers, but there will be an interview with Hans Wachmuth on the Dutch TV next Tuesday, together with an item about the 'Bergung'. Also the municipality of Bergen has part of their webiste dedicated to the salvage and they will publish pictures almost every day. Mind you the site is in Dutch and so far the pictures are not that good or interesting.

Go to ; http://www.bergen-nh.nl/welkom.htm click on ACTUELE INFORMATIE and then the article with says either SEEHUND or BERGING DUIKBOOT. The pictures are pretty small and right now not much can be seen, but it has two pitures of the "manhole" poking out of the surface by low tide...

The media here is starting to pick up on it...

[ 29 March 2002, 05:15 AM: Message edited by: Stevin Oudshoorn ]

__________________
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

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Hello Stevin, and thanks for the links. I will be looking at them as soon as I finish spouting off on these forums.

Photos can be posted here--but I have no clue how to do it. Some months ago--there was a photo of James Coburn as Sergeant Steiner from the movie: "Cross of Iron". It showed him wearing his M-43 cap, and I think you were able to see some of his combat decorations on his tunic.

Also, I dont think Otto would mind someone posting pictures here--the more the merrier as they say. If you have a way of posting pictures here--maybe Otto will let you post all the ones I sent to him for that purpose--as he is pretty busy with his job and every day things. Email him and see if maybe he will let you do that which would save him from having to worry about finding time to do it and we all can have some of our own neat photos on this forum.

Ill also send him an email if you wish expressing these thoughts and possibilities. Just let me know [img]smile.gif[/img]

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

So Stevin, will you be now searching and interviewing Kapitan/Leutnant H. Wachsmuth ?

wouldn't that be fun......eh ?

As for pics I wonder if Otto will have a seperate page(s) to allow just pics to be shown or maybe something similair to the existing forum with subject headers...... ?\

E

Erich,

This tuesday there will be an interview with him (and the Bergung) on Dutch TV. Gonna tape it of course and see if I can digest some interesting info from that. Am already 'on the trail' of Wachsmuth himself though.

Although I am not familiar with U boat or navy history, etc. I wouldn't pass up the change to interview him.

The work on the sub has been shut down till after Easter ( I have been told).

__________________
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

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Stevin :

Got your private mail to me and I will respond this afternoon. I know Carl and I would love to hear more of your interview with him. If by chance you can get in contact with him before the interview I would love to have a signed pic of him and so would Carl I am sure........if this is possible, and I can send you funds to cover this. but let me send you what I have on the sub as background. what a joy, privelge and a rarity to be able to interview a commander of one of these little things as most of the crews were either killed or forgotten.

more later

E

And we would gladly part with some hard earned cash to have a signed photo of him. Our way of helping with expenses and saying thanks

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Stevin :

check this out :

http://www.uk-muenchen.de/english/eng_seals.html

take a look at the front page on the Seehund and the book done up in English. the author is looking for someone to translate this into English !! whoa yeah baby ! here's a job for ya ? or contact the author or the spokesperson for the Seehund vets..........the Muncih Submariners Association.

have fun !!

E

What a most excellent page! Certainly gives me some of the background I need!

As for the translating; my fingers are itching but I think will have problems with the techincal Deutsch, as my Deutsch is of the high school variety. And my knowledge about Uboats is only scratchning the surface. But who knows what I will know soon....

Thnx for the link Erich!

__________________
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

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www.basher82.nl

Happy Easter today ! hope all is well and happy. sunny and 70 F today !

Stevin, I looked through the multi-facets of this association page for over an hour. some pretty cool stuff here and if some of these guys could be contacted........well.......you knw you could get a buncle of info.
I found two books that maybe of some help. Not sure if you are pressed for time but if you can send me a private mail with your adresse I will make copies and shop these off to you this week.

E

Hi Erich,

Thanks for the links and the e-mail. Great stuff!

Will respond mor eindepth tomorrow. Visiting the relatives today (and yesterday).

STevin

__________________
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

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www.basher82.nl

Im embarassed, I didnt get a chance to tell everyone Happy Easter yesterday cause all the libraries were closed....

HAPPY BELATED EASTER.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Stevin this goes with the other thread..... any new news ?

~Erich~

time for another bump although it is getting cold in Holland..........Stevin are you receiving ? what's new on this Seehund if anything ?

~E

Hi Erich, sorry about that. My pc at home is KIA and at present time I don't have the funds to replace it. Did you guys know there is a whole world out there besides the internet???

At work I have little time to spent browsing the net (i.e. here ).

All I know is that they got it out. Will try and get info on what they did with the seehund. At the time they had no idea what to do with it. They wanted it gone as it still had its torpedoes onboard.

I have tried to get in touch with the skipper (Herr Wachsmuth) but got more or less the run around from the historical society that got the sub out. I didn;t have the time or zest to pursue the case then. But since I have made some new contacts in that area, so maybe through them I might get somewhere.

Still nothing on the Holk Ju88; last time I spoke to the guy on the phone, he said he'd look for the stuff, but he sounded a bit...euh...medicated....No news so far. That was a month or so ago.

For the Barendrecht Ju88 I have to go there to get the photocopies of the post-war reports. I still have about 4 weeks of free days, but no time to take them off work yet. And absolutely nothing on the Vlissingen Ju in Dutch sources. The help I got from that part of Holland was absolutely great, but not a single bit of info was found in four different archives.

And yes, it is getting cold here....If 0 Celsius can be considered cold....

__________________
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

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www.basher82.nl