[PSUBS-MAILIST] Finding WW1 Sub UC-18

[Alec Smyth via Personal_Submersibles]

Wow James, that's just fantastic. I can't wait to see the documentary!

Thanks,
Alec

On Wed, Mar 20, 2024 at 1:19 PM James Frankland via Personal_Submersibles <
personal_submersibles at psubs.org> wrote:

> Hi All
>
> I've not mentioned this before as this has been top secret for various
> reasons, but i can now disclose it
>
> My brother has been part of a search crew here that have found one of the
> last remaining (I believe) undiscovered WW1 German Submarines.
>
> They have made it into a film which will show on BBC later this year.
>
> Website for the trailer is   * www.TheHuntForTheGermanSubmarine.com
> <http://www.TheHuntForTheGermanSubmarine.com>*
>
> I'll paste the text that is in todays local paper as they have officially
> released the information at last.
>
> I didn't have anything to do with the diving expeditions but did make
> various parts for the camera sleds and things, plus assisted in machining
> the plaque they laid on the wreck.
> Regards
> James
> [image: image.png]
> (Press Release) Divers discover missing German U-boat
>
> Divers from Guernsey in the Channel Islands have discovered a missing
> German U-Boat at a depth of over 70 meters.
>
> The missing U-boat ‘UC-18' was lost in February 1917 after a famous battle
> with a secret Royal Navy ‘Q’ Ship which was also sunk in the altercation.
> It is the only known battle where a navy ship and a submarine sank each
> other.
>
> Historians had contested the accuracy of the battle or even if the Royal
> Navy ship ‘The Lady Olive’ had actually sunk ‘UC-18’. The team of technical
> divers and underwater filmmaker Karl Taylor were able to prove the validity
> of the Lady Olive’s claims by examining the damage to the U-boat and
> locating what they also believe to be the Lady Olive.
>
> It took the team 4 years, including extensive research to finally find the
> resting place of the submarine along with its 28 lost crew and confirm it
> as UC-18. The entire four years of the project has also been filmed as part
> of an upcoming documentary which is set for broadcast on the BBC later this
> year.
>
> Following the discovery, the German War Graves Commission were very
> appreciative to receive the information and finally be able to determine
> the resting place of the 28 missing submariners.
>
> Fortunately for the Lady Olive all of her crew survived the encounter and
> were rescued from their lifeboats by a French destroyer some 36 hours
> later. It was a vital clue from this rescue that helped Karl Taylor narrow
> down a new search area for the U-boat.
>
> Karl said the project had been very demanding with deep dives in very low
> light, making filming even more challenging. During their search across
> thousands of square kilometres of ocean, two other wrecks were also
> discovered and identified but they were not what the team were looking for.
>
> In the third year of search, following extensive research and with leads
> from fisherman it eventually lead to discovering the location of the
> U-Boat, along with what they believe to be the Lady Olive relatively nearby.
>
> The team conducted several research dives on the U-boat and worked closely
> with U-Boat expert and marine archeologist Tomas Termote to identify the
> submarine as ‘UC-18’. Incredibly she was found approximately 40 miles west
> of her supposed position and remains in amazing condition.
>
> Tomas Termote and the dive team have passed all of their findings and
> photographic evidence over to the French Maritime Authorities and the
> German Navy and as it is designated a war grave the French authorities have
> now closed the location to divers.
>
> Karl Taylor said he was elated with the project and being able to document
> it, ‘the circumstances of the sinking’s had been an enduring mystery
> finally solved' and he hoped that the film would help people realise the
> sacrifices that all sides made during a very turbulent period of European
> history.
>
> ___________________________
>
> The documentary film: ‘The Hunt for Lady Olive and the German Submarine’
> will be aired on the BBC in June this year.
>
> Full details of the film, the crew and the trailer can be found at:
> www.TheHuntForTheGermanSubmarine.com
>
> For further information about this project please contact Karl Taylor at
> info at karltaylor.com
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