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Salvage operation at Dunmore via Paul O’Farrell on the Waterford Maritime History page |
Other accounts say that initially she was taken out of the harbour and dropped back to the ocean floor. There is further speculation that the wreck was depth charged or in some other way broken up and dispersed. Either way, there appears to be no known wrecksite. However, it was not until 2011 that her sister UC-42 was re-discovered lying intact outside Cork harbour, is it possible UC-44 remains to be re-discovered.
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An intact mine being unloaded (1 of 9 remaining aboard) note Dunmore Lighthouse to the left. via Paul O’Farrell on the Waterford Maritime History page |
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An inscribed memento of the event via the Imperial War Museum link above, passed on to me by James Doherty |
Although the U boat sank, at least 3 of her crew, the Captain, Tebbenjoahnnes, and two engine room staff; Richter and Fahnster, escaped. When the explosion happened they were in the conning tower, and were separated from the main craft. Their escape necessitated them opening the outer hatch of the conning tower and a swim to the surface that lay 90 feet above. All three broke the surface together, but eventually they drifted apart and as we saw last week the commander, Tebbenjoahnnes, was rescued when three Dunmore East fishermen came to the rescue. (McElwee pp 183-9)
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Sunrise at Dunmore East last Sunday morning |
Personally I think it is timely that the event be remembered. As someone who has lost a brother, an uncle and friends to drowning, it strikes me as sad not to have some testament of these sailors death. Whatever we may feel about the U boats and the destruction that they caused and lives that they shattered in Waterford, her harbour and beyond, they were still brave men, doing what they were ordered to, as was their duty.
Maybe by not knowing these men makes it easier to forget them, Well thanks to Nicki, who I have already mentioned I can at least reverse that small omission. The names and ranks of those lost are listed at the following link and below. With the anniversary coming up next year, we may have an opportunity to remember this event, and deepen our understanding of our harbours history and heritage.
Rank Surname Christian name
Matrose
|
BARTZ
|
John.
|
Ltnt.z.S.d.Res.
|
BENDLER
|
Wilhelm
|
O.Masch.Mt.
|
BIENERT
|
Fritz
|
Heizer
|
BORGWALDT
|
K:
|
Btsm.Mt.d.Res.
|
BÖTTCHER
|
A.
|
O.Matrose
|
BÜRGER
|
O.
|
Masch.Anw.
|
CLASEN
|
H.
|
Ob.Matrose
|
DÜSING
|
August
|
Ob.Masch.Mt.
|
FAHNSTER
|
Johann
|
Heizer
|
FEHRLE
|
Erwin
|
F.T.Gast
|
GIESENHAGEN
|
K.
|
T.Heizer
|
GOLOMBOWSKI
|
–
|
U.Maat
|
HEUER
|
Otto
|
Ob.Btsm.Mt.
|
HORAND
|
Hans
|
Matrose
|
IDSELIS
|
Michael
|
Heizer
|
KERSTEN
|
Heinrich
|
Masch.T.Mt.
|
KLEIN
|
Karl
|
F.T.O.Gast
|
KRÄMER
|
A.
|
O.Masch.Mt.
|
LEHMANN
|
R.
|
Masch.Mt.
|
MÜLLER
|
Heye D.
|
Ob.Btsm.Mt.
|
PABSCH
|
J.
|
Masch.Anw.
|
RICHTER
|
W.
|
Matrose
|
ROTTSCHALK
|
Walter
|
Masch.Mt.
|
RÖSLER
|
P.
|
Ob.Heizer
|
SCHICKENDANZ
|
W.
|
Steuermann
|
SCHULTER
|
J.
|
Masch.Mt.
|
SCHMITZ
|
F.
|
Mt.Ing.O.Asp.
|
SEIFARTH
|
Helmut
|
Matrose
|
ZIELOSKO
|
Emanuel
|
I publish a blog each Friday. If you like this piece or have an interest in local history, heritage, Waterford harbour and environs you can email me to request to be added to my email list russianside@gmail.com. Other ways to connect are:
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or our web page – www.russiansidetours.com
Thanks to Nicki Kenny and her husband Mick for assisting me with the German research this week. Also to James Doherty for allowing me to wreck his head and to Paul O’ Farrell for some of the images.
Here’s a great link to a blog post by Roy Stokes on UC 44 and others, most of which is similar to what os contained in his book referenced below.http://lugnad.ie/flanders-u-boat-alley/
Another interesting blog post highlighting the sinking and a memento sculpted from the starboard propeller to the inventor of the depth charge Herbert Taylor:
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/heritage/man-who-invented-the-depth-charge-1-7199079
References:
Hutchinson. S. Beware the Coast of Ireland. 2013. Wordwell. Dublin
Stokes. R. Between the tides; Shipwrecks of the Irish Coast. 2015. Amberly. Gloucestershire.