German U-Boat at Sligo

Ozymandiaz

Anybody able to help me with this. I am trying to identify a UTV documentary which was broadcast a year or two ago about the North's role in World War II. I think it was made independently of UTV.

In particular, this programme featured an interview with a woman who worked at the air base on Lough Erne. In it she claimed that she used regularly cycle into county Sligo on her days off with her male colleagues. She stated on camera, without giving any particular reason, that on one occasion her friends suddenly told her to be quiet and take cover and that while concealed they could overhear German voices. Her frineds told her they were probably refuelling a uboat. She then turned to the camera and while knowingly tapping the side of her nose she said: 'Sprechen dee Deutsch' (not 'Sprechen Sie Deutsch?').

Any help?

pedroeibar1

Nonsense. No U-Boats docked/visited Ireland in WW2. This topic has been debated to death. Try 'Search'

Ozymandiaz

I know it's nonsense! That's not the point. Can you help me identify the documentary?

Obviously the programme-makers did not feel it was nonsense or they would not have included it. As for UTV .... !

nuac

Many British people of WW2 vintage do believe that U-boats sheltered and refuelled along the West coast.

Over the years I have sailed along most of the West coast, and have also travelled most of it by road.

I think there is no truth in those rumours for a variety of reasons

1. Not too many places where a sub could safely come in. Few navigational aids even now.

2. Parts of the coast may look deserted, but there is always someone about, fishing, tending stock etc.

3. Diesel was hard to get in WW2. The logistics of gathering and transporting the amounts required would be insuperable.

4, Irish authorities kept a good luck out,
E.g In those days all lighthouses were manned. To facilitates signalling in pre phone and radio days, lighthouses are built within sight of each other

There were also observation posts on many headlands.

5. I am reliabily informed that the British had a net work of informants e.g retired RN personnel along the coast to keep an eye out for any such matters

FiSe

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Nonsense. No U-Boats docked/visited Ireland in WW2. This topic has been debated to death. Try 'Search'

Ehmmm, never say never. Ever heard about Ventry Harbour and U-35?

Cardinal Richelieu

What did UTV say when you contacted them?

Ozymandiaz

Thanks to those who responded.

No, Cardinal Richelieu, I haven't contacted UTV. Aside from wondering how I might do that, and it is a good idea, I think I do not have sufficient detail to make a sensible inquiry. But I will look into it.

The case of U35 in Dingle bay is well documented and cannot be considered as an example of Eire 'helping' the German war effort. It happened a few weeks into the war and there was no question of refuelling the submarine.

Delancey

FiSe wrote: »

Ehmmm, never say never. Ever heard about Ventry Harbour and U-35?

I've heard that story about U-35 alright but has it ever been proved ?

The only reliable information on U-Boats getting help from Ireland was the habit of certain U-boat commanders to hail passing Irish fishing boats and ask if they had fish for sale ( which the Germans paid for with £ STG ).

Cardinal Richelieu

Ozymandiaz wrote: »

Thanks to those who responded.

No, Cardinal Richelieu, I haven't contacted UTV. Aside from wondering how I might do that, and it is a good idea, I think I do not have sufficient detail to make a sensible inquiry. But I will look into it.

The case of U35 in Dingle bay is well documented and cannot be considered as an example of Eire 'helping' the German war effort. It happened a few weeks into the war and there was no question of refuelling the submarine.

Well UTV don't exactly fill their schedule between the soaps with too many home produced documentaries so might be easier than you think.

who the fug

Delancey wrote: »

I've heard that story about U-35 alright but has it ever been proved ?

.

It is true he dropped off 28 Greek sailors from the vessel Diamantis.

FiSe

Ozymandiaz wrote: »

The case of U35 in Dingle bay is well documented and cannot be considered as an example of Eire 'helping' the German war effort. It happened a few weeks into the war and there was no question of refuelling the submarine.

It has fuelled hearsay and rumour and it was taken as an example of cooperation between the Eire and German Kriegsmarine. Especially our closest neighbours went mad about this single, one off, event and it did drag for a couple of years afterwards.
Nevertheless, it never happened before, it never happened since. A lot of misinformation, legends and myths out there about what happened in Ireland during WWII. Ehhhhhh, pardon me, Emergency

Never heard about U-boots stopping Irish fishing vessels and asking for fish or any other provisions. In my opinion, and I'm not saying that I am right, this would be regarded as totally unacceptable behaviour as any such event will be reported to Irish authorities, with location and time/date and any such info will be passed to the British officials, which was common practice and any such sub will be hunted down.

Ozymandiaz

Delancey wrote: »

I've heard that story about U-35 alright but has it ever been proved ?

Yes. It is well documented in both the Irish and British state papers. A month after the outbreak of the war U35 entered Ventry Harbour to discharge the crew of a Greek vessel, Diamantis, it had sunk. This affair occurred after Churchill first mooted the idea that Eire might be a source of succour for German uboats and had begun to encourage a propaganda campaign in the British and US papers to that effect. Aside from setting the Greek crew free in Ventry harbour in life rafts there is no evidence that they received any help of any kind from the locals. In fact, the locals were altogether more antagonistic to the Germans than their Greek captives were.

By way of balance, two weeks earlier, a British seaplane had made an emergency landing in the very same harbour with engine difficulties. They came ashore with a broken fuel pipe which was repaired at a local garage and they were able to take off again a short while later.

Fuinseog

It was said that u-boats came into Killary harbour in Mayo. there are also tales of u-boats coming to the surface and buying fish from the local fishermen, but no hard evidence for either.

nuac

Doubt the Killary Harbour story

While the Royal Navy sent ships in there on a Royal visit c 1900, it is a difficult approach. On the way in you would have to cross the Barrett Shoals north of SLyne Head - a tricky area especially if wind gets up.

Many other unmarked rocks. The RN had sailors with flags standing on some of them.

Assuming the sub got in there, very difficult to get any supplies. On north side, no road past Bundorragha. On south side a narrow overgrown road.

Only shops or garage is Leenane, which is at the end of the fjord where water is shallow. The Ventry sub was about 200 feet long, with a draft of 14 foot.

Would be hard to get any quantity of diesel there.

Finally never heard any mention of this in the locality or from families I know who fished that area. I live in Westport and know that area well

corktina

any U-boat entering a harbour such as this would have been more likely to be dropping off a spy than refuelling I would have thought.

nuac

Killary would not have been an ideal place to drop off a spy

1. Sparse local population. Only three pubs in nearest village Leenane.

2. Nearest railway station to Leenane, Westport 20 miles away, Galway even further. Bus service even now not good.

3. As already mentioned difficult area for a sub to navigate - also as it is a fjord with high mountains in vicinity, winds are unpredictable.

Spies appear to have been parachuted in, but if dropping off sub would think COnnemara coast within striking distance of Galway a better bet.

In any case I know families who for generations have kept lobster pots along the Killary - they would have spotted a sub

Delancey

Worth noting that the wartime IRA leader ( Frank Ryan ? ) died of a perforated appendix on a German u-boat en-route to Ireland. Anyone know what his proposed drop-off point was to be ?

Itsdacraic

Delancey wrote: »

Worth noting that the wartime IRA leader ( Frank Ryan ? ) died of a perforated appendix on a German u-boat en-route to Ireland. Anyone know what his proposed drop-off point was to be ?

That was Sean Russell.
Frank Ryan was the guy involved in the Spanish civil war

Delancey

Itsdacraic wrote: »

That was Sean Russell.
Frank Ryan was the guy involved in the Spanish civil war

Thanks for that correction . Anyone know where he was to be put ashore ?

pedroeibar1

Delancey wrote: »

Thanks for that correction . Anyone know where he was to be put ashore ?

He wasn't, unless he floated there. He was buried at sea from the U-boat with full Nazi military honours.

(The plan was to land him at Ballydavid In Co. Kerry.)

Delancey

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

He wasn't, unless he floated there. He was buried at sea from the U-boat with full Nazi military honours.

Duh ! Yeah , I know that - my question is where was he to be put ashore had he not died ?

pedroeibar1

Delancey wrote: »

Duh ! Yeah , I know that - my question is where was he to be put ashore had he not died ?

oops! hit 'submit' too soon - see my edit above. Ryan was on the boat with him....

kabakuyu

interesting article here http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/robert-fisk/german-captains-uboats-and-other-lies-about-ireland-14849389.html

Liked this quote
"Most of the submarines had been seen in pubs."