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U boats were part of Hitler’s strategy to win the war. Subsequently 37000 men were trained to operate the flotillas. Only 6000 survived.
On May 5th, 1945 U-534 was underway in the Kattegat, north west of Helsingor, Denmark, and although Admiral D�nitz had ordered all his U-boats to surrender as from 08:00 May 5th, for some unknown reason U-534 refused to do so.
U-534 was sailing on the surface with 3 other u-boats, heading north towards Norway, when it was attacked by a Liberator aircraft from RAF 547 Squadron which dropped depth charges. During the attack the U-534 managed to shoot one of the bombers down. It took 9 depth charges before the U534 was hit. She took heavy damage and began to sink by the stern. Amazingly forty-nine of the fifty-two crew members survived, including four who escaped via a torpedo hatch. The stricken vessel lay forgotten on the sea bed for over 40 years.
In August 1993 the wreckage was raised from the seabed in the hope of finding hidden treasure on board. Nothing was found. However, the mystery of why U-534 refused to surrender remains to this day. There were theories that she was carrying high ranking German officers to South America and was laiden with gold bullion. None of these proved correct. What does seem plausible was that she was carrying a prototype torpedo which were found in the aft of the sub. They were unique in that they had acoustic homing systems.
The U534 was part of a museum. After the museum closed the U534 lay dormant and was due for the scrap heap. She was bought by the Chief Exec of Mersey Travel for a mere 50p. The sub had to be dissected as there was no place to exhibit her other than her current location on the Wirral. The sub was laser cut and cut in such a way that if space permits, the U534 could be pieced together.
This was a permission visit. We were unfortunate to visit after the sub had been cut up but fortunate to visit before she was sealed up. We were given a great tour and were lifted over the top via a cherry picker that had been organised for us. We were disappointed to be told that we couldn’t go inside for health and safety reasons. Fortune smiled on us when a phone call to the site manager summoned him to the meeting. The guy on the cherry picker gave us the nod once he had left and...well the rest is history. This was our first urbex, armed only with a crappy canon with built in flash – no torches, no light and no tripod. But for me one of the best days of my life. Enjoy the pics
This is the U534 being bombed
And this is what happens when you are hit by a depth charge - the explosion creates such pressure that the hull is crushed like a tin can
Shots of the dissected hull
Somtimes permission visits do pay off. View from the cherry picker
The site of this must have struck fear into the hearts of those on board convoy ships
Some inside shots. Officers quarters then
Officers quarters now. The hatch lead to the mens quarters/torpedo room
And these are the torpedo tubes by which 4 crew members escaped
If you ever wondered how they got torpedo tubes on board, then wonder no more
Pipes by which the Uboat dived/rose
The ladder to the conning tower then...
The ladder to the connng tower now
My first attempt at HDR. The engine room
This was the galley. Hard to believe this little stove cooked and fed a crew of 48
And finally the radio room. I cant begin to imagine the fear and adrenalin when the sonar picked up that "ping" sound which meant hunting or be hunted time
On May 5th, 1945 U-534 was underway in the Kattegat, north west of Helsingor, Denmark, and although Admiral D�nitz had ordered all his U-boats to surrender as from 08:00 May 5th, for some unknown reason U-534 refused to do so.
U-534 was sailing on the surface with 3 other u-boats, heading north towards Norway, when it was attacked by a Liberator aircraft from RAF 547 Squadron which dropped depth charges. During the attack the U-534 managed to shoot one of the bombers down. It took 9 depth charges before the U534 was hit. She took heavy damage and began to sink by the stern. Amazingly forty-nine of the fifty-two crew members survived, including four who escaped via a torpedo hatch. The stricken vessel lay forgotten on the sea bed for over 40 years.
In August 1993 the wreckage was raised from the seabed in the hope of finding hidden treasure on board. Nothing was found. However, the mystery of why U-534 refused to surrender remains to this day. There were theories that she was carrying high ranking German officers to South America and was laiden with gold bullion. None of these proved correct. What does seem plausible was that she was carrying a prototype torpedo which were found in the aft of the sub. They were unique in that they had acoustic homing systems.
The U534 was part of a museum. After the museum closed the U534 lay dormant and was due for the scrap heap. She was bought by the Chief Exec of Mersey Travel for a mere 50p. The sub had to be dissected as there was no place to exhibit her other than her current location on the Wirral. The sub was laser cut and cut in such a way that if space permits, the U534 could be pieced together.
This was a permission visit. We were unfortunate to visit after the sub had been cut up but fortunate to visit before she was sealed up. We were given a great tour and were lifted over the top via a cherry picker that had been organised for us. We were disappointed to be told that we couldn’t go inside for health and safety reasons. Fortune smiled on us when a phone call to the site manager summoned him to the meeting. The guy on the cherry picker gave us the nod once he had left and...well the rest is history. This was our first urbex, armed only with a crappy canon with built in flash – no torches, no light and no tripod. But for me one of the best days of my life. Enjoy the pics
This is the U534 being bombed
And this is what happens when you are hit by a depth charge - the explosion creates such pressure that the hull is crushed like a tin can
Shots of the dissected hull
Somtimes permission visits do pay off. View from the cherry picker
The site of this must have struck fear into the hearts of those on board convoy ships
Some inside shots. Officers quarters then
Officers quarters now. The hatch lead to the mens quarters/torpedo room
And these are the torpedo tubes by which 4 crew members escaped
If you ever wondered how they got torpedo tubes on board, then wonder no more
Pipes by which the Uboat dived/rose
The ladder to the conning tower then...
The ladder to the connng tower now
My first attempt at HDR. The engine room
This was the galley. Hard to believe this little stove cooked and fed a crew of 48
And finally the radio room. I cant begin to imagine the fear and adrenalin when the sonar picked up that "ping" sound which meant hunting or be hunted time
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