The role played by the city of Derry (Londonderry) as a major naval base was one of the very best kept secrets of WW2. The naval base was Britain’s most westerly seaport and played a major role in the battle of the Atlantic against the wolfpacks of the German Kriegsmarine U-boat fleet.
The Martello Tower at Magilligan Point, standing watch over the narrow entrance to Lough Foyle, concealed from the sea the anchorage of up to 140 naval vessels at any one time within the lough’s waters. Such was the importance of Derry that from 1940 the number of ships passing through Lough Foyle was more than Belfast, Glasgow and Liverpool combined. The allies had a huge wartime presence in the surrounding area and according to the Derry Journal at one time “..Derry was home to 20,000 Royal Navy personnel, some 10,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders, more than 6,000 Americans..”
The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest of WW2, saw Germany trying to isolate Britain through naval blockades, as in World War 1. On September 3rd 1939 the Donaldson Atlantic Line liner Athenia, traveling between Glasgow and Montreal, was struck and sunk off the Donegal coastline by a torpedo from the German submarine U-30 with the loss of 117 civilians and crew.
SIGNIFICANCE OF DERRY
In post-war remarks, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill recognized the significance of Derry in the Battle of the Atlantic, which witnessed the loss of over 4,000 ships and 100,000 lives against the loss of 600 U-boats. He also acknowledged the city’s vulnerabilities, stating, “The Battle of the Atlantic was the only thing that truly worried me during the war.” The Foyle’s absence from German attacks played a role in securing the ultimate victory.”
After Hitler’s death by suicide on April 30th, 1945, Rear Admiral Karl Dönitz assumed leadership as Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Axis Armed Forces. With the majority of Nazi Germany then under occupation, Dönitz was acutely aware of his limited military capacity to sustain war operations.
Only the Kriegsmarine’s U-Boat fleet stationed in occupied Norway were capable of continuing operations, with some 170 U-boats and a further 200 boats under construction. Faced with overwhelming superior forces and unwilling to unnecessarily sacrifice the reminder of the U-boat fleet, Dönitz issued his orders for surrender on May 4th 1945 to all U-boat commanders across the globe.
‘U-boat men! Undefeated and spotless you lay down your arms after a heroic battle without equal. We remember in deep respect our fallen comrades, who have sealed with their death their loyalty to the Führer and Fatherland. Comrades! Preserve your U-boat spirit, with which you have fought courageously, stubbornly and imperturbably through the years for the good of the Fatherland. Long live Germany!’
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The majority of the U-boat commanders followed their orders to surrender themselves and their submarines to the nearest allied vessel. However, despite the global surrender order from several commanders purposely scuttled their submarines.
Between 7th and 8th May U-320 was sunk by an RAF Catalina becoming the last U-boat to be sunk as the Battle of the Atlantic wound down.
SURRENDER
At 08:45 on May 10th, at Loch Eriboll, on the northern coast of Scotland the first German U-boat, U-1009, arrived at the British naval base located there to surrender. Commanding the U-boat was Oberleutnant Klaus Hilgendorf. However, despite his surrender, his wartime responsibilities continued, as he was flown by the RAF to Derry to assume command of a U-boat flotilla that would surrender at Lisahally naval base just four days later.
On May 14th 1945 eight U-boats of the Kriegsmarine commanded by Oberleutnant Klaus Hilgendorf and with skeleton crews sailed past the Martello Tower at Magilligan Point and into Lough Foyle. Flying black flags of surrender and Royal Navy White Ensign, they were escorted by H.M.S. Hesperus, H.M.C.S. Theford Mines and U.S.S. Paine and moored at Lisahally to offer terms of surrender.
OFFICIAL CEREMONY
In an official ceremony observed by hundreds of airmen, soldiers, sailors and locals Oberleutnant Klaus Hilgendorf on behalf of the Kriegsmarine U-boat captains surrendered to the Commander in Chief of the Western Approaches, Admiral Sir Max Horton. Also in attendance were the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Basil Brooke, representatives of the US Navy and Colonel Dan Bryan, head of Irish Military Intelligence G2, present as a discreet recognition of the role of the Irish Free State in the ongoing operational functionality of the allied naval base at Lisahally.
It is worth noting that despite the declared neutrality of the Irish Free State during WW2, secret deals and close cooperation were ongoing with the British and allied forces. We previously covered this story “WW2 flying boats, Irish neutrality & secret deals | Season 2 – Episode 67”https://irelandmade.ie/ww2-flying-boats-irish-neutrality-secret-deals-season-2-episode-67/
The surrendering German U-boat crews were then escorted onto trains and transported to Prisoner of War Camps located across Northern Ireland.
By the conclusion of the surrender process in the ensuing days, between 40 and 60 U-Boats were moored at the naval port at Lisahally, Co Derry awaiting their fate.
SCUTTLING U-BOATS
Operation Deadlight was the designated code name for the Royal Navy’s mission between November 17th 1945 and February 11th 1946 to scuttle 116 of the 156 U-boats that had surrendered at Derry.
The Royal Navy planned to tow 80 of the submarines to two areas designated as XX and YY about 100 miles (160 km) north-west of Ireland and scuttle them in deep waters. The remaining 36 U-boats were to be towed to an area designated as ZZ to use as practice targets for aerial attack.
Submarines not assigned for target practice were to be sunk with explosive charges, with naval gunfire available as an alternative in case the charges proved unsuccessful.
At the commencement of Operation Deadlight, the navy discovered that numerous U-boats while awaiting disposal were in deteriorated states due to prolonged mooring in exposed harbours. These challenges, coupled with adverse weather conditions, led to the sinking of 56 U-boats prior to reaching the designated scuttling zones. Of those that did arrive at the designated scuttling areas, most were sunk using naval gunfire rather than explosive charges.
Information sources:
Britannica
British Pathé
Imperial War Museum
Independent.ie
Irelands Military Story
Irish Examiner
Lieutenant C.H. Parnall
National Museums NI
padresteve.com
Reuters
Turtle Bunbury
War History Online
Wartime NI
WIKI Commons
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