More than 100 German U-Boats were scuttled by the British after the end of World War II in Operation ‘DEADLIGHT’ off the NW coast of Ireland. Exactly where were they sunk? NORMAN FIELD (4642-1996) tells us the following:

BOAT	TYPE	REMARKS
U-1197	VII-C	Paid off 25 April 1945 at Wesermünde due to bomb damage; surrendered May 1945 at Wilhelmshaven; broken up.
U-1198	VII-C	Sunk 17 Dec. 1945 at 56.14N x 10.37W by gunfire.
U-1201	VII-C	Surrendered in May 1945 at Hamburg; broken up for scrap
U-1203	VII-C	Sunk 8 December 1945 as target by aircraft at 55.50N x 10.05W
U-1271	VII-C/41	Foundered on 8 December 1945 while under tow to the scuttling area.

As reported some months ago in the KTB Magazine, a group in England has gotten a license from HM Government to raise these scuttled U-Boats. The heavy metals such as steel, lead etc. will be sold for scrap. This steel is in demand by manufacturers of medical and surgical supplies, since this steel was made prior to the detonation of the 1st atomic bomb. Almost the entire German High Seas Fleet, scuttled in Scapa Flow after World War One, has been salvaged and used for just this reason. Steel made after the atomic detonation contains some trace amounts of radiation, and so steel made prior to this blast, without trace radiation, is in much higher demand than steel produced after the atomic blast.

This project is definitely not going according to plan. This group had intended to have at least one, if not more, U-Boats to the surface and to the breaker’s yard during summer of 1996 but that has not happened. We will keep you posted on any new reports as they happen. Perhaps 1997 will be the year but at any rate, you may rest assured that any breaking news will appear here on the pages of our KTB Magazine first.