German WWI subs found in Scottish waters
Wednesday, 22 Nov 2006 10:14
A sonar image of the subs taken by the MCA
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Two historic German submarines which fought in the first world war have been discovered in waters off the Scottish Orkney Islands.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said surveyors made the find during a "routine sonar survey" earlier this year.
A team of surveyors who were working on the coastguard tug, Anglian Sovereign, came across the wrecks about 70 miles east of Sanday Sound and experts believe the wrecks are those of two U-boats which went missing in the area in 1918.
They are thought to be the U102 and U92 subs which may have sunk after hitting mines in the area.
And one of them could have a particularly interesting story to tell, as it is believed to be the resting place of Commander Kurt Beitzen, who is believed to have caused the death of then minister of war, Lord Kitchener.
"One of the subs, it seems, was commanded by quite a famous commander - the man who sunk the ship that Lord Kitchener was on - so this is his watery grave so to speak," Rob Spillard, the MCA's hydrography manager, said.
Lord Kitchener was killed on June 5th 1916 along with most of the crew of the HMS Hampshire when the ship ran into mines planted by the Beitzen-controlled U-boat U-75 a few weeks earlier.
The Boer War veteran would become synonymous with the 'Join Your Country's Army' recruitment posters which featured his mustachioed face pointing.