Divers return a piece of U-boat wartime history

FOR years the propeller from a German U-boat recovered by Canterbury Divers had been left to languish in a garage in Beltinge.

Members had considered selling it for scrap, which would have raised £800 for the club.

But now, in a gesture of reconciliation, they have donated it to the German Marine Museum in Wilhelmshaven.

The bronze prop came from the German attack submarine UB78 which became a steel coffin for her crew when she hit a mine in the Dover Barrage and sank on April 19, 1918, with all hands lost.

In 1998, Canterbury Divers, together with divers from Folkestone BSAC, undertook several dives to identify the wreck from serial numbers stamped on the propellers.

The first was carefully removed without disturbing the wreck. The second starboard propeller, which was partially buried, was raised, cleaned and examined ashore.

Its markings confirmed that the wreck was that of the UB78, which was previously wrongly recorded as being lost off Cherbourg.

For some years the propellor was put in display in the diving club’s meeting room at Herne Bay Angling Club, but was then left to languish in a member’s garage.

But after discussions with the German museum curator, the decision was taken not to sell it for scrap but donate it instead.

Last weekend, after nine hours polishing it up to shiny splendour, members of Canterbury Divers drove the 900-mile round trip to Wilhelmshaven to present the wartime artefact.

Trip organiser Simon Woollett said “The team was delighted to be able to give this valuable and important piece of naval history back to its rightful owners, who were over the moon.

“Melting it down for scrap would have just been wrong.

‘Melting it down for scrap would have just been wrong. We were really impressed with the museum and have made good friends there’

We were really impressed with the museum and have made good friends there.”

UB 78 was built by Blohm and Voss in the Hamburg shipyards and launched on June 2, 1917.

She undertook five patrols, sank 1,241 tons of Allied shipping and caused damage to a further 7,040 tons.

On her last mission, she was part of the Flanders Flotilla.

Canterbury Divers will be celebrating the rest of BSAC’s 60th anniversary year with dives on 60 different wrecks, details of which will be announced on the club’s Facebook page.

Members of Canterbury Divers with the restored U-boat propeller which they have donated to a German maritime museum