Submarine’s (U-534) new lease of life

________________________________________________________________

Liverpool Echo
By Kevin Core
February 5, 2008

A “GIANT wire cheese cutter” sliced into a piece of Merseyside’s naval history today.

Work began this morning dividing the German submarine U-534 into four sections.

Tourist officials hope it will become a major attraction at Mersey Ferries’ Woodside terminal.

Engineers were using a state-of-the-art diamond wire cutter to cut up the 240 ton U-boat.

It was sunk en-route to Norway by depth charges dropped by a Liberator aircraft from RAF 547 Squadron.

The operation is expected to take up to one month.

Each section will make a day-long journey by floating crane from Mortar Mill Quay to Woodside.

Cuttings were designed with such precision the sub could be reassembled in one piece.

But visitors at the new attraction will be able to walk around the hull parts on raised platforms.

The first section to be removed will be a 23-metre length of the bow.

Work so far has concentrated on painting the exterior and removing rotten timbers and steelwork from the top deck.

Due to open in summer, the exhibition area will include artefacts such as tools found on the sub and memorabilia portraying the history of undersea warfare.

Fifteen thousand litres of diesel remained in the U-534’s storage tanks which had to be pumped out.

Neil Scales, chief executive and director general of Merseytravel which owns and operates Mersey Ferries, said: “We’re now moving on to the next stage in what is an exciting project to boost tourism on Merseyside.

“More people than ever will be able to view the sub in its new location with superb viewing areas so that everyone will be able to see what it is like inside.”

History of a relic

Launched in February 1942 U-534 was most probably a training boat in the Baltic

She never saw active combat and was used for meteorological purposes

In May 1944, U-534 was released for operational duty avoiding contact with the enemy to ensure regular weather reports

On May 5, 1945 while in the Kattegat, north-west of Helsingor, it refused Admiral Dönitz’s order for all U-boats to surrender.

Heading north towards Norway, with no flag of surrender, she was attacked by a Liberator aircraft from RAF 547 Squadron which dropped depth charges.

U-534 took heavy damage and began to sink, 49 of 52 crew members survived.

It was discovered in 1986 and was thought to be carrying Nazi gold. It was given to Merseyside by Karsten Rae.


____
www.schnorkel.blogspot.com