Kriegsmarine U-617 12/Sept/1943 Albrecht Brandi Karl D?nitz Doenitz U617

[Jan7]

U-617 12/Sept/1943 Albrecht Brandi Karl D?nitz Doenitz U617

A Historical Investigation on the U-617 in Spain.

Dear mates and friends from the Forum:

I am Juan Jaramillo y Blasco. I'm a participating among other friends from the U-Historia Forum on a Historical Investigation that Emilio Umbr?a is carrying out on the U-617.

The historical investigation about the incident that took place in the mouth of the River Kert, near Melilla in September 1943, after that the German submarine under commanded by the Kapit?nleutnant Albrecht Brandi stranded, is near to its end after 9 years of working.

It has been years of material compilation of diverse kind, such as Secret and confidential documentation declassified specifically at request to be incorporated, coming from many varied National Governmental Archives, Formal Requests at the German Embassy in Madrid, Collaboration, Compilation and Interchange with different people and Organizations in our own country, but also abroad.

We will present, with the inestimable help, presence and collaboration as much of friends as of people that, with the performance of their duties, have assisted us, this new investigational work to the audience that hopefully will show again the linking between the History of Spain in the historical context of the World War Two.

I will present to you the Team:

Emilio Umbr?a ? Director of Investigation

Luis Montero ?Logan-

Luis Borr?s ?Spoon-

Juan Jaramillo ?Jan7-

Brief historical synthesis of the Investigation:

According to the analysis of the documentation we have in power, the following facts are emphasized: The submarine was attacked by the British air force and navy, and even when it ran into a ditch inside the Spanish territorial waters, the whole crew was therefore safe in the coast, being afterwards land rescued by the Spanish army and confinement to barracks of the Legion in Tahuima in Nador (Spanish protectorade in Morocco) in two expeditions. Only two crew members of the submarine stayed in Melilla, the Lieutenant Ferdinand von Arco as a companion of a crew member that was surgically operated in the military hospital of the previously mentioned city.

According to a encrypted telegram by the High Commissioner in Morocco to the Presidential Government in the afternoon of the October 15^th 1943 aboard the Ca?onero Dato, 48 crew members of the submarine, 4 aviators and 16 evaders from the French zone that were confined in the Arsenal de la Carraca in San Fernando (C?diz) travel to C?diz.

By the paper by the Chief of Staff of the Navy in November 1943, the disappearance of the previously mentioned Arsenal of four submarine crew members: A Lieutenant, two Brigadas (the "Brigada" is a military employ in the Spanish Armed Forces, it is a NCO employ and it ranks between the Second Lieutenant and the First Sergeant) and one Sergeant.

To avoid new prison breaks, leaving the confined compound was forbidden to the personnel.

A new paper by the Chief of Staff of the Navy dated in December 1943 informs about a new prison break, of two crew members: A Brigada and a Sergeant; this new prison break caused an energetic protest by the British Embassy to the Spanish authorities, resulting in these being forced to make a investigation that would verify the enlistment of these two evaders into the Spanish Legion with a false name.

The Commander Albrecht Brandi was able to escape himself from the guards near the city of Madrid, while he was being transferred by train from Algeciras to Madrid, and he presents himself in the Third Reich Embassy, where he is provided with a passport with a false name, being able to cross the French border, and within some days he presented himself to the Admiral Doenitz, Commander of the submarine forces, in Berlin.

Dear readers and mates from the Forum, if you are in possession of interesting materials for our investigation such as photographs, don't hesitate to share them with us in this project.

As a member of our Historical Investigation group, I thank you in advance.

Jan.

U-617 12/Sept/1943 Albrecht Brandi Karl D?nitz Doenitz U617

Queridos compa?eros y amigos de Foro:

Soy Juan Jaramillo y Blasco. Participo con otros compa?eros del Foro U-Historia en la Investigaci?n Hist?rica que est? realizando Emilio Umbr?a acerca del U-617

Est? a punto de culminar un trabajo de investigaci?n hist?rica de m?s de 9 a?os de duraci?n, sobre el incidente acaecido en la desembocadura del R?o Kert, cerca de Melilla en septiembre de 1943, tras embarrancar el submarino de nacionalidad alemana U-617 al mando del Kapit?nleutnant Albrecht Brandi.

Han sido a?os de Compilaci?n de todo tipo de materiales: Documentaci?n secreta y confidencial expresamente desclasificada a petici?n para ser incorporada, procedente de diversos Archivos Gubernamentales Nacionales, Peticiones formales a la Embajada Alemana en Madrid, Colaboraci?n, Recopilaci?n e Intercambio con muy diferentes personas y Organismos tanto de nuestro pa?s, como del Extranjero.

Con la inestimable ayuda, presencia y colaboraci?n en esta tarea tanto de amigos como de personas que en el desempe?o de sus funciones nos han prestado su apoyo, presentaremos ante el p?blico aficionado este nuevo trabajo de investigaci?n que muestre una vez m?s la imbricaci?n de la Historia de Espa?a en el contexto hist?rico de la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Os presento al Equipo:

Emilio Umbr?a - Director de Investigaci?n

Luis Montero ?Logan-

Luis Borr?s ?Spoon-

Juan Jaramillo ?Jan7-

Peque?a s?ntesis hist?rica de la investigaci?n:

Seg?n se desprende de la documentaci?n que obra en nuestro poder se constatan los siguientes hechos: Que ?ste fue atacado por la fuerza a?rea y la marina brit?nica, incluso una vez embarrancado dentro de aguas jurisdiccionales espa?olas, la tripulaci?n en su totalidad se pon?a a salvo en la costa, siendo posteriormente rescatada en tierra por el ejercito espa?ol y conducida al acuartelamiento de la Legi?n en Tahuima en Nador (protectorado espa?ol en Marruecos ), algunos d?as despu?s la tripulaci?n del submarino es conducida a Xauen (protectorado espa?ol en Marruecos) en dos expediciones. S?lo dos miembros de la tripulaci?n de este permanecer?n en Melilla, el Teniente Ferdinand von Arco como acompa?ante de un miembro de la tripulaci?n que es intervenido quir?rgicamente en el hospital militar de esta ciudad.

Seg?n telegrama cifrado del Alto Comisario en Marruecos a la Presidencia del Gobierno en la tarde del d?a 15 de octubre de 1943 a bordo del Ca?onero Dato salen hacia C?diz, 48 tripulantes del submarino, 4 aviadores y 16 evadidos de la zona francesa que quedaran internados en el Arsenal de la Carraca en San Fernando (C?diz).

Seg?n escrito del Estado Mayor de la Armada en Noviembre de 1943, se observ? la desaparici?n de dicho Arsenal de cuatro miembros de la tripulaci?n del submarino: Un Teniente, dos Brigadas y un Sargento.

Para evitar nuevas fugas se prohibir?an en lo sucesivo las salidas del recinto de internamiento a dicho personal.

Un nuevo escrito del Estado Mayor de la Armada fechado en diciembre de 1943 informa de una nueva fuga, la de dos miembros de dicha tripulaci?n: Un Brigada y un Sargento; esta nueva fuga conllevar?a una en?rgica protesta por parte de la Embajada Brit?nica ante las autoridades espa?olas, vi?ndose obligadas ?stas a realizar una investigaci?n que llevara hasta la comprobaci?n de un posible alistamiento de estos dos evadidos en la Legi?n Espa?ola con nombre falso.

El Comandante Albrecht Brandi, mientras es trasladado en tren desde Algeciras a Madrid, consigue evadirse de sus guardianes cerca de ?sta y se presenta en la Embajada del Tercer Reich, all? se le proporciona un pasaporte con nombre falso, consiguiendo cruzar la frontera francesa, y en unos d?as se presenta en Berl?n al Almirante Doenitz , Jefe de las Fuerzas de Submarinos.

Permitidme, queridos lectores y compa?eros de Foro, si ten?is en vuestro poder materiales interesantes para nuestra investigaci?n tales como fotograf?as, que os anime a compartirlas con nosotros en este proyecto.

Como representante de nuestro grupo de Investigaci?n Hist?rica, os lo agradezco en este momento.

Jan.

[Gordon Williamson]

Hi Jan,

Very interesting. What is your opinion about Brandi's escape. Even though he did have a false passport etc, do you think the authorities really made strong efforts to catch him, or were they not too concerned that he escaped ? I assume that border posts could have been given photos so that they would recognise him even if travelling under a false identity ?

[Jan7]

Querido Gordon:

En primer lugar, agradecerte la atenci?n que has demostrado hacia nuestra Investigaci?n, sugiriendo a los dem?s miembros del GMIC su visita.

Respecto a tus comentarios y preguntas, te indico que nuestro trabajo se basa en los hechos constatados mediante los diferentes memorandum de los distintos Organismos Espa?oles e Internacionales que tenemos en nuestro poder.

He recibido el ruego personal de mi Director de Investigaci?n, conocedor de tu gran experiencia y val?a como historiador, que te invite, si es tu deseo, aportes tus materiales a nuestro proyecto.

Dear Gordon:

First, thank the attention it has shown you toward our research, suggesting to the other members of this Forum his visit at my post.

Regarding your comments and questions, we point out that our work is based on the facts found by the various memoranda of various Spaniards and International Organizations in our possession.

I received a request from my personal Director of Research, being cognizant of your great experience and worth as a historian, I invite you, if you wish, your input materials to our project.

Jan.

Edited February 6, 2008 by Jan7

[Jan7]

More details aported by friends of others Forums and research in Internet

Dear Friends of Forum:

As all you seen in my last post and as said to all in my presentation, I'm in a Historical Investigation on U-617:

As all you seen in this post of Liberator Surrender of U 570 - World War II Forums

What follows is an account of the loss of U 617 taken from "U-boat versus Aircraft" by Norman Franks and Eric Zimmerman.

On 11/12 September 1943 Wellington aircraft were in action against U 617 (Kapitanleutnant Albrecht Brandi) The U-boat had been located and attacked initially by Wellington 'P' of 179 Squadron at 0050 hrs off the northern Moroccan shore, heavy flak being met as soon and the Leigh Light went on. Squadron Leader D B. Hodgkinson RCAF straddled the boat with his depth charges and the boat began to leave a trail of oil. Keeping the boat under observation they homed in Wellington 'J' of the same Squadron.It appeared as if the submarine was trying to make neutral waters, the boat clearly seen by 'J''s crew on a calm sea under a cloudless sky. The radar picked her up then the oil trail could be clearly seen in the moonpath. 'J' attacked up the moonbeam in position 3517/0302, the boat opening up with heavy flak almost as the Leigh Light came on, and the aircraft was hit in several places, the rear gunner being fatally wounded.The front gunner had tried to keep the u-boats gunners heads down, hits being seen to splatter around the conning tower, then the depth charges were going down from 80 feet. Knowing his aircraft had been hit around the port side, the pilot kept on going and stated to climb to 500 feet, but upon inspection the damage was not too server so he turned back to the results of his attack. About a minute later flames could be viewed comming from the conning tower for almost a minute and the boat could be seen down by the stern. The aircraft continued to shadow the boat for 45 minutes until it finally beached herself on the Moroccan coast in position 3513/0329. Next morning U 617 was lying on her port side with the conning tower awash; her crew were ashore, drying their clothes. She was finished off by attacks from Hudsons, Swordfish and finally gunfire from HM ships. The German crew suffered no casualties and all 49 men survived. Interned by the Spanish, they were later repatriated to Germany.

Wellington J/179 Squadrons wounded rear gunner made no mention of being hit, but as the captain finally turned for home, there was no reply from an R/T check, so one of the crew went to investigate. He had remained at his post and bled to death.

Crew of Wellington J/179

P/O. W H. Brunini. Pilot

Sgt. A. Jones. 2nd pilot.

F/O. V H. Johnson. Navigator.

Sgt. F M. Crowdis. Wop/Ag.

F/S. H W. Barnfield. Wop/Ag.

F/S. W. Jones RAAF. Died of wounds.

And in this pages

Coastal Command ORBAT --

23 August 1943 :

Gibraltar

Base Unit Aircraft Type Establishment Strength Available Remarks

New Camp No. 202 Catalina IB 12 9 5 5 aircraft fitted with Leigh Light

North Front NO. 48 Hudson - Rocket Projectile 20 23 15

North Front No. 233 Hudson 20 20 13 Half fitted with rocket projectiles

North Front No. 179 L/L Wellington VIII and XIV 15 18 7

I am now in a research of photos or any the aircrafts who are destinated In the RAF Gibraltar Base or any material similar and adequate for complete our Investigation.

As a member of our Historical Investigation group, I thank you in advance.

Jan.

[Jan7]

More details about the Allied warships:

The Allied ships implicated in the finally gunfire of U-617 are as follow:

K-84 HMS ?Hyacinth? (Flower Corvette)

HMS 306 Trawler ?Haarlem?

J-172 es la HMSA ?Wollogong? (Australian warship)

Los buques aliados implicados en el ca?oneo final al U-617 fueron:

La K-84 es el HMS ?Hyacinth? (Corbeta clase Flower)

La HMS 306 era el Arrastrero ?Haarlem? ( Buque de pesca armado)

La J-172 es la HMSA ?Wollogong? (Barco australiano)

Jan.