Info on U 874 and U 875

[Bergen]

According to different sources these subs were heading to the far East but never left norwegian waters.
U 874 was in Horten and U 875 in Bergen.
They where both loaded with cargo destined for Japan but boats and cargo was surrended when the Germans surrended.
Are there anyone who know more of the stories of these subs and what happend to their cargo ?

[Radar]

Go for more information to http://www.uboat.net/boats/ , here you find more info about it.

[Bergen]

Hi Radar

I have been there but seek more info on their cargo and what happend to it after their surrender.
They were both cargo subs like 234 and 864. We know partialy what cargo these subs carried and I was wondering about what cargo 874 and 875 was carrying and what happend to it after they surrendered.

[PPoS]

There is little information about their cargo, but it clearly states on http://www.uboat.net what happend to both subs after the war.
They were both scuttled by the Allies off the coast of Ireland during "Operation Deadlight".
http://uboat.net/boats/u874.htm
http://uboat.net/boats/u875.htm

[Bergen]

Hi PPoS

As stated am I fully aware of the info on your link and the fate of the boats hulls during operation "Deadlight".
This is info easy accessable, I am in quest of further details on their dedicated last missions and the faith of their important cargo.

I have different indications which suggests these subs to be much like U-234 and U-864.
It would therefore be nice if anyone who has further details on this could be so kind to share.

[A. Wyatt]

I found a link that's about U 874, it's probably infomation you already know however and the page is in German:
http://www.u-boot.org/uboot/u-874/

From the same site I found this page on U-875:
http://www.u-boot.org/uboot/u-875/

I also found this on U 875 also in German. The first part I believe is talking about the U-boat and the second part about the model.
http://ipmsdeutschland.de/Marine/Pohlma ... _U875.html

[happyrat]

Hi all,

I had to create an account to post after finding this thread, but I pretty much had to to clear up any questions regarding this boat.

My Dad served on the U-874 as an Ober Gefreiter (Basically a 2 striper seaman).

In answer to the cargo question, they were supposed to haul mercury for detonators and plexiglass for aircraft canopies to Japan. After the ship's surrender my dad has no idea what became of the cargo, but ostensibly the allies confiscated it. After the surrender half the crew stayed aboard to shuttle the vessel to England for decommissioning, but my dad was sent to a POW camp in Norway.

If you have any other questions about this vessel, email me thru the board, since chances are I won't be following the thread that closely.

My dad is alive and well and living in Canada today and willing to answer any questions he's able to, but is not willing to sacrifice his personal name or privacy on the net.

[Derek Waller]

Dear Bergen,

In July 2007 you asked for information about U 874 and U 875 and, looking at the responses of the time, I suspect that you did not receive the answers for which you were hoping.

I appreciate that you may have since found the information that you sought, but perhaps not, then I may be able to help.

It has come about purely by coincidence when two different pieces of paper from two different sources turned up on my desk earlier this week.

The first was a copy of the Monthly General Letter for August 1945 written by Captain (S/m) Lisahally to Admiral (Submarines) which says:

"On 25 August Lt Cdr Butler took U 875 (Type IXD.2) over to Liverpool to dock for removal of a cargo of optical glass and mercury carried in her keel".

The second comprises two cuttings from the "Birkenhead News", the 1st of which (8 Sep 45) deals with U 875 and has the headline "Jap Cargo Comes to Birkenhead", and the 2nd of which (29 Sep 45) deals with U 874 and has the headline "Second U-Boat with Valuable Cargo".

I therefore offer the following as the answer to your now rather old "exam question":

"The two Type IXD2 long range ocean-going U-Boats, U 874 and U 875, were being used to transport essential war materials from Germany to Japan in the later stages of the war. U 874 had surrendered in Horten, Norway on 9 May, and been moved to Lisahally where it arrived on 30 May, and U 875 had surrendered in Bergen, Norway on 9 May, and been moved to Lisahally where it arrived on 6 June.

However, it was soon realised that both these U-Boats were carrying cargo in their keels, and they were therefore transferred to Birkenhead for this to be removed in a dry dock. U 875 was the first to move, leaving Lisahally on 25 August with a joint Royal Navy and German crew, and then spending three weeks in dock at the Grayson, Rollo and Clover (GR&C) shipyard, where its cargo of optical lenses, mercury and iron were unloaded before it was returned to Lisahally in mid-September. It was followed by U 874 in late September, again with a mixed Royal Navy and German crew, which was also docked in the CR&C shipyard, and from which optical lenses, mercury and zinc were unloaded. U 874 then returned to Lisahally in early October".

I hope this helps, and I should of course be grateful if, in return, you or anyone else can add any more precise facts to this story.

Yours aye

Derek

[hubertusw]

Hi Happyrat,

Andrazek August, 00.00.1923 U 555. U 750. U 874
Bäckert Kurt-Richard, OLt.-Ing 14.07.1920 U 413, LI (19.02.42 - 23.01.44). U 874, LI (1944). U 876, LI (1945),
birthplace Zürich
serial/entry Crew of 1938
Becker Karl, U 874
Dittrich Günther 27.07.1922 U 874
Helmig Herbert, OFkMstr 25.02.1918, 24.02.1993 U 68. (1941 - 43). U 874
Keller Karl, Lt.z.S. U 874
Krüger Albert, OStrm. U 874
Lange Erich 27.08.1916 - 03.05.1996, U 37. U 129. U 874
Lotze Rudi, OStrm. U 874
Neunkirchen Josef, MtrOGfr 01.04.1924 - 16.07.1993, U 874
Petersen Theodor, OLt.z.S., 01.01.43, 14.01.1914 - 25.03.1999, U-138. ObStrm. (09.40-01.41). U 43. (01.41-03.42). U 181. I WO. 05.42-02.43. U 612. Kdt. 05.43 - 02.44. . U 874. Kdt. 04.44 - 05.45. Pow. Camp. 18. Pow. No.B.132389,
birthplace Flensburg
serial/entry Enlisted 1934
awards DKiG .12.03.43.
Schubart Werner, MtrOGfr. (ccok) U 874. Bachstelzen-Pilot
Schuler Georg, OMasch U 66. U 874
awards DKiG. 10.11.44. (U 874).
Schwarz Gerhard, MaschMt 15.07.1922 U 455. U 874
Tessmann, OFähnr.z.S. U 874
Thorban Klaus-Peter, OLt.-Ing. U 874
Wagner Leonhard. MtrHGfr. U 874. Pilot of FA 330 Bachstelze
Weinberg Kurt, MtrHGfr. U 874. Bachstelzen-Pilot
Weiss Erhard, OLt.z.S. U 874

Your help would most welcome for history of Kriegsmarine.

Cheers Hubertus.




I have 19 crewmembers of U 874 at ubootwaffe.net site,would your father be able to give more names of those how served on U 874.

[Derek Waller]

Dear Hubertus,

Sorry, but I am confused.

Is your latest post a reply to my message, or a continuation of something earlier?

Or perhaps there is something "missing" - lost in the ether?

I apologise for being pedantic.

Yours aye

Derek

[hubertusw]

Hi Derek,
The post was for Happyrat,trying to find out if his father knows more of the crew names of U 874.
The post did not come out like i enter it.
Sorry about misleading you Derek.

Regards Hubertus.

[Derek Waller]

Dear Hubertus,

Re U 874, the newspaper article that I have dated 29 September 1945 gives some brief details about the German members of the crew (at that time).

It says that "there were 18 Germans aboard, under the command of Oberleutnant (Ing.) Ulmer, and that the interpreter amongst the German crew was Herbert Nolte, whose home was near Bremen".

That may (or may not help you), as they may well have been a "scratch" crew assembled from other U-Boats held by the Royal Navy - I know not.

If you want an electronic copy of the 2 page article from The Birkenhead News, let me have an e-mail address, and I will send it to you (each page is about 2mb!).

Yours aye

Derek

[Bergen]

Dear Derek

Thank you very much for your reply.
This is highly appriciative. ( you must have a h*ll of desk that can turn up info like that )

I am glad that the mercury was salvaged before they sunk the vessels. Otherwise there would be a large toxic bomb ticking offshore of Ireland.
Do you know what other cargo was onboard ? Any further information on that, or documentation on what kind of canisters the mercury was kept in ?
I would very much like a copy of those articles if possible.

Thanks again.

[Derek Waller]

Dear Bergen,

Thanks for your message - it was the result of a combination of careful research and quite a bit of good luck!

If you send me your e-mail address, I will send you the articles - no problem.

There are 6 pages of about 2mb each, so I will need to send them separately, and it will be a slow process.

Yours aye

Derek

[red devil]

I have 2 boats recorded as visiting the Mersey, the 1023 and the 532 and the image of the 532 in Grayson Rollo & Clover shipyard is annotated the 1023 but doubt this and the configuration is not the same. I also have an image of the 1023 coming into the Mersey.

Its in here

http://www.mikekemble.com/ww2/uboat2.html