# U-617 12/Sept/1943 Albrecht Brandi Karl Dönitz Doenitz U617



## Jan7 (Apr 2, 2008)

U-617 12/Sept/1943 Albrecht Brandi Karl Dönitz Doenitz U617

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 Umbría 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 Kapitänleutnant 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 do***entation 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 Umbría – Director of Investigation
Luis Montero –Logan- 
Luis Borrás –Spoon- 
Juan Jaramillo –Jan7-

Brief historical synthesis of the Investigation:
According to the analysis of the do***entation 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 15th 1943 aboard the Cañonero Dato, 48 crew members of the submarine, 4 aviators and 16 evaders from the French zone that were confined in the ****nal de la Carraca in San Fernando (Cádiz) travel to Cádiz.
By the paper by the Chief of Staff of the Navy in November 1943, the disappearance of the previously mentioned ****nal 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 Dönitz Doenitz U617 

Queridos compañeros y amigos de Foro: 

Soy Juan Jaramillo y Blasco. Participo con otros compañeros del Foro U-Historia en la Investigación Histórica que está realizando Emilio Umbría acerca del U-617 

Está a punto de culminar un trabajo de investigación histórica de más de 9 años de duración, sobre el incidente acaecido en la desembocadura del Río Kert, cerca de Melilla en septiembre de 1943, tras embarrancar el submarino de nacionalidad alemana U-617 al mando del Kapitänleutnant Albrecht Brandi. 

Han sido años de Compilación de todo tipo de materiales: Do***entación secreta y confidencial expresamente desclasificada a petición para ser incorporada, procedente de diversos Archivos Gubernamentales Nacionales, Peticiones formales a la Embajada Alemana en Madrid, Colaboración, Recopilación e Intercambio con muy diferentes personas y Organismos tanto de nuestro país, como del Extranjero. 
Con la inestimable ayuda, presencia y colaboración en esta tarea tanto de amigos como de personas que en el desempeño de sus funciones nos han prestado su apoyo, presentaremos ante el público aficionado este nuevo trabajo de investigación que muestre una vez más la imbricación de la Historia de España en el contexto histórico de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. 

Os presento al Equipo: 
Emilio Umbría - Director de Investigación 
Luis Montero –Logan- 
Luis Borrás –Spoon- 
Juan Jaramillo –Jan7- 

Pequeña síntesis histórica de la investigación: 
Según se desprende de la do***entación que obra en nuestro poder se constatan los siguientes hechos: Que éste fue atacado por la fuerza aérea y la marina británica, incluso una vez embarrancado dentro de aguas jurisdiccionales españolas, la tripulación en su totalidad se ponía a salvo en la costa, siendo posteriormente rescatada en tierra por el ejercito español y conducida al acuartelamiento de la Legión en Tahuima en Nador (protectorado español en Marruecos ), algunos días después la tripulación del submarino es conducida a Xauen (protectorado español en Marruecos) en dos expediciones. Sólo dos miembros de la tripulación de este permanecerán en Melilla, el Teniente Ferdinand von Arco como acompañante de un miembro de la tripulación que es intervenido quirúrgicamente en el hospital militar de esta ciudad. 
Según telegrama cifrado del Alto Comisario en Marruecos a la Presidencia del Gobierno en la tarde del día 15 de octubre de 1943 a bordo del Cañonero Dato salen hacia Cádiz, 48 tripulantes del submarino, 4 aviadores y 16 evadidos de la zona francesa que quedaran internados en el ****nal de la Carraca en San Fernando (Cádiz). 
Según escrito del Estado Mayor de la Armada en Noviembre de 1943, se observó la desaparición de dicho ****nal de cuatro miembros de la tripulación del submarino: Un Teniente, dos Brigadas y un Sargento. 
Para evitar nuevas fugas se prohibirían 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 tripulación: Un Brigada y un Sargento; esta nueva fuga conllevaría una enérgica protesta por parte de la Embajada Británica ante las autoridades españolas, viéndose obligadas éstas a realizar una investigación que llevara hasta la comprobación de un posible alistamiento de estos dos evadidos en la Legión Española con nombre falso. 
El Comandante Albrecht Brandi, mientras es trasladado en tren desde Algeciras a Madrid, consigue evadirse de sus guardianes cerca de ésta y se presenta en la Embajada del Tercer Reich, allí se le proporciona un pasaporte con nombre falso, consiguiendo cruzar la frontera francesa, y en unos días se presenta en Berlín al Almirante Doenitz , Jefe de las Fuerzas de Submarinos. 

Permitidme, queridos lectores y compañeros de Foro, si tenéis en vuestro poder materiales interesantes para nuestra investigación tales como fotografías, que os anime a compartirlas con nosotros en este proyecto. 
Como representante de nuestro grupo de Investigación Histórica, os lo agradezco en este momento. 



Jan.


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 cañoneo 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)



The attack is described in a book as follows:

_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. ***/Ag.
F/S. H W. Barnfield. ***/Ag.
F/S. W. Jones RAAF. Died of wounds.[/quote]
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
> ...


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.




I research about Walter Jones, KIA, and found in the web information very interesting. 
http://www.cwgc.org/search/SearchResults.aspx?surname=Jones&initials=W&war=2&yearfrom=1943&yearto=1943&force=Air&nationality=4&send.x=35&send.y=13



Jan.​ 

As all you seen, we are in the research of HQ Photos of these ships and aircrafts for illustrate our job.

Referral at the end of World War Two, we know as say our sources, that the crew are conduced from ****nal de la Carraca (Cádiz) to Gibraltar means *HMS D-63 Verity*. Follow that a stance in the prison, in the *SS Antenor*, conduced to Naval Port of Bari, In Italy

I found this web page *http://www.red-duster.co.uk/BLUEFUN14.htm* who talks about she.



> *ANTENOR (3) was built in 1925 by Palmers Ship Building & Iron Co. at Jarrow with a tonnage of 11174grt, a length of 487ft 8in, a beam of 62ft 2in and a service speed of 15.5 knots. Sister of the Sarpedon she was launched on 30th September 1924 for deployment with the China Mutual Steam Navigation Co and commenced her maiden voyage on 15th January 1925 from Liverpool to the Far East. In September 1937 she was used to carry five giant pandas from Hong Kong to London. During the voyage the four adults ate their wooden cages and had to be relocated in the potato lockers on the poop deck. On arrival in London the pandas were in excellent condition but the potato lockers had been wrecked. In September 1939 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted into an Armed Merchant Cruiser. She was further converted into a troopship in 1942 and was involved in the invasion of Normandy in 1944. She returned to commercial service with Ocean Steam Ship Co. in February 1946 and continued to serve until 1953 when she was sold to Hughes Bolckow for demolition, arriving at the breakers yard on 19th July. (Photo: John Clarkson Collection)
> *


As if appears in your web page and we guess apports his image at our work, I tell you about the possibility that you send us a better HQ photo of this ship, implicated in our job. 

Also, we found this page with information and one photo of the *SS Antenor *http://www.benjidog.co.uk/allen/index_files/Page584.htm
The photo is: 
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/627/blfun0161rm9.jpg 

Do you sent us a *HQ photo* of this ship, for incorporate at our job? Or the Destroyer? Or the Corvettes?. All your apports are welcome! (Thumb) 

It is a dedicated page to the HMS Verity:
http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-09VW-Verity.htm 




Jan


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## Jan7 (Apr 2, 2008)

*Further Investigations on Antenor*

My search on photos for my job, I locate interesting matters about the Antenor. 

Is requisitioned by Royal Navy as Merchant Armed Cruiser with pennant F12 -as I read in http://uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=145
Participate in D-Day -6 June 1944 as transport troop ship. Seems than other experiences are depicted in: http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/book.html
In the postwar, transport the crew remaining in Cádiz -La Carraca- to Naval Base in Bari as POWs
And very important, for me, exist a Museum, that conserves a model of this ship _"A model of SS Antenor, together with the ship’s wheel, an oak bench and a decorative glass window from the ship are displayed at Maryport Maritime Museum, Maryport, ***bria: __http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Antenor_(1924__)_
_*Can anyone of this forum will go to this Museum, present for me my Investigation at the curators and take photos of this model?*_

_Thanks in advance._





Jan.


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## ray1buck1 (Sep 4, 2005)

Jan

Have a look at http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum Ships/Old Ships A/slides/Antenor-04.html
scroll through to 06 also
Ray


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## Jan7 (Apr 2, 2008)

ray1buck1 said:


> Jan
> 
> Have a look at http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum Ships/Old Ships A/slides/Antenor-04.html
> scroll through to 06 also
> Ray


(Thumb) Many thanks, Ray! I will keep in contact with the webmaster, in demmand of HQ photo...





Jan.


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## benjidog (Oct 27, 2005)

Welcome from Lancashire - I hope you will enjoy the site.


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## Jan7 (Apr 2, 2008)

benjidog said:


> Welcome from Lancashire - I hope you will enjoy the site.


Yes, Brian.....I enjoy your site very much! Is possible that you send me a HQ scan with better resolution of your photo *in your website*?


Jan. 

P.S. Can anyone of the forum discriminate for me *what is the Antenor builded in 1924? *
*Seems that is**,* (the first item) but I'm sure!





Jan.


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## ray1buck1 (Sep 4, 2005)

Jan 
Put the ships name "Antenor" in the link for the verious ships of that name 
http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/list
Ray


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## Jan7 (Apr 2, 2008)

ray1buck1 said:


> Jan
> Put the ships name "Antenor" in the link for the verious ships of that name
> http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/list
> Ray


Yes, its a superb database! I used in more times. Precisely, in this forum find the link many years ago.

This is the reason for I'm solicite at our shipmates of forum the photos in the Museum in Maryland. I supposse that this model could shows his configuration as merchant armed cruiser F-12, not as civil ship. 





Jan.


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