# German Torpedo Boat in the Stonar Cut, River Stout?



## Story (May 9, 2008)

Greetings.
I stumbled upon this page, which has two photos of a hulk proported to be a WWII German torpedo (E-?) boat hulk.
http://www.thanetarch.co.uk/Virtual Museum/2_Galleries/G11 Content/Stonar Cut 1900 - 2006.html

Does anyone have any further information or photographs?


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## Hugh Ferguson (Sep 4, 2006)

Fifty years ago I went up the Stour in a dinghy as far as to Fordwich: sorry to say I don't recognize any part of it in this clip; much more picturesque that time ago but then everything was!
I know nothing of the reputed German E. boat but if it was I would say that it would have been taken up there poste war as a trophy. Interesting story, I'll try to find out more about it.


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## stores (Apr 8, 2007)

*german e boat*

It Is The Remains Of A German Eboat That Had Been Converted For Private Use. Not Much Left Now, Next To An Old Motor Barge. I Believe At One Time Moored In Ramsgate.


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## Story (May 9, 2008)

Thanks, Gentlemen. 

The photos of the bottom of that website are small and somewhat misleading - I believe the hulk/wreck is below the grounded barge-like barge and resting on it's port side.

It also looks like it has the remains of a stack, which means it's not an E-Boat (well, that and an E-Boat hull would have been termite food long ago).


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## Story (May 9, 2008)

Found some answers elsewhere, thought I'd share them in case it jogs anyone else's memory.



> I believe that the BLITZ was a former German harbour patrol craft & was in Ramsgate for many years.
> 
> She was afloat & alongside X044 at Stonar Cut for some time after she left Ramsgate but eventually sank & after salvage had been abandoned she slowly slithered down the mudbank, broke in half & was eventually swallowed.


As far as the barge grounded behind the German hulk,



> X044, one of 200 ‘X-Lighters’ built during WW1 & were extensively used in Mediterranean operations as well as elsewhere.
> 
> They were initially designed as landing craft, with a gangway type ramp in the bows, others were later produced as fuel or water tankers. Some were powered, others 'dumb'
> 
> ...


See also http://www.xlighter.org/index.html


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## del_boy (May 10, 2014)

Hi guys, sorry to drag up an old thread, I recently went internet pic searching for one of my old school friends boat his dad kept in Ramsgate harbour, it was the blitz, my friends name was Edward Sullivan and I think his dad's name was Andrew Sullivan? I might be wrong. They kept the blitz in the inner harbour during the 1980's I went to school with Edward, we use to play on the blitz and on the jetties. Edward moved to Ipswich with his mum in 1989 I think, and the blitz stayed in the harbour for a few years after that before disappearing. 

Whether the Blitz was an e-boat I cant say for sure, but I remember that it was defiantly ww2 era, German, grey with a low profile, no torpedo tubes, over 70 ft long, slight curve to the hull and portholes in the forward hull, there was no stack. my thoughts is that it was either an e-boat or r-boat, you can see the Blitz on Google earth, look at Ramsgate harbour, click on the history button at the top and drag the slider down to 1990, you can see a long grey boat docked on the left southerly side of the inner harbour, that's the blitz, whether it was the wreck at stonar cut I don't know, but I bet it was.

Hope this helps you guys.


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## waterworld (Jan 18, 2015)

*Blitz*

Hi Guy´s

At first : Sorry for my bad language 
BLITZ ist no German Torpedo Boat it is an air sea rescue launch from
the Luftwaffe.
It was FL.B 531, found 1945 in Bergen Harbour, Norway.
FL.B 531 was used by RAF, the Name: ROBIN HOOD.
An article about it can be found in magazine FLUGZEUG 5/87 and here
www.luftwaffe-zur-see.de/Kdo.Schiff/DatenFlB/FlB-531-5.htm
Someone has more information or photos about this boat?
Best Regards
Waterworld


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## waterworld (Jan 18, 2015)

Thank you for the exhaustive informations,
Goodbye forever


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## Homeintheharbour (Jun 30, 2019)

Hi, I used to live on this boat in ramsgate Harbour.
My parents bought it from a guy in Bristol and we brought her round to ramsgate (as that's where we were from).
My first time at sea was on this boat and it so happened to be a force ten across from the Bristol channel to Barry Island. 
Having never been at sea before, I just though that was what it was like and accepted it! 
The rest of the journey was perfectly calm, even weaving between the yachts at Cowes with the QE2 right behind us.

So, we met some of the original RAF crew that captured the boat at the end of the war. They had the original spotlights, fleet number (FLB531) and the blueprints to the engine - which I still have in fact.

The boat is an R boat. The funnel was put on after the war. 
It had two direct drive 650 horsepower engines and a 150hp Gardner marine engine that was installed later to allow for manoeuvres in and out of port.

I was on this boat the night of the big storm in '87. That was quite a night I can tell you.

If anyone has any questions, I would be only too happy to answer them and I'll find some photos to put up on here in due time.


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## wiggoe (May 20, 2020)

Homeintheharbour said:


> Hi, I used to live on this boat in ramsgate Harbour.
> ...........
> If anyone has any questions, I would be only too happy to answer them and I'll find some photos to put up on here in due time.


Hi, I'm very interested in knowing more of the fait of this vessel. Photos and a picture of the blueprint of the engine (wow)....
My interest stems from the fact that it turnes out that the FLB 531 might be what was called UAM-1 "Robin Hood" and used for finding and destroying mines on the west coast of norway from 45 and into the 60's (we belive), then the trail disepare until I noticed this tread today. My greathgrandfather was kvartermaster on board in the period from 45 to 48....the background for this is that he had to escape Norway in 44 to England, and joined the Navy there. We now belive he got training on Mine disposal Nov44 to Feb+ 45 before actively working on mine disposal until the end of the war, when he returened to Bergen Norway and continued the work there. I have pictures of it in that period and alot of news clippings on the work they did in the period (Norwegian). Hope to get some more information from you on this! BR Wiggo


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## waterworld (Jan 18, 2015)

Hi,
the same type !


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## Matt1705 (Oct 9, 2020)

Hi all, 

I am going to be completing some research on the boat in the Stonar Cut in the near future and would much appreciate any information you can share on it's history. If any of you could private message me details or information you know on the German vessel and where it has been stored, Bristol, Ramsgate etc. it would be very helpful. I can share my email address with you after you message so that I can piece together the boats history and get a definitive answer as to exactly what the boat is and when it was moved to Stonar. Currently the stories are a bit conflicting. Thanks in advance for any help with this, its a brilliant story and one I hope we can finally clear up so that we can record the wreck properly. 

Matt- Consultant Archaeologist


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## Homeintheharbour (Jun 30, 2019)

Hi Matt, 

I used to live on this boat and we are the ones that brought her to Ramsgate from Bristol. 
The boat was sold prior to it leaving the harbour for Stonar cut. 
For more info please email [email protected]


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## Matt1705 (Oct 9, 2020)

Hi Ed,

Sent you an email. May have gone into your spam folder. [email protected] if you could contact me that would be great!

Same goes for anyone else on here with further information that may help with identifying the boat etc.

Cheers,

Matt


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## Phil Archer (Jan 20, 2021)

Hi all

Just come across this site whilst wondering what happened to Blitz. She was in Bristol for many years, I first saw her mored up on Welsh Back in the 1960’s. My friend and I were in wonder at her as she still had guns fixed on deck.

I then became friends with someone at work who‘s father knew the owner and had been on her on a trip out of Bristol for a day trip. He recounted how they traveled down the Avon under the Clifton Suspension Bridge with the wing engine, then having negotiated Horseshoe Bend the main engines were started and she took off down to Avonmouth and out into the Bristol Channel. The owner was a Mr Avery of Avery’s Wines, Bristol.

I then had a tour of her some years later when she was mored up near the Bristol Industrial Museum, unfortunately I never got a trip!

Sad to hear that she has been lost, but unfortunately it seems to be the fate of many boats.


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## Markham (Dec 8, 2013)

I have the Crest from this launch, it was taken off the launch in Bergen by My very good friend a fellow RAF ASR crewman who took over the use of this launch and others in Norway in 1945 for weapons disposal etc Sadly Frank has passed away last year but I have his full wartime story in digital Audio and in Word. Frank was WW2 crew I was Post War but we did the same jobs, he very definitely had more to risk than I did. I am the Hon Sec of the ASRMCS Club that's the Air Sea Rescue & Marine Craft Section Club...Ex Royal Air Force Six of our Air Sea Rescue Hant's and Dorset Launches were sent to Norway at wars end they carried out numerous jobs and used a number of these FL-B launches and even some German crew members as POW labour. Another of my friends sadly passed away some years now was Ken Done he was also in Norway he is in the picture with the Top Hat on next to him is a German officer who was helping them on the FL-B launch at the time.


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## Homeintheharbour (Jun 30, 2019)

Markham said:


> I have the Crest from this launch, it was taken off the launch in Bergen by My very good friend a fellow RAF ASR crewman who took over the use of this launch and others in Norway in 1945 for weapons disposal etc Sadly Frank has passed away last year but I have his full wartime story in digital Audio and in Word. Frank was WW2 crew I was Post War but we did the same jobs, he very definitely had more to risk than I did. I am the Hon Sec of the ASRMCS Club that's the Air Sea Rescue & Marine Craft Section Club...Ex Royal Air Force Six of our Air Sea Rescue Hant's and Dorset Launches were sent to Norway at wars end they carried out numerous jobs and used a number of these FL-B launches and even some German crew members as POW labour. Another of my friends sadly passed away some years now was Ken Done he was also in Norway he is in the picture with the Top Hat on next to him is a German officer who was helping them on the FL-B launch at the time.


Hi


Markham said:


> I have the Crest from this launch, it was taken off the launch in Bergen by My very good friend a fellow RAF ASR crewman who took over the use of this launch and others in Norway in 1945 for weapons disposal etc Sadly Frank has passed away last year but I have his full wartime story in digital Audio and in Word. Frank was WW2 crew I was Post War but we did the same jobs, he very definitely had more to risk than I did. I am the Hon Sec of the ASRMCS Club that's the Air Sea Rescue & Marine Craft Section Club...Ex Royal Air Force Six of our Air Sea Rescue Hant's and Dorset Launches were sent to Norway at wars end they carried out numerous jobs and used a number of these FL-B launches and even some German crew members as POW labour. Another of my friends sadly passed away some years now was Ken Done he was also in Norway he is in the picture with the Top Hat on next to him is a German officer who was helping them on the FL-B launch at the time.





Markham said:


> I have the Crest from this launch, it was taken off the launch in Bergen by My very good friend a fellow RAF ASR crewman who took over the use of this launch and others in Norway in 1945 for weapons disposal etc Sadly Frank has passed away last year but I have his full wartime story in digital Audio and in Word. Frank was WW2 crew I was Post War but we did the same jobs, he very definitely had more to risk than I did. I am the Hon Sec of the ASRMCS Club that's the Air Sea Rescue & Marine Craft Section Club...Ex Royal Air Force Six of our Air Sea Rescue Hant's and Dorset Launches were sent to Norway at wars end they carried out numerous jobs and used a number of these FL-B launches and even some German crew members as POW labour. Another of my friends sadly passed away some years now was Ken Done he was also in Norway he is in the picture with the Top Hat on next to him is a German officer who was helping them on the FL-B launch at the time.


Hi Markham, 

Myself and my parents bought this boat in 1986. She was moored in Bristol at that time and we were from Ramsgate and so we brought her round the South Coast. 
Once back in Ramsgate, we eventually managed to trace some of the RAF crew who were took the boat off the Germans at the end of the war. 
I was only ten years old but I recall meeting them, I couldn't tell you any names only that there were perhaps four or five of them. 
The gentlemen brought with them the original nazi flag which they found in the bilges blocking the water pump, two huge lamps (I can't imagine where they kept them) and the blueprints for the engines. 
Amazing how this story is developing. 
Thank you for getting in touch on this feed, it is great to learn more about it all. 

Kind regards 

Ed Sullivan


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## Homeintheharbour (Jun 30, 2019)

Homeintheharbour said:


> Hi
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I would love to hear the recording too. 
My grandfather was a pilot in the war but he'd never speak of it.
I am intrigued to hear first hand accounts though.


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## Markham (Dec 8, 2013)

I will be sending it with 18 others to the Imperial War Museum this year if I can ever get out of this Covid malarkey only two of the stories refer in part to the FL-B launches in Norway


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## Homeintheharbour (Jun 30, 2019)

Markham said:


> I will be sending it with 18 others to the Imperial War Museum this year if I can ever get out of this Covid malarkey only two of the stories refer in part to the FL-B launches in Norway


That's amazing. The museum you refer to is the one in Duxford? 
I was living on that boat during the storm of '87. A night I remember well.


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## Markham (Dec 8, 2013)

Homeintheharbour said:


> That's amazing. The museum you refer to is the one in Duxford?
> I was living on that boat during the storm of '87. A night I remember well.


No it will be going to the London Imperial War Museum reading rooms although Duxford may like a copy......1986 was when UK RAF Marine Craft disbanded we started in 1918 ended 1986......RAF SAR helicopters followed us into retirement in 2016.....it was our intention to hold our ASRMCS Reunion in Ramsgate this year alas it may postpone till next year , we will have to see.


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## Homeintheharbour (Jun 30, 2019)

Markham said:


> No it will be going to the London Imperial War Museum reading rooms although Duxford may like a copy


Ok. Thank you. I'll look forward to eventually getting to listen to them - if we ever become virus free.


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## edsull76 (12 mo ago)

del_boy said:


> Hi guys, sorry to drag up an old thread, I recently went internet pic searching for one of my old school friends boat his dad kept in Ramsgate harbour, it was the blitz, my friends name was Edward Sullivan and I think his dad's name was Andrew Sullivan? I might be wrong. They kept the blitz in the inner harbour during the 1980's I went to school with Edward, we use to play on the blitz and on the jetties. Edward moved to Ipswich with his mum in 1989 I think, and the blitz stayed in the harbour for a few years after that before disappearing.
> 
> Whether the Blitz was an e-boat I cant say for sure, but I remember that it was defiantly ww2 era, German, grey with a low profile, no torpedo tubes, over 70 ft long, slight curve to the hull and portholes in the forward hull, there was no stack. my thoughts is that it was either an e-boat or r-boat, you can see the Blitz on Google earth, look at Ramsgate harbour, click on the history button at the top and drag the slider down to 1990, you can see a long grey boat docked on the left southerly side of the inner harbour, that's the blitz, whether it was the wreck at stonar cut I don't know, but I bet it was.
> 
> Hope this helps you guys.


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## edsull76 (12 mo ago)

Hi Mark, 
Wow! Good to hear from you and what a random way! 
I hope life is good?


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## del_boy (May 10, 2014)

edsull76 said:


> Hi Mark,
> Wow! Good to hear from you and what a random way!
> I hope life is good?


Hi Edward, it must be 1980s last time we spoke, with power of the Internet here we are, I'm ok, hope things are good your end !


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## RichA (1 mo ago)

Homeintheharbour said:


> Hi Hi Markham, Myself and my parents bought this boat in 1986. She was moored in Bristol at that time and we were from Ramsgate and so we brought her round the South Coast. Once back in Ramsgate, we eventually managed to trace some of the RAF crew who were took the boat off the Germans at the end of the war. I was only ten years old but I recall meeting them, I couldn't tell you any names only that there were perhaps four or five of them. The gentlemen brought with them the original nazi flag which they found in the bilges blocking the water pump, two huge lamps (I can't imagine where they kept them) and the blueprints for the engines. Amazing how this story is developing. Thank you for getting in touch on this feed, it is great to learn more about it all. Kind regards Ed Sullivan


 Your family bought this from my grandfather. Think we have photos somewhere. Very sad to see the photo above Richard Avery


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