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Channel Islands: Four-year search leads local divers to solve WW1 U-boat mystery
(guernseypress.com)
From the article:
The local team, which included Guernsey Press picture editor Peter Frankland, conducted extensive research to identify three possible target areas to the south and southwest of Guernsey before meticulously scanning the seabed for evidence of the wrecks using state-of-the-art sonar equipment.
After discovering wreckage at four sites the team began carefully planning dives to identify the wrecks which would involve two boats, five divers and four crew....
‘The organisation of the dives has been extremely difficult due to the amount of crew and equipment required, the location of the wrecks and the depth of water they’re in,’ said Mr Taylor.
‘We were limited to diving during periods of slack water which only occur during small neap tides. These had to be coupled with extremely calm sea conditions and good visibility to give us the best chance of completing these technically complicated dives safely.
‘Working so far offshore meant that we had to be especially vigilant when planning our dives as any help, should it be needed, was at least two hours away.’
The UC-18 was one of only a handful of First World War UC Class II U-boats remaining undiscovered and the firefight in which she was lost is the only instance where a submarine and the Royal Navy ship it was attacking were both sunk in the same battle.
Although there were no British casualties in the sinking of the Lady Olive, all 28 crew onboard the UC-18 were killed. As a mark of respect, the team laid a plaque engraved with the names of the German sailors at the base of the 8.8cm gun on the deck of UC-18 to commemorate those lost.