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Our Family
Photographs, videos, stories and a little genealogy
(photographs are click to enlarge)
This website was last updated on 24 Nov 2015
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U 744 & Tony's story
U-744 was forced to surface on 6 March 1944 after a 31 hour pursuit by ships of C-2 Support Group. The crew abandoned ship. Scuttling charges, set by the Chief Engineer, detonated but did not sink the boat. HMCS Chilliwack and St. Catherines put over boarding parties, HMCS Chilliwack's reaching U-744 first. Code books, signal publications and equipment were removed from the boat. Supposedly, the bulk of these materials were lost during the transfer between the U-Boat and the destroyers. It is unclear what materials were recovered from the boat. U-744 was sunk by torpedo from HMS Icarus after unsuccessful attempts to tow her to port.
"The chase for German U-Boat (submarine) U-744 was the second-longest submarine hunt of the Second World War" Click here for more
Painting - The Boarding of U744 by TC Woods
Actual photograph - The Boarding of U744
Actual photograph - Survivors being rescued
Actual photograph - U744 surrounded
One of the more famous emblems, this became the emblem of the 9th Flotilla in Brest, one the most active combat units of the war. It was seen on many boats, most notably U-96, and became famous in the movie Das Boot.
The Laughing Sawfish - 9th Flotilla
Actual photograph - U744 sinking
The 9th U-boat Flotilla included U96 of Das Boot 'fame' and U744. Both these u-boats were of similar size.
Captain Heinz Blischke - U744
Personal correspondence relating to Tony's WWII story
Click photo to enlarge
Click here to access the Interrogation Report of the U744 survivors (see part VI page 13)
