This operation is intended for memory and culture in order to reinforce the Franco-German friendship through adventure diving and the underwater heritage. Thus, a team of l'Expedition
Scyllias and Taucher Gruppe U-Boot-Archiv divers will discover several wrecks of WWII German ships sunk off Brittany and Normandy.
This Franco-German team will meet national or international experienced divers including several professionals. Two editors of diving magazines will join us : Thomas Becker for
Wetnotes and Paul Poivert for Octopus.
The projet 44 wants to salute the memory of sailors of all nationalities missing in action. It refers to the year 1944 which marks the loss of all the ships
forming the basis for this project.
Three of the selected topics : U 390 at training ; a 14.UJFlottille submarine chaser; wreck of U 767 by Olivier Brichet.
North Brittany : submarine U 767 (-75m), torpedo-boat T29 (-55m)
South Brittany : submarines chasers UJ 1420 and UJ 1421 (-87m)
West Brittany : submarine U 821 (-105m)
Normandy (bay of Seine) : submarines U 390 (-50m), U 741 (-55m) and
U unknown (-55m).
All are German sunken ships, all disappeared with most of their crews during fierce fighting. Each wreck will be filmed and photographed in the highest regard imposed by these
underwater graves and a wreath will be deposited in memory of sailors and submariners missing. U unknown will be an action of special investigation for identification.
Alongside dives, joint actions regarding archival researches will take place in Hamburg, Cuxhaven, Kiel, Freiburg and Koblenz. Three museum ships will also be the focus of our
attention and will appear in a book which will include a museum section relating each time with the topics : U 995 in Germany, HMCS Haida in Canada and ORP
Blyskawica in Poland. These land actions will be performed in compliance with this Franco-German concept of working together.
The establishment of the team will be variable and adaptable to suit the availability of members and their technical capabilities.
German Team (from left to right) :
Rolf Hoffrichter (underwater cameraman)
Dietmar Scholten (diver and historian)
Jens Höner (technical manager, Deutsche Marine combat diver, German record scuba dive with -240m)
Thomas Becker (underwater photographer and editor in chief of Wetnotes)
Oliver Thiel (trimix diver and logistics coordinator).
Not pictured :
Sebastian Dellwig (diver and historian)
Thomas Jähnig (underwater cameraman)
Oliver Meise (diver and historian).
French Team (from left to right) :
Yvan Le Bouil (diving equipment manager)
Patrick Lecossois (diving support ship pilot)
Alain Vincent Gautron (divemaster and technical manager)
Jacques Hellec (divemaster and underwater cameraman)
Jean-Louis Maurette (underwater photographer, coordinator and writer).
Not pictured :
Dominique Bachelier (diver)
Paul Poivert (diver and editor in chief of Octopus)
Hugues Priol (trimix diver and underwater cameraman).
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