Albert Edward GEE

Commander Jackson was finally able to file his report on the sinking of his submarine to the Admiralty on 25th June 1945, following his release from Prisoner of War camp.

HM Submarine sailed from Blyth on 31 December 1939. When well clear of the convoy routes I submerged to adjust trim and to carry out routine tests. The asdic did not function correctly and shortly afterwards the asdic dome was found to be flooded. Undine had been docked at Blyth earlier in December and the asdic dome and oscillator had been overhauled and refitted by depot ship's staff. The cause of the flooding, and consequent putting out of action of the asdic installation, was considered to be due to a faulty rubber joint, The hydrophone installation had been in a most unsatisfactory condition for many months, but there had been no opportunity to carry out the extensive repairs and renewals which were required. No blame is attached to Petty Officer Cryer, telegraphist detector rating, for the condition of the asdic and hydrophone installation as he only joined on the day of sailing,

Nothing worthy of report occurred whilst in areas 'E' and 'B' until 7 January 1940, when the weather conditions were flat calm and visibility varying between a few hundred yards and maximum, owing to fog. At about 0940, when in position very approximately 20 miles WSW of Heligoland, on a course of 275 degrees, an eastbound trawler was sighted on the starboard bow. I turned to starboard to attack. but could not get round quickly enough and the trawler disappeared in the fog.

About ten minutes later, approximately 0950. two trawlers (minesweepers) were sighted to the southward, steering eastward, at a range of approximately 2,000 yards. I turned and carried out an attack, firing one torpedo on a 90 degree track at the leading trawler estimating her speed as 12 knots. The torpedo missed, passing 1 to 2 metres astern, according to the German coxswain who was on the bridge at the time and who informed me that their speed had been 14 knots. The sea was so calm that I considered it inadvisable to show the periscope again for some time, so I turned to a westerly course with all auxiliary machinery stopped.

About four minutes after firing there was a moderately loud explosion, I endeavoured to explain this as being the torpedo hitting the bottom, but it was followed by a second explosion which was obviously a depth-charge. A short time later there occurred three more explosions, apparently nearer. The asdic being completely out of action, and the hydrophones almost useless, I was unable to form any picture of what was happening on the surface. The depth of the water was about 12-14 fathoms. Bearing in mind the experience of HM Submarine Spearfish, I proceeeded at a depth of 40 to 50 feet as slowly as possible, and turning to the northward.

A period of complete quiet followed for about five minutes. Thinking there might be a possibility of attacking again and that the enemy had broken off the hunt, I returned to periscope depth and raised the low-powered periscope - only to look directly at a trawler on the starboard beam and so close that I could only see her port side from the bridge to the after end of the engine room casing. I immediately ordered "Down periscope. Sixty feet", but before the submarine had really started to go down there were three violent explosions: one aft, one forward, and another. I was later informed by Leading Seaman Monsarrat that he had heard a noise on the port side of the control which sounded like a depth-charge scraping the pressure hull, but I have no personal recollection of this.

The submarine was blown upwards. Some lights and glass were broken. There was a steady leak in the engine room from near the hatch, and a leak in the galley. I was later informed that the fore-end had flooded and had had to be abandoned. Both sets of hydroplanes were reported to be out of action, the fore-hydroplanes at hard to rise, but the after hydroplanes appeared to be working. I ordered "Take her down. Flood Q", but the submarine continued to rise until the periscope standards broke surface (giving many of the crew the impression that the drop keel had fallen off); I therefore raised the low-powered periscope and saw a trawler, bows-on the starboard beam and at a range of approximately a half mile. Considering that it was impossible to get the submarine down again to a safe depth before being rammed, I ordered, "Surface. Burn the CCBs. Prepare the charge". I then went on the bridge, followed by the leading signalman who acting on my orders waved the negative flag, which was the best substitute for a white flag available.(Note: Undine was not fitted with a gun.)

I saw two German trawlers with 3-pounder guns and machine guns, the nearer one having turned parallel to Undine on the starboard beam and the other on the starboard bow. They continued firing for a short time after the negative flag had been down, but I learned later that this was contrary to the orders given on the bridge of one of the trawlers and was due to the guns' crews getting excited at their first real target. No damage was caused by the gunfire, but the starboard fore-hydroplane was seen to be hard to rise and the spindle bent upwards due to the depth-charging.

Abandon ship was ordered. The crew started to come up on the bridge. When about a dozen men were on the bridge the submarine started to go down, but the Kingstons had been opened by this time and main ballast was blown. This fact is mentioned as it convinced me that drop keel had not fallen off. As the crew mustered on the casing I went below to see if the destruction of confidential books and signalling publications were nearly completed and the scuttling charges prepared. Before leaving the bridge I gave orders that I was to be informed if any boat approached, as I had seen one being lowered by one of the trawlers. The confidential books and signal publications, of which only essential copies were carried, were almost burnt, but the charge had not been set owing to the detonators being stowed in the fore-ends which was flooded. At this time a signal was broadcast in plain language on the submarine-wave frequency: NEGATIVE ZONE B.

I returned to the bridge and ordered the crew into the water. Lieutenant Stewart reported that all CB books and signal publications had been burnt and that the first lieutenant was standing by the main vents. I ordered Lieutenant Stewart and Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist Jordan onto the bridge, and the first lieutenant to open the main vents. All main vents appeared to open and the submarine began to sink.

The officers and CPO Telegraphist Jordan swam towards the German trawlers. When about 50 yards from the submarine I looked back to watch her dive, but the upper part of the conning tower was still showing. The water was very cold, just above freezing point. As I could see no reason why she should not sink I contiued swimming towards the nearest German trawler, which picked me up. The upper part of the conning tower was still showing when I was taken below, but I have since heard the following accounts. A German officer boarded the submarine and went down to the control room but was driven out by gas, having found out nothing. I was told this by the officer himself, who asked me what gas we had been using. I replied that it was either chlorine from the battery, or smoke from the burning books, Secondly Leading Telegraphist Monsarrat informed me later that he had seen a column of flame and smoke shoot up from the conning tower hatch, after which the submarine sank.

My own personal experience was that after about three quarters of an hour in the crew's quarters of the trawler, I was taken aft by a German sub-lieutenant. There was no sign of the Undine. When I asked him if she had sunk, he shrugged his shoulders and had pointed to a buoy. I am of the opinion that one of the depth-charges which exploded near the bows jammed number one main vent shut. Number one main ballast was blown with the remainder of the main ballast, but the vent probably did not open with the remainder of the main ballast, but the vent probably did not open when the main vents were opened from the control room. The weight of the water in the fore-end, combined with the water leaking through the galley and engine room, would eventually overcome the buoyancy caused by number one main ballast being empty and I consider there was no doubt that Undine sank.

All officers and men were picked up by the two German trawlers, which were joined by a third either during or just after the picking up of the crew. About fifty per cent of the crew were picked up by each of the trawlers, three officers by one and myself by the other. The behaviour of all officers and men throughout was in accordance with the highest traditions of the Royal Navy.

The German report of the loss of the Undine :-

12th Minesweeper Flotilla. Bight of Heligoland.

Minesweepers M1207, M1204 and M1201 were grouped for A/S pusuit. The boats M1207 and M1201 were the only ones fitted with the revolving hydrophones. At 0945 M1204 reported a submarine in sight, while at the same time explosions were heard. Gunfire was also heard. The conning tower of a submarine was distinctly seen. The submarine turned to starboard and appeared to be making an attack on M1201 M1204 manoeuvred towards the submarine which was proceeding at 6 knots, helm to starboard. It was later reported that M1204 has sunk the submarine and had saved most of her crew. M1201 placed a towing hawser to the submarine after it had been searched but, as she towed, the submarine began to slip. The minesweeper crew boarded her with gas-masks, lanterns and tools in an effort to stop the engines and close the conning tower hatch so as to make the towing possible. The submarine, however, sank shortly afterwards, taking with her some of the crew of M1201. She lay on an even keel in 37 metres of water. The position was marked by three buoys.

The prisoners were brought to Wilhelmshaven. Three officers (Lt Spencer, Lt Harvey, Lt Stewart) were saved with thirty petty officers and crew. The commanding officer of the submarine, Lt-Cdr Allan Spencer Jackson, and thirteen men were rescued by M1201. The submarine was the English Undine. The commanding officer was questioned, but did not impart any particular information.

The submarine had been observing DN-S Group for several days. On 7th January a torpedo had been fired because the leader boat had been seen without escort. The first two depth-charges had not done any damage to the submarine. After firing the torpedo the commanding officer had run on a reciprocal course and thought the first depth-charge explosion was that of his own torpedo. He used the periscope to see the result of the hit and observed that vessel attacked was quite close on his starboard side. He submerged at once but the fourth and fifth depth-charges had such a devastating effect that the forward torpedo room filled with water and the helm stuck fast in the starboard position. Four depth-charges struck the stern, and a fifth forward. The submarine surfaced without the commanding officer being able to prevent it. He burned the secret papers. His position by day had been west of Heligoland, out of visibility from the island, at about 20 miles distant. At night he had regularly surfaced north of Heligoland.

HMS Undine

Type	Submarine
Class	U
Pennant	N 48
Built by	Vickers Armstrong (Barrow-in-Furness, U.K.)
Ordered	5 Nov 1936
Laid down	19 Feb 1937
Launched	5 Oct 1937
Commissioned	21 Aug 1938
Lost	7 Jan 1940
Loss position	54° 08'N, 7° 33'E Approximately 20 miles west of Heligoland
Displacement:	Surfaced - 540 tons standard, 630 tons full load Submerged - 730 tons
Length:	58.22 m (191.5 ft)
Beam:	4.90 m (16 ft 1 in)
Draught:	4.62 m (15 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:	2 shaft diesel-electric 2 Paxman Ricardo diesel generators + electric motors 615 / 825 hp
Fuel:	Diesel oil, 38 t
Diving Depth:	200 ft
Speed:	11.25 knots max surfaced 10 knots max submerged
Complement:	27 (peace), 31 (war)
Armament:	4 bow internal 21 inch torpedo tubes, 2 external 10 torpedoes 3 anti-aircraft machine guns

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