German U-Boat UC/42 Rediscovered in Cork Harbour

[August]

Originally Posted by Growler

Cameron and his crew never reported remains when they dove the wreck for his movie, and salvors have gone down there as well. I'd have thought that and remains discovered would have elicited some media response.

Eh you're probably correct, unless I suppose the announcing the discovery of human remains could possibly complicate salvage rights.

[Sailor Steve]

An amazing find, and an interesting discussion. I don't have any ideas or suggestions, but you've all presented enlightening ideas.

[Growler]

Originally Posted by August

Eh you're probably correct, unless I suppose the announcing the discovery of human remains could possibly complicate salvage rights.

Hadn't thought of that; did it do so for the Hunley salvage? Makes sense that it could.

So here's a question - why was Hunley salvaged, and not treated as a war grave, but the one we're discussing here is considered such? Is it because there's only one nation involved in the case of the Hunley, and two sovereign nations for the U-boat?

[August]

Originally Posted by Growler

Hadn't thought of that; did it do so for the Hunley salvage? Makes sense that it could.

So here's a question - why was Hunley salvaged, and not treated as a war grave, but the one we're discussing here is considered such? Is it because there's only one nation involved in the case of the Hunley, and two sovereign nations for the U-boat?

Maybe but the the Hunley actually was treated as a war grave. All the remains that were recovered in the boat when they took the silt out were identified and reburied with full military honors.

http://www.hunley.org/main_index.asp?CONTENT=CREWB

One interesting note is before reburial they made casts of the crews skulls which allowed them to recreate what they looked like in life.

http://www.hunley.org/main_index.asp...CREWB_PROFILES

Don't think i'd want that done to my Great Grandfathers bones...

[ETR3(SS)]

Leave them there, in their final resting place. Would you remove the dead from the Arizona?

We therefore commit his body to the deep, to be turned into corruption, looking for the resurrection of the body, when the Sea shall give up her dead, and the life of the world to come, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who at his coming shall change our vile body, that it may be like his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by August

Don't think i'd want that done to my Great Grandfathers bones...

I would. In the past they used to take 'Death Masks' of the recently departed. I'd love to know what my ancestors looked like.

Originally Posted by ETR3(SS)

Would you remove the dead from the Arizona?

That's actually a tough call for me. If it was a relative of mine, yes I would, but others don't feel the same and their wishes should also be respected. As I said, tough call.

I see nothing wrong with attempting to identify and reinter the remains of the boys who died on that sub so long ago.

[August]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I would. In the past they used to take 'Death Masks' of the recently departed. I'd love to know what my ancestors looked like.

I see your point. We have a picture of my Great Grandfather so we don't have to wonder.

[Matador.es]

Divers ask that maritime grave be respected

Check the link, the divers have their opinion as well.

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Matador.es

Divers ask that maritime grave be respected

Check the link, the divers have their opinion as well.

I do believe it will be a magnet for divers. But it is a grave. We have treated it as such, we have made a plaque for the crew. Anyone who dives it we would urge them to look but to not touch and to respect it as such.

Good call

[Buddahaid]

I would think this boat would be covered in nets like the Lusitania is.

[Dan D]

Originally Posted by August

My own great grandfather August was a WW1 German infantryman who was killed in action on Oct 3rd 1918. As far as our family knows his body was never recovered.

August,
I know a guy whose grandfather was mia since Oct. 7th 1918.
Almost 90 years later, in 2007, the German War Graves Commission informed the family that they had found the grave.
The story behind:
The Brits had buried the identified German soldier with full military honours on one of their cemeteries by the end of WW I but it took all those many years to pass the information from the British to the German War Graves Commission to the family.

My point is:

With your great-grandfathers name, surname, birth date and birth place, you could do a research in the German archives.

The important part is that the Commission would keep your request in their data base and that way you can be sure that if they should ever find out something about your great-grandfather, they will contact you, even 100 years later.

If you need assistance, feel free to contact me via pm.