U-boat pens La Spezia

Matador.es · 06-25-11, 03:55 PM

Hi there, haven't been online for a while since I am on holiday in Ilaty. At the moment I'm about 1/1.5 hours south of La Spezia. In vada. We have quite some trips in our agenda and already done some of them.

I wonder if any of you guys can tell me anything on the pens in La Spezia. Are they still there? Is it worth a day visit? Is there a museum or anything worth paying a visit. Maybe there are so e Italians on the forum, or maybe some have visited the pens.

Aye,

Matador

Onkel Neal · 06-25-11, 03:59 PM

Having fun?

Matador.es · 07-05-11, 06:29 AM

I do. But I just spend 2 hours I the car, 15 euros of toll to find the U-boat pens to be GONE. There are no pens nor does anyone know of it's existence. A naval officer, rank unknown but sure no dumm ass, who enjoyed our quest for the sub base helped us, but came back with empty hands.

So RTB, back to the camping in Vada.

Feuer Frei! · 07-05-11, 06:45 AM

Firstly, good to see you online.
The pens Gone? Did they destroy them?
And no-one is saying anything? Maybe a sensitive part of history?
In fact, wasn't the 29th U-Flotille based there? And it was a training base.

mookiemookie · 07-05-11, 06:54 AM

There were no hardened bunkers in La Spezia as there were on the coast of France. I guess why you didn't see any was that there was never any there in the first place.

http://www.uboataces.com/articles-uboat-bunker.shtml

Feuer Frei! · 07-05-11, 07:01 AM

Matador.es, do you have a chance to see any of the sub pen bases, Brest, Lorient, Saint Nazaire, La Rochelle or Bordeaux?
Providing the still exist and are/or are open to limited access, ie tours etc.
I'm not overly familiar with French geographics. Are you near any of these locations?

Alex · 07-05-11, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

I'm not overly familiar with French geographics. Are you near any of these locations?

No he's not.
And none of these bunkers can still be visited nowadays.

Jimbuna · 07-05-11, 07:40 AM

Linky linky:

http://www.uboat-bases.com/

Feuer Frei! · 07-05-11, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

And none of these bunkers can still be visited nowadays.

Seems to me Bordeaux is:

Quote:

The bunker is today in private use. A permission to visit is possible without problems.

SOURCE

Alex · 07-05-11, 10:04 AM

Usually, I don't speak without full knowledge of the facts. But well, it's up to you to believe you can visit it of course.

Matador.es · 07-09-11, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

There were no hardened bunkers in La Spezia as there were on the coast of France. I guess why you didn't see any was that there was never any there in the first place.

http://www.uboataces.com/articles-uboat-bunker.shtml

Thanks to you all for the info and links.

If you see google maps you will immediately understand there is no bunker and likely there never has been one. So I feel the need of a minor correction in the SH 5 layout of La spetzia

The u-boat man must have had a super stay over there when on leave. The centre of the city is pritty much the harbor. Even nowadays. There is a small (compared to Rotterdam) harbor for container shipping right in the city.

Matador.es · 07-09-11, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

Matador.es, do you have a chance to see any of the sub pen bases, Brest, Lorient, Saint Nazaire, La Rochelle or Bordeaux?
Providing the still exist and are/or are open to limited access, ie tours etc.
I'm not overly familiar with French geographics. Are you near any of these locations?

Yes I am close, always am. Just got home from italiy, 13 hours by car non stop (exept for fuel, which went quite fast when cruising around 160/170 KM/ hour in Germany).

I have been near the sub base in Brest, when I was delivering a 40 foot sailboat to San Sebastian (Spain) from Amsterdam. One of the crew had to leave the boat back home so we made a stop in Brest and sailed in front of the bunker.

This year I intend to go to Wilhelmshaven, Kiel and Normandy in weekend trips. In Germany there is one type VIIand a type XXI. I want to visit these with my father in law.

If anybody has any intel on what to do and what not I am all ears.

(we should raise a subsim flag in each u-boat museum!)

Feuer Frei! · 07-09-11, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matador.es

Yes I am close, always am. Just got home from italiy, 13 hours by car non stop (exept for fuel, which went quite fast when cruising around 160/170 KM/ hour in Germany).

I have been near the sub base in Brest, when I was delivering a 40 foot sailboat to San Sebastian (Spain) from Amsterdam. One of the crew had to leave the boat back home so we made a stop in Brest and sailed in front of the bunker.

This year I intend to go to Wilhelmshaven, Kiel and Normandy in weekend trips. In Germany there is one type VIIand a type XXI. I want to visit these with my father in law.

If anybody has any intel on what to do and what not I am all ears.

(we should raise a subsim flag in each u-boat museum!)

Sounds like a great time.
If the opportunity of taking pictures presents itself, maybe you could post some pics here.
Would love to see them.

danasan · 07-09-11, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matador.es

Thanks to you all for the info and links.

...

There is a small (compared to Rotterdam) harbor for container shipping right in the city.

Well, almost any harbour in the world will look small compared to the one in Rotterdam...

If there were any pictures taken, we would be glad to see them. Very interesting stuff.

Matador.es · 07-10-11, 09:12 AM

I dont have any pictures of La Spetzia, since there was nothing to be seen. But when I go to the other placed I will take my good camera (5D) with my wide angle and report myself in advance via email that I would like to make some photos. I have experienced that this work very well

and yes, they will be posted or linked here!

06-25-11, 03:55 PM	#1
Matador.es Chief Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 327 Downloads: 30 Uploads: 0	U-boat pens La Spezia Hi there, haven't been online for a while since I am on holiday in Ilaty. At the moment I'm about 1/1.5 hours south of La Spezia. In vada. We have quite some trips in our agenda and already done some of them. I wonder if any of you guys can tell me anything on the pens in La Spezia. Are they still there? Is it worth a day visit? Is there a museum or anything worth paying a visit. Maybe there are so e Italians on the forum, or maybe some have visited the pens. Aye, Matador

06-25-11, 03:59 PM	#2
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,385 Downloads: 541 Uploads: 224	Having fun? __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web

07-05-11, 06:45 AM	#4
Feuer Frei! Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Valhalla Posts: 5,295 Downloads: 141 Uploads: 17	Firstly, good to see you online. The pens Gone? Did they destroy them? And no-one is saying anything? Maybe a sensitive part of history? In fact, wasn't the 29th U-Flotille based there? And it was a training base. __________________ "History is the lies that the victors agree on"- Napoleon LINK TO MY SH 3 MODS

07-05-11, 06:54 AM	#5
mookiemookie Navy Seal Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 9,404 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 1	There were no hardened bunkers in La Spezia as there were on the coast of France. I guess why you didn't see any was that there was never any there in the first place. http://www.uboataces.com/articles-uboat-bunker.shtml __________________ They don’t think it be like it is, but it do. Want more U-boat Kaleun portraits for your SH3 Commander Profiles? Download the SH3 Commander Portrait Pack here.

07-05-11, 07:01 AM	#6
Feuer Frei! Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Valhalla Posts: 5,295 Downloads: 141 Uploads: 17	Matador.es, do you have a chance to see any of the sub pen bases, Brest, Lorient, Saint Nazaire, La Rochelle or Bordeaux? Providing the still exist and are/or are open to limited access, ie tours etc. I'm not overly familiar with French geographics. Are you near any of these locations? __________________ "History is the lies that the victors agree on"- Napoleon LINK TO MY SH 3 MODS

07-05-11, 06:29 AM	#3
Matador.es Chief Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 327 Downloads: 30 Uploads: 0	I do. But I just spend 2 hours I the car, 15 euros of toll to find the U-boat pens to be GONE. There are no pens nor does anyone know of it's existence. A naval officer, rank unknown but sure no dumm ass, who enjoyed our quest for the sub base helped us, but came back with empty hands. So RTB, back to the camping in Vada.

07-05-11, 07:40 AM	#8
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,507 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Linky linky: http://www.uboat-bases.com/ __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

07-05-11, 10:04 AM	#10
Alex Dominant Wolf Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,143 Downloads: 30 Uploads: 0	Usually, I don't speak without full knowledge of the facts. But well, it's up to you to believe you can visit it of course. __________________

07-10-11, 09:12 AM	#15
Matador.es Chief Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 327 Downloads: 30 Uploads: 0	I dont have any pictures of La Spetzia, since there was nothing to be seen. But when I go to the other placed I will take my good camera (5D) with my wide angle and report myself in advance via email that I would like to make some photos. I have experienced that this work very well and yes, they will be posted or linked here!