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RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] a good mystery



David,

Thank you for this note on the Surcouf.  The story of this sub is very tragic as controversy followed her where ever she went.  Escaping France, British seizure, a crew with questionable allegiances and motivation, “freeing” French islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, rumored to supply German subs off our coast while operating from US ports, and then the mystery of her loss on her way to Tahiti so she was operating in waters with no German or Vichy influence.  The position you give leaves a lot of ocean to search and without a large cargo of gold or other valuable assets, little incentive remains to find her.  The French government should take this one on to satisfy family members and still rumors.  There are questions surrounding how she was lost…whether the freighter actually ran her down in the middle of the night and never realized that the ship had hit the sub or if she was inadvertently bombed on approaching the Canal Zone due to not giving the proper recognition signals with their faulty radio. 

 

Have collected numerous photos over the years on the Surcouf and it would be an interesting to have this sub finally found the story of her loss finally answered.

R/Jay

 

 

Resepectfully,

Jay K. Jeffries

Andros Is., Bahamas

 

Save the whales, collect the whole set.

 

 

 

From: owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org [mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org] On Behalf Of David Bartsch
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2009 2:11 AM
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] a good mystery

 

  Most people love a good mystery and I have happened upon one that might be of interest to we submariners. It is dirrected mainly at Jay Jeffries because of his desire to dive the wrecks of sunken subs, but anyone is invited to comment or participate in the discussion.
 
  Launched on October 18th, 1929, the Surcouf was France's Corsair submarine that had the largest allowable guns allowed by the terms of the Washington treaty. It was liberated from the axis powers and served the free French Naval forces and was mysteriously lost 18 February 1942 in a collision with the Army Transport Thompson Lykes in the Gulf of Mexico. (This is disputed by various accounts) The location is said to be 10 degrees 40 North by 79 degrees 31 West.
 
  The wreck of this enormous submarine has never been found as far as I can tell. This submarine was the largest submarine in the world until Japan built its I-400 boat.
 
  How deep is the water at this location? Has anyone heard as to if this wreck has ever been located?
 
                                                                                                              David Bartsch


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