Hi Folks, I just wanted to share this story with you. Steve Becker who is known for his knowledge of all things WW1 etc shared this story on the GW forum and I thought I'd share it here for you too as it just oozes for a scenario:
There is the story of the local leader near Tripoli after one arms shipment giving as a gift a Camel to the German Kaiser which the U Boat skipper had to take back to Pola, there base in Austria/Croatia.
His trying to get a camel in a sub and cross the Med under Allied control is a story in itself.
Central Powers aid to the Senussi, and the carriage of the camel in a U-boat, forms part of the plot in the excellent Great War novel A Sailor of Austria by John Biggins. (Note: I've all of his novels on our interpid Austro-Hungarian Naval (avaitor) hero)
"Has any heard of the story of the underwater Camel?
This story is true and the names have not been changed.
During the War, Germany continued to supply Arms and Stores to the Senussi Tribes then in rebellion against the Egyptian and Allied Governments.
To carry these stores two German U boats were converted from Mine Laying to cargo boats. These were UC 20 and UC 73.
They carried supplies threw out the war and the last run to Libya was made in October 1918.
During a mission in June 1918, UC 20 under command of Oblt Heinrich Kukat delivered arms to the Arabs at Misrata East of Tripoli.
The Arab Sheik wanted to return the gift but what could he give them. His daughter? No he gave the Germans a greater prize, one of his best Camels.
Now the U Boat Captain was a Prussian Officer and a Gift to him was a Gift to the German Crown so he felt he had to take the camel. But how could he get this beast back to his homeport of Pola in Austria.
The camel was too big to fit in a U Boat and he couldn't carry it on the deck, as he would need to submerge to escape allied patrols. Also there was no dock to get the animal on the boat.
The answer was to tie a rope around the Camels neck and pull the animal out into the water where the sub could submerge under the camel to get it on the deck.
This rope was as long as the U Boat at Periscope depth so if the U boat had to submerge and the camels head would be all that a plane or ship could see.
And this is how the U boat brought the camel to Pola by running on the surface at night while during the day underwater with the camel swimming along.
The U Boat could only move slowly but the camel was not use to swimming either."
and:
"This a true story.
In fact the Germans brought back three camels over their time carrying supplies to the Arabs.
UC 20 and one by UC 73 brought two back.
What happen to them in Germany is not told.
The story of this one, is in the book by Ernst Hashagen "U Boats Westwarts! Meine Fahrten um England" published in Germany 1931.
The rest is in the Patrol logs of the U boats who carried out the missions.
I should add that Australian and British Camel Corps Patrols, Based at Sollum and Matruth carried out long range patrols to Bardia and Tripoli during the war to stop these missions.
I am not aware of any that found or stopped any German arms shipment.
But the area covered by the North African Coast line is long and the troops involved in stopping them was very small".
So folks I hope to see a scenario on this at some point maybe Poly might volunteer!
Welcome, Guest. Please 
April 29, 2024, 06:02:35 PM
October 02, 2010, 11:06:55 PM