Divers from the Islands of Guernsey have solved the 100-year-old mystery of a missing German World War I U-boat. After four years of planning and searching, the missing submarine – which was lost in February 1917 after an altercation with a secret Royal Navy ‘Q’ Ship (said to have been ‘The Lady Olive’) – was found by the divers 30 miles southwest of Guernsey. Following the discovery, the information was shared with the German War Graves Commission, who are finally able to determine the resting place of 28 missing submariners. The site of the wreck has been designated a war grave.
The U-boat was originally believed to have sunk 12 miles south of Guernsey and had not been seen since 1917. However, following extensive research and close liaisons with maritime archaeological expert Tomas Termote, the team of divers and underwater filmmaker Karl Taylor were able to confirm the wreck’s identity. The four-year project was filmed as part of an upcoming BBC documentary, The Hunt for Lady Olive and the German Submarine, which will be broadcast later this year.
The discovery comes at a momentous time for the Islands of Guernsey, which have a rich and fascinating past. The Islands were occupied by Nazi forces in World War II and today, visitors can explore this history at the hundreds of German bunkers across the Islands – some of which are set to open to the public for the first time in 2024 – as well as at the German Occupation Museum. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the D Day landings in Normandy, with 2025 set to commemorate 80 years since the Islands of Guernsey were liberated from occupying forces.
How to get there
With flight times from the UK as little as 40 minutes and ferry sailings from three hours, visitors can opt to take the ferry over the Channel from Poole or Portsmouth or fly directly from the UK with Aurigny airlines.
Aurigny operate year-round direct flights to Guernsey from London, East Midlands, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Dublin. New flight routes to Guernsey from London Stansted, London City, Liverpool and Edinburgh are set to launch in spring 2024, with seasonal flights from Cornwall Newquay set to launch in the summer.
Condor Ferries operate fast and traditional ferries from Poole and Portsmouth to Guernsey year-round. Ferries depart from Guernsey’s St Peter Port to Sark, Alderney, and Herm at multiple times throughout the day during the summer.
