Shipwrecks of Arctic Norway

by Mirek Standowicz

Come join underwater explorer Mirek Standowicz as he tours two World War II shipwrecks. The German destroyer Erich Giese and the German submarine U-711 were both sunk in Norwegian waters by the British. Come listen to this cold, dark and deep shipwreck story.

Erich Giese

A German destroyer built for the German Navy in the late 1930’s. At the beginning of WWII this ship made two successful combat missions off the English coast that claimed two merchant ships as well as torpedoed a British destroyer without being detected. During the early stages of the Norwegian Campaign Erich Giese fought in both naval Battles of Narvik in mid-April 1940 and was sunk by British destroyers during the Second Battle of Narvik on April 13, 1940. 83 of her crew were killed outright during the battle, 11 men were rescued, although 2 subsequently died of their wounds. The ship’s remaining crewmen managed to get to ashore one way or another.

Now she lies at about 200 feet depth.

General Characteristics:

U-711

Ordered on December 7th, 1940, launched July 25th, 1942. Successfully sunk 1 ship, 1 warship and damaged 1 ship. Sunk on the last day of WWII on May 4th, 1945 in the Arctic near Harstad, by aerial bombs from Avenger aircraft of the British Airforce. All 12 men aboard U-711 that day managed to escape, this is important, as this means that she is not a war grave. She lies at depths of about 180–190 feet and is still in a good condition.