Underwater explorations and discoveries in Crete - Nikolas Giannoulakis and his WW2 Wrecks

Scuba diver Nikolas Giannoulakis from Chania, Crete Island, Greece, has identified WW2 Wrecks illuminating unknown pages from the recent history of the island.

A German Bf109 fighter and the wreck of a ship with a length of 130 metres, probably the  Greek cargo ship "Kyriaki", are both historical evidence of WW2, as it unfolded on the island of Crete.

"In 2012, locals informed me of the existence of an aircraft wreck in Souda Bay,"

Mr. Giannoulakis says to pierrekosmidis.blogspot.com and WW2 Wrecks In Greece. 

"After many months of research, both in the archives and underwater, we finally located the Bf109 wreck at a depth of approximately 40 meters. In consultation with a group of divers from Athens, we conducted field research in order to record and identify the wreck."  

(Read HERE the "Odyssey" of the German pilot of this Bf109 from Crete to Australia)

Nikolas Giannoulakis had from a young age the "germ" of exploration and started scuba diving when he began to discover the underwater marvels of Crete. 

"I started diving and exploring new shipwrecks, underwater caves and dive sites of particular interest, while combining my personal search capabilities, skills and unique emotions that scuba diving offers ", says Mr. Giannoulakis.

Much of this need for exploration is covered by diving in Crete and specifically in Chania and through these underwater explorations  Mr. Giannoulakis discovered several WW2 Wrecks, one of which is the German Bf109 fighter Kalami Souda.

"The emotions are really unique when you discover something that perhaps nobody has seen for many years, like the aircraft that was shot down and crashed at sea in Souda Bay in 1941", Mr. Giannoulakis says, adding:  

"It may be something small or big, size doesn't really matter, the beauty lies in exploration!" 

Apart from the Bf109, Mr. Giannoulakis is credited with the possible identification of another Wreck of World War II in Crete.

A wreck with a length of 130 metres and a width of 17.5 metres is very close to the coast of Kalami in Souda Bay, at a depth of 68 to 88 meters. 

"Another wreck is a cargo ship of the Second World War, although  we can not say with absolute certainty which one it is."

"With the assistance of my friend Dimitris Galon we concluded that it is likely the "Kyriaki". "It is worth noting that in this wreck, there were no casualties"  Mr. Giannoulakis explains.

"At this wreck we use TRIMIX, because of the depth" Mr. Giannoulakis says.

"Because of its size and good condition of the wreck diving is really impressive, although due to the depth and usually moderate to poor visibility, the divers must be sufficiently experienced," Mr. Giannoulakis concludes.

Εξερευνήσεις και ανακαλύψεις στον Κόλπο της Σούδας - ο δύτης Νικόλας Γιαννουλάκης και τα ναυάγια του Β' Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου

Το γερμανικό καταδιωκτικό Bf109 που εντόπισε ο Νικόλας Γιαννουλάκης στον Κόλπο της Σούδας, στην Κρήτη

O δύτης Νικόλας Γιαννουλάκης από τα Χανιά της Κρήτης έχει εντοπίσει ναυάγια από την εποχή του Β' Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου, φωτίζοντας με τις υποβρύχιες έρευνές του άγωστες πτυχές της πρόσφατης ιστορίας του νησιού.

Ο αυτοδύτης από τα Χανιά της Κρήτης Νικόλας Γιαννουλάκης

Ένα γερμανικό καταδιωκτικό Bf109 και το ναυάγιο ενός πλοίου 130 μέτρων, πιθανότατα το "Κυριακή", είναι δύο ιστορικά τεκμήρια του Πολέμου, όπως αυτός εκτυλίχθηκε στο νησί της Κρήτης.

"Το 2012, σε συζήτηση με ντόπιους, πληροφορήθηκα για την ύπαρξη ενός αεροπορικού ναυαγίου κάπου στον κόλπο της Σούδας",

αναφέρει στο pierrekosmidis.blogspot.com και στο WW2 Wrecks in Greece o Νικόλας Γιαννουλάκης και συμπληρώνει: 

"Μετά από πολύμηνη έρευνα, σε αρχεία αλλά και υποβρυχίως, καταφέραμε να εντοπίσουμε το αεροπλάνο σε βάθος περίπου 40 μέτρων. Σε συνεννόηση  με ομάδα δυτών από την Αθήνα πραγματοποιήθηκε έρευνα πεδίου με σκοπό την αποτύπωση, καταγραφή και ταυτοποίηση του ναυαγίου." 

(Διαβάστε ΕΔΩ την "Οδύσσεια" του γερμανού πιλότου του συγκεκριμένου Bf109 από την Κρήτη στην Αυστραλία)

Ο Νικόλας Γιαννουλάκης είχε από μικρός το "μικρόβιο" της εξερεύνησης και όταν ξεκίνησε τις καταδύσεις άρχισε να ανακαλύπτει τις υποβρύχιες ομορφιές του τόπου του. 

"Από τότε που ξεκίνησα την κατάδυση άρχισε και η εξερεύνηση, εντοπίζοντας νέα ναυάγια, υποβρύχιες σπηλιές και καταδυτικά σημεία με ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον, συνδυάζοντας παράλληλα την προσωπική μου αναζήτηση ικανοτήτων, δεξιοτήτων και  μοναδικών συναισθημάτων που προσφέρει η αυτόνομη κατάδυση", σημειώνει ο κ. Γιαννουλάκης.

Ένα μεγάλο μέρος αυτής της ανάγκης για εξερεύνηση καλύπτεται από τις καταδύσεις στη Κρήτη και συγκεκριμένα στα Χανιά και μέσα από αυτές τις υποβρύχιες εξερευνήσεις αποκαλύφθηκαν διάφορα ναυάγια,  ένα εκ των όποιων είναι και το γερμανικό καταδιωκτικό Bf109 στο Καλάμι της Σούδας.

"Είναι πραγματικά μοναδικά τα συναισθήματα  τη στιγμή που ανακαλύπτεις κάτι που ίσως κανείς δεν έχει δει για πολλά χρόνια, από τότε δηλαδή που το αεροσκάφος αυτό καταρρίφθηκε και κατέπεσε στη θαλάσσια περιοχή της Σούδας το 1941", τονίζει ο κ. Γιαννουλάκης και συμπληρώνει: 

"Μπορεί να είναι κάτι μικρό ή και πολύ μεγάλο, δεν έχει τόση σημασία τη στιγμή εκείνη το μέγεθος, αλλά η επίτευξη του στόχου, δηλαδή η ανάγκη για εξερεύνηση!" 

Εκτός όμως από το αεροναυάγιο του Bf109, ο κ. Γιαννουλάκης πιστώνεται και με τον εντοπισμό και την πιθανή ταυτοποίηση ενός ακόμα ναυαγίου του Β' Παγκοσμίου Πολέμου στην Κρήτη.

Ένα ναυάγιο μήκους 130 μέτρων και πλάτους 17,5 βρίσκεται πολύ κοντά στην ακτή του Καλαμιού της Σούδας, σε βάθος από 68 μέχρι 88 μέτρα. 

"Ένα ακόμα ναυάγιο που καταδύθηκα πρώτος μετά από τη βύθισή του είναι και ένα φορτηγό πλοίο του Δευτέρου Παγκόσμιου Πολέμου, αν και δε μπορούμε να πούμε ποιο ακριβώς είναι με απόλυτη βεβαιότητα."


"Με τη βοήθεια του φίλου μου Δημήτρη Γκαλον καταλήξαμε στο συμπέρασμα ότι το πιθανότερο είναι πως πρόκειται για το «Κυριακή». Αξίζει να σημειώσω πως στο συγκεκριμένο ναυάγιο δεν υπήρξαν νεκροί από τη βύθιση του πλοίου". επισημαίνει ο κ. Γιαννουλάκης.

"Σε αυτό το ναυάγιο πραγματοποιούμε τεχνικές καταδύσεις με μικτά αέρια (TRIMIX), δεδομένου ότι το βάθος είναι αρκετά μεγάλο" επισημαίνει ο κ. Γιαννουλάκης.

"Λόγω του μεγέθους και της καλής κατάστασης του ναυάγιου οι καταδύσεις είναι πραγματικά εντυπωσιακές, αν και λόγω του βάθους και της συνήθως μέτριας έως κακής ορατότητας οι δύτες πρέπει να είναι αρκετά έμπειροι", τονίζει ο κ. Γιαννουλάκης.

Battle of Crete: The end of German large scale airborne ops, the casualties and the Pyrrhic victory of the nazis

Previously unpublished photograph colorised by acclaimed artist Markos Danezis. German fallschirmjager pose for the camera, while eating lemons from an orchard in Crete.

The nazis ultimately prevailed on Crete but at a great and unbearable cost.

The original photo

The island of Crete, considered to be the graveyard of the Fallschirmjäger, put an end to any large-scale airborne operations, following the scores of dead nazi paratroopers that found their eternal resting place in the military cemetery of Maleme, Crete, while thousands more were injured and remained out of action for an extended period of time.

 

Estimates of the exact losses vary greatly – there are around 4,000 German graves on Crete. 

But British naval commanders believed they had accounted for thousands more when they sunk troop transports bringing men across by sea at the height of the battle. 

Only a few hundred bodies were washed up. 

Churchill estimated total losses at around 15,000, some put it even higher.

The paranoid nazi dictator Hitler lost all enthusiasm -to put it mildly- for large scale parachute operations after the battle of Crete.

In the future parachute troops would be used as elite infantry. 

Possible future operations against Malta and Cyprus were scrapped.

The cost of the battle of Crete

More than 1700 British, Commonwealth and Greek soldiers were killed and 15,000 captured during the Battle for Crete.

There were 671 New Zealanders among the dead, and 2180 prisoners of war. 

More than 6,000 Germans were killed or wounded. The Luftwaffe lost over 350 aircraft.

FOUND! A WW2 Wreck in the island of Ulysses - Ithaki, Ionian Sea, Greece

Ithaki or Ithaca is a Greek island located in the Ionian Sea, off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and to the west of continental Greece.

It is the second-smallest of seven main Ionian Islands, after Paxi. The capital, Vathy or Ithaki, has one of the world's largest natural harbours.

Ithaki covers an area of 120 square kilometres and has today a little more than three thousand inhabitants.

Modern Ithaki is generally identified with Homer's Ithaca, the home of Odysseus, whose delayed return to the island is one of the elements of the Odyssey's plot.

Mr. George Lilas, from Ithaki, shares with pierrekosmidis.blogspot.com and WW2 Wrecks in Greece unique photos of an aircraft wreck , as well as information related to this WW2 relic.

"The wreck of a Junkers 88 in southeastern Ithaki is well known. Locals say that the aircraft's crew was found dead in a life raft."

"The aircraft wreck was found at a depth of just 15 meters and efforts to salvage it after the war was over, resulted in its breaking into several pieces", Mr. George Lilas added. 

"The tail of the aircraft is located at a depth of 36 metres, while the two engines of the Ju88 can be seen at depths ranging from 20 to 26 meters." says Mr. George Lilas. 

"The cockpit, some people claim, is at a depth of 80 meters but I have not dived myself to check  it." Mr. George Lilas says. 

Research, as to the exact identity of this WW2 Wreck in Greece, is ongoing. 

FOUND! A WW2 German mine at a depth of 28 metres in Greece

The Aviation Archaeology Scuba Diving Team found at a depth of 28 metres, close to Patroklos Island, Saronic Gulf, Greece a WW2 EM German mine (Einheits Minen), with a size of 1.23 x 1.18 m. 

Its anchor was also found close to the mine. 

The EM type mines detonated upon impact and were referred to as "Moored Contact mines". 

The detonation was caused by metal antennae (Hertz Horns - Chemical Horns) which contained a glass vial filled with sulfuric acid. 

When the ship upon impact broke the metal antenna, sulfuric acid leaking caused the ignition of the explosive charge.

SOURCE

Map of WW2 aircraft wrecks in Greece

An indicative map with WW2 aircraft wrecks located in Greece. Map will be updated with new details, as they emerge from the depth of the seas.

The story of the lost U Boats of the Black Sea: Scuba diving at an intact nazi U Boat wreck

For years, German submarines U-19, U-20, and U-23 were a terrifying presence beneath the waves, preying on British and Russian shipping. 

Then, 72 years ago, they suddenly vanished to the bottom of the Black Sea.

One of the lost submarines, the U23, was found by Turkish divers.

The search began along the Turkish coast near the town of Zonguldak in 1994, after the Turkish navy complained that it was having difficulty conducting minesweeping operations. 

Local people had known for years that the submarines were out there under the water somewhere, though the remarkable story of the U-boats is one of the lesser known episodes of the war.

Mr. Asım Karsçakar, an experienced scuba diver and explorer from Turkey, shares with pierrekosmidis.blogspot.com and WW2 Wrecks in Greece his experience. "3 U boats, U 20, U 19 and U 23 were scuttled by their crews close to the turkish coast of Black Sea on 10 and 11 September 1944. All crew landed safe and were arrested. They stayed two years in Turkey  in Afyon city, as prisoners of war, before returning to Germany."

The three submarines were originally part of a six-boat flotilla harassing Allied shipping around the North Sea. 

U-23 had patrolled the Spanish coast during the civil war, under the command of a young Sea Lieutenant, Otto Kretschmer, who was to become Germany's top U-boat ace. 

He was known as "Otto the Silent" for his mastery of silent running and his reluctance to make radio contact with Germany while he was at sea.

Scuba diver and explorer from Turkey Mr. Asım Karsçakar (right)

His career almost finished before it had properly begun when a British submarine spotted U-23 off the Danish coast in October 1939 and fired three torpedoes at it. 

All three missed. Before he was transferred to another boat, Kretschmer scored his first hit of the war in U-23 when he sailed into the Moray Firth and sank a 10,000 ton Danish tanker on 12 January 1940.

The U-boats of the 30th flotilla were small by Second World War standards – only 140 feet long – which made them popular with the Kriegsmarine when it was rearming in the 1930s. 

The Type II-B, nicknamed Einbaum (dugout canoe), were cheap to build and could be run off an assembly line quickly. Once war began, the smaller submarines were taken out of action in the Atlantic and North Sea as soon as larger boats could be built to replace them.

But their size was an advantage when choosing craft for their next deployment. After the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, the German high command decided that it needed the flotilla to attack Soviet ships in the Black Sea.

To have taken the subs by sea past Great Britain and Gibraltar would have been hazardous. And they would then have had to go through Turkish waters, violating that country's neutrality. 

So it was decided they would go by land. Each weighed just under 280 tons, making it easier to convey them on their 2,000 mile (3,300km) journey overland.

The submarines docked in Kiel and were taken by canal to the Elbe, then upstream to Dresden. 

There they were dismantled and taken 85 miles by lorry to Ingolstadt, on the Danube. They were then ferried hundreds of miles through Germany, Austria, Hungary and Romania, to the Black Sea port of Constanza.

Over the next three years, the flotilla sank 45,000 tons of Soviet shipping, while losing three boats.

But in September 1944, the Red Army entered Romania, its government switched sides, and the remaining three subs were stranded. 

Their crews were ordered to scuttle their boats and try to make it home by land. They rowed to Turkey, but were interned for the rest of the war.

Mr. Asım Karsçakar says: "In 1992 I contacted Rudolf Arendt, the commander of U 23 and Hupert Verpoorten commander of U 19. They explained in detail the conditions of the scuttling of their U Boats and their story and adventures in Turkey."

Only 20 Type II-B submarines were ever built, and just one survives, making the prospect of retrieving three of them in good condition an enticing one for naval historians. 

And as the 25 man crew of each ship got out alive, they are not considered to be war graves.

The U Boat wreck is just in 22 meters depth Mr. Asım Karsçakar says. "A diving club owned by Mr. Volkan Demircioğlu in Karasu city began organising dives there. We dived and took pictures in 2013 -2014 as a group formed by Mr. Volkan Demircioğlu,Selçuk Dilşen and Tolga Dumlu.The U boat is totally intact and in a very good condition. U 19 and U 23 still waiting to be discovered." 

SOURCE