Nestled in Humble Bee Creek on the Medway estuary lie the remains of a demon of the first world war. A German U-boat hull lies on top of a small mudbank having broken its tow in the early 1920’s most likely on the way to a salvage yard. Immediately after the Great War the value of scrap metal dropped sharply which probably explains why the hull was left and not refloated to continue its journey. The most important part of the U-boat had already been salvaged before it began its final journey. The two MANN diesel engines that propelled the vessel when surfaced were extracted and likely used in a cement works on or very near to the estuary.
There are a number of possibilities as to which U-boat this is. It’s certainly a Type III class which would give it a UB prefix. As for its number, local historians have suggested that it is UB-122 based on a variety of records relating to its purchase. However, there are also admiralty accounts that clearly name UB-122 as having sunk under tow. More research is required!
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