Maritime Archaeology Updates

Diving Deeper with the Maritime Archaeology Trust

Category: Volunteering

Chris Heal on ‘Sound of Hunger’

Our ‘Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War’ project volunteer, Chris Heal, writes about his research for the Trust and his new book Sound of Hunger.

 

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After finishing his Doctorate at Bristol University, Chris Heal began volunteering with the Maritime Archaeology Trust’s Forgotten Shipwrecks project in 2016. The start of this project would bring him down an unexpected path towards the publication of a book, Sound of Hunger.

 

Chris was asked by the Maritime Archaeology Trust to research two different wrecks (SS Broomhill and SS Minerva). He found that the two wrecks were sunk on the same day by the same U-boat, UC 61, captain Georg Gerth. He decided to keep researching.

The remains of UC 61.

Every few months, as the sands shift, the remnants of UC 61 can still be found where it stranded in fog in July of 1917 on the beach at Wissant, a few miles south west of Calais near Cap Gris Nez. The Royal Navy declared that the intelligence gain from the wreck was minimal, particularly as the crew had blown up and set fire to the vessel before surrendering. What Chris found proved this propaganda wrong. The intelligence was substantial and led to the sinking of several more U-boats.

Georg’s older brother, Erich, was also a U-boat captain who joined the Kaiserlichen Marine two years earlier than Georg. While Georg fought off the south coast of England and the west coast of France, Erich spent his short U-boat career in the Mediterranean.

 

After the war, the two brothers lived different lives, Georg was a businessman who studied philosophy and enjoyed his privacy. Erich’s life was much faster and exciting. He followed Wilhelm Canaris, chief of the Nazi intelligence service in WWII, as a spy in South America; married a widowed countess; took part in the suppression of the Communist revolution in 1919, and was involved in the murder of Lenin’s protégés Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg; covertly helped prepare the second U-boat fleet for the next war; developed close contacts from Paris with Europe’s Catholic hierarchy, even to the pope-to-be, Eugenio Pacelli, in an attempt to stop the Second World War. In the 1930s, the family fell foul of National Socialist laws to cleanse German public life of all those with Jewish connections. He was murdered by the Gestapo in front of his son in Rome in 1943. Georg died in 1970, broken after the British firebombed his home in the hospital town of Würzburg in 1944.

 

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We are very excited for Chris and his book, Sound of Hunger. We hope that you will take the time to learn more about the work he has done. Chris notes that this is ‘not a conventional history book, but a personal view of the events that were integral to the Gerth brothers, to see how they were changed by what they heard, were taught and experienced’. It is a true story about real people. ‘Sound of Hunger is unashamedly intimate in selection, perhaps eccentric in places; a personal journey that explains what was newly-found, how it was investigated and understood.’

 

Sound of Hunger was published in June this year by Unicorn Publishing to critical review. It is available from Unicorn and from many UK and US booksellers via Amazon.

 

This handsomely produced volume will be recognised as a distinctive and valuable contribution to the history of the First World War. Its author has been very careful in his research and shows both commendable levels of objectivity combined with real imaginative sympathy for his subjects in the writing. This is gripping stuff and should not disappoint its audiences. Four years into the publishing jamboree that is the War’s centenary here is a title that stands out and deserves its place on (and one hopes frequently off) the shelf.ˮ

 

A major contribution on WWI history. The author writes extremely well and his style is both lucid and engaging … Such a scholarly source book is a welcome addition to my bookshelf. An objective dispassionate foreigner’s view of the Gerth brothers’ history.ˮ

Volunteer in Focus: Mike Greaves

In light of National Volunteer Week 2017, the Maritime Archaeology Trust would like to highlight some of the important work contributed by our volunteers. We sent out a questionnaire for our volunteers to fill in and give us their view on what it is like to volunteer for the Maritime Archaeology Trust. This is what Mr Mike Greaves thought.

What do you do as a volunteer for the Maritime Archaeology Trust?

Artist in Residence

How did you get involved?

Through Southampton University. My wife Kate and I got involved initially doing research for MAT at Kew.

Anything you have learnt from working with the Trust?

Where do I start? I’ve learnt about boats. WW1 wrecks, WW1 technology, WW1 social history for example how arrogant the Admiralty was in advising families about loved ones lost at sea.

Have you enjoyed anything in particular?

Everything I have done. My work with MAT has given me greater confidence with my painting, taking me out of my comfort zone of buildings and cityscapes to tackle new subjects eg. Submarines, ships and people.

The patience shown to me by a team of experts faced with the trite questions of an obvious novice.

Editor’s Note: Mike’s own website can be found here

Examples of the beautiful artwork Mike has created for us

To learn more about what kind of work our volunteers do for the Trust, see the following blog post: http://blog.maritimearchaeologytrust.org/national-volunteering-week-1st-june-7th-june-2017/

Have you got a spare hour or day in the week and looking for something to do? Fancy learning new skills in archaeology? Want to learn more about our maritime heritage? Well why not drop us an email on volunteering@maritimearchaeologytrust.org today and find out more?

Volunteer in Focus: Peter Crick

In light of National Volunteer Week 2017, the Maritime Archaeology Trust would like to highlight some of the important work contributed by our volunteers. We sent out a questionnaire for our volunteers to fill in and give us their view on what it is like to volunteer for the Maritime Archaeology Trust. This is what Mr Peter Crick thought.

What do you do as a volunteer for the Maritime Archaeology Trust?

Mainly I have transferred data of ships and  artefacts  from survey sheets into the main Database.  I have also been to The National Archives and researched ships and events which have then also been transferred into the database

How did you get involved?

I responded to an advert MAT had placed in our Community Magazine  – in Hamble-le-Rice

Anything you have learnt from working with the Trust?

A lot about the Naval War during WW1

Have you enjoyed anything in particular?

The learning has been fascinating- a whole new arena of knowledge and human activity…. And a confirmation of my perception that all war is a terrible futile activity.   It has also been a pleasure to encounter the Project staff – who without exception have been an absolute delight to be with.

To learn more about what kind of work our volunteers do for the Trust, see the following blog post: http://blog.maritimearchaeologytrust.org/national-volunteering-week-1st-june-7th-june-2017/

Have you got a spare hour or day in the week and looking for something to do? Fancy learning new skills in archaeology? Want to learn more about our maritime heritage? Well why not drop us an email on volunteering@maritimearchaeologytrust.org today and find out more?

Volunteer in Focus: Richard Wyatt

In light of National Volunteer Week 2017, the Maritime Archaeology Trust would like to highlight some of the important work contributed by our volunteers. We sent out a questionnaire for our volunteers to fill in and give us their view on what it is like to volunteer for the Maritime Archaeology Trust. This is what Mr Richard Wyatt thought.

What do you do as a volunteer for the Maritime Archaeology Trust?

Production of Podcasts, re-organisation of basement storage, on-line research, field surveys, archive research, Fort Victoria audios, Maritime Bus, website proof-reading and editing, IT support.

How did you get involved?

An interest in archaeology (via ex-girlfriend), love of sailing & the sea (star-sign Cancer) via SVS and enthusiasm of Gareth Owen.

Anything you have learnt from working with the Trust?

Survey techniques, use of audio equipment (including software), the beauty of 1st edition OS maps, the mind-boggling resource that is the National Archives. Oh, and a great deal about the Hamble River (except whether it should the River Hamble.)

Have you enjoyed anything in particular?

The session at The Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis after re-organising the servers, getting out of the wind and onto a relatively smooth surface after several hours on Oyster Island, and the engine-room of SS Shieldhall. But especially the assistance and appreciation of the MAT team.

To learn more about what kind of work our volunteers do for the Trust, see the following blog post: http://blog.maritimearchaeologytrust.org/national-volunteering-week-1st-june-7th-june-2017/

Have you got a spare hour or day in the week and looking for something to do? Fancy learning new skills in archaeology? Want to learn more about our maritime heritage? Well why not drop us an email on volunteering@maritimearchaeologytrust.org today and find out more?

Volunteer in Focus: Rachel Patten

In light of National Volunteer Week 2017, the Maritime Archaeology Trust would like to highlight some of the important work contributed by our volunteers. We sent out a questionnaire for our volunteers to fill in and give us their view on what it is like to volunteer for the Maritime Archaeology Trust. This is what Ms Rachel Patten thought.

What do you do as a volunteer for the Maritime Archaeology Trust?

I do data entry which has so far included:

Entering information about shipwrecks of WW1 from different sources such as digital copies of old shipping documents and researchers hand written notes into an Excel database.

Inputting survey data from questionnaires given to people at event talks into an online database.

Making digital copies of physical documents and sorting documents into the correct folders.

 

How did you get involved?

I wanted real world experience in data entry so an education and employment advisor from the council suggested the Maritime Archaeology Trust to me.

 

Anything you have learnt from working with the Trust?

I have learnt of the vast amount of work done by the trust to keep people informed about marine archaeology and in particular the work done about the shipwrecks of WW1 and WW2.

I have learnt of the sheer amount of wrecks in the local area.

I have learnt how they are using virtual reality in order to show people the wrecks.

I have learnt how to do data entry with a variety of sources and applications.

 

Have you enjoyed anything in particular?

I have enjoyed the variety of work I have been assigned.

I have enjoyed working with a happy and supportive team.

To learn more about what kind of work our volunteers do for the Trust, see the following blog post: http://blog.maritimearchaeologytrust.org/national-volunteering-week-1st-june-7th-june-2017/

Have you got a spare hour or day in the week and looking for something to do? Fancy learning new skills in archaeology? Want to learn more about our maritime heritage? Well why not drop us an email on volunteering@maritimearchaeologytrust.org today and find out more?

National Volunteering Week 1st June to 7th June 2017

As a non-profit charity organisation, the Maritime Archaeology Trust is very dependent on the amazing work our volunteers do for us! Over the years our volunteers have joined us in numerous projects and helped complete various tasks.

The people who work with us have come from various different backgrounds and bring in a range of skills which has been a tremendous resource for us. We have had divers provide us with pictures and detailed information of the wrecks they have dived on, which makes it possible for us to get primary data from the site without actually visiting it ourselves. Our current project, Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War, has 1100 sites that are included and without the support from the diving community this would be an impossible task for us to tackle.

Recording a wreck on the foreshore

Mr Steve Harvey has kindly lent his drone flying expertise to us during several site visits!

In addition to underwater sites we have also located relevant sites on the foreshore. The Trust has regular excursions to these sites where we together with volunteers record the features and current conditions of the wrecks. We have had volunteers bring their own drone equipment which allowed us to get aerial footage of the site as well as teaching other volunteers how to fly a drone.

The information we collect as part of the project doesn’t just come from primary archaeological sites. We also have volunteers who travel to various archives to wade through the wealth of information that hasn’t seen the light of day since it was archived. In addition to this we also record artefacts that are relevant to the wrecks of the First World War. The volunteers create a detailed photographic and written record of each artefact we record.

Volunteers recording artefacts at the Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum on the Isle of Wight

All of this information will then have to be put into a database where it is accessible to everyone. This is no small task with thousands of sites, documents and photographs to upload. Needless to say that without the help of volunteers working on making it all available, the majority of this information would be sat gathering dust on our servers.

Watercolour paintings by Mike Greaves

The work doesn’t end here however! Now the task is to let people know what we are up to and how they can access this information. As an organisation, the Trust regularly attends events locally and further afield. Our outreach team is often supported by volunteers who join them on the day to talk to the public. The displays we bring with us include artefacts for people to handle and electronic mini-airlifts and mini-ROVs for children to play with. The latter also requires regular maintenance which is also done by volunteers. During the events we attend we also bring with us free publications for people to read and take home. One of the most popular freebies we have available are the postcards with the beautiful watercolour artwork painted by one of our volunteers.

As illustrated in this post, the Maritime Archaeology Trust would simply not function in the same way without the brilliant work volunteers put in for us. In light of the National Volunteer Week 2017, the Maritime Archaeology Trust would like to highlight the work of our volunteers and thank you for your previous, current and future hard work! During the volunteering week we will be posting some of our volunteers’ stories of how they came to work with us, what they do and how it has benefitted them as well as us.

Fancy gaining some new skills and learning new things about our maritime past? You don’t have to be a qualified diver to volunteer and no previous maritime archaeological experience is required! Get in touch: volunteering@maritimearchaeologytrust.org

For more information about the volunteering opportunities available, please see this online booklet: http://forgottenwrecks.maritimearchaeologytrust.org/volunteering-matters

Model volunteer!

Ken Manchip from the Fareham and District Model Engineering Society tells us how he ended up volunteering for the Maritime Archaeology Trust:

“The road leading to my building of the model steam pinnace started when the Fareham and District Model Engineering Society that I am a member of, played host to a representative of the Marine Archaeologist Trust, how gave us a talk on the underwater world in the Solent: identifying and investigating wrecks. This was received so well that we have left the door open for a return visit.

One of the sites the Trust have been researching and surveying in Gosport, Hampshire is the hulked remains of a steam pinnace that would have been in use during the First World War, Steam Pinnace 704. The Trust identified a model kit for a similar vessel and they thought such a model would be a suitable and beneficial aid for public outreach.

They approached the Model Engineering Society to see if we might be able to help with the building and as the representative of the Society’s Marine group the task was presented to me and I very willingly took up the challenge.

The model kit duly arrived and was found to be a wooden plank on frame, vacuum formed plastic superstructure, and plastic fittings, which I am familiar with. The kit included a side view plan and short explanation of stage build.

Described as a beginner’s kit, it very quickly became obvious that without considerable experience, skills and tooling, this build would have taken more than a month of approximately 2 hours a day and the end result would have been quite different! As with other models that I have been involved in, patience is the main skill to get one through. The moment you recognise what is in hand and where it is expected to go, is magic.

I enjoyed the challenge of building the steam pinnace model, which led me to surf the net to learn more of the history of the naval Pinnaces. The model will be exhibited at the Fareham and District Model Engineering Society Open Weekend at the end of July, before the Trust takes possession for use in their public outreach activities.

And what’s next for me? Maybe I will try the earlier 19th century model?…….”

Ken Manchip, Fareham and District Model Engineering Society

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You can see Ken’s steam pinnace model on the weekend of 30/31st July at the Fareham and District Model Engineering Society open weekend:

FDMES_OpenDay2016