The Orkney Image Library
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Mystery 'U Boat Sinking' 19 November 1943
Just bought this on eBay, the letter is self-explanatory, the inscription is fairly easy to read as well. However U 658 was actually sunk by the Canadians off Newfoundland the previous October and as far as I am aware no U-Boat was ever sunk in Scapa Flow in WW2. It is therefore a bit of a mystery to me. The book was actually printed in 1945 so the letter must have come first, then Fl/Lt Macrae must have attached it to the book, which John Gunn dated for 1943 because of the date of the 'sinking'. What did happen that night - does anyone know?
Picture added on 26 January 2014 at 18:22
Since buying this the seller told me that he had been in touch with the Orkney Heritage Society, and the conclusion seems to have been that it was some kind of mock-up for a book or something. Almost all the facts in the text are wrong. I think the writing is probably by John Gunn though, but I don't think Fl/Lt Macrae ever existed.
Added by Jim Eunson on 27 January 2014
Kirkwall
