U 278.
The photo of U- 278 returning from patrol to Narvik, Norway on May 9th 1945 remind me of an incident which happened on the surrender of the Uboats in this area. 12 uboats had already returned to the area following 3 more, including U 278, on May 9th. The Western Allied High Command did not like so many advanced highly operational uboats concentrated that high up north, close to the Soviet occupied county of Finmark Norway, they agreed with the Germans to move all the Uboats still with the German COs and crew, flying a black flag,further south to Trondheim. The formidable fleet of 15 uboats, U-294,- 295, -312, 313,- 363,-427, -481, -668,-716,- 968,- 997, -1165, -278, -and -992 sailed on May 16th 1945 southwards bound. The Western Allied High command forgot however to advice the Norwegian Naval High command and one of our destroyers KNM Stord (which participated in the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst) was on another mission on her way north meeting accidentally this formidable submarine fleet. This created a dangerous tense situation before the matter was solved by a signal from KNM Stord to the high command. The 15 Uboats were redirected to Loch Eriboll, Scotland as a beginning of the later Operation Pledge e.g. transfer of 97 uboats from Norway to Scotland, ultimately ending later in operation Deadlight.
Tore