In the peace negotiations that ended World War One Germany’s Imperial navy was  surrendered to the Allies. In the morning of April 15, 1919 this German submarine SM U  118 was on its way to Scapa Flow when it broke from the ship that was towing it and ran aground on Hastings beach. Outside of the Queens Hotel also found on the beach.

Two members of the coastguard, William Heard and W. Moore, that were assigned the responsibility of showing important visitors around the submarine, died as a result of their exposure to the submarine. It was believed that chlorine gas had leaked from damaged batteries on the ship.  Between October and December the ship was torn apart for scrap metal.

Grandfather’s photo.