Talk:German submarine U-377

Single source / unique research

All the sources mentioned in this article point to a single website except one which is no longer available. This last website instead now also points readers interested in German U-boats to the website: http://uboat.net were this boat is mentioned on the page http://uboat.net/boats/u377.htm

On this website multiple researchers are mentioned as well as multiple causes of loss of the U-377. It is not clear which researcher came to which conclusion. On of the supposed researchers is said to be kin to one of the perished sailors, which to me indicates a high probability of unique research. There is no indication any of these researches has stood up to peer review.

Either the sources should be improved, pointing to actual publications instead of to a website that points to another website that only mentions some publication, or the article should be put in much less strong words when it comes to the supposed fate of U-377. 80.101.39.252 (talk) 15:49, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

To offer a reply to this:

The “single website” mentioned here (Uboatnet) is generally an excellent resource, though it can't be taken as definitive. The “supposed researcher” mentioned is JP Mallman Showell, who has published a number of (somewhat repetitive) books, many of which have been used in articles here as sources. His connection with the boat is new to me, but doesn't by itself disqualify him as a source.

As for the fate of U-377, it is a bit of a mystery, and there have been several theories about who sank her (Uboatnet cites an attack by aircraft from USS Santee, though it is now thought that attack hit U-382): Peter Cremer's memoir has a 1963 list from the US Navy of U-boat fates which simply has “unknown”. The “hit by her own torpedo” explanation has been around for a while (Blair, Kemp and Neistle all give it, as, apparently, does Showell) The latest idea, (also from Neistle, in 2003) is that the fates of U-305 (sunk by HMS Wanderer) and U-377 (sunk by own torpedo) are the wrong way round, and that is the account currently told by Uboatnet. I've no idea if his theory has been accepted by authorities like the Admiralty's Naval Historical Branch.

However, I've added some published sources, and re-written the account here to be less strongly worded, as that is good advice. Xyl 54 (talk) 00:38, 4 December 2014 (UTC)

External links modified

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