Walter Richter
Walter Richter was a machinist and a member of the crew aboard the German mine-laying submarine UC 44.
On 31st July 1917, the submarine received orders to plant nine of its eighteen mines between Dunmore East and The Hook near Waterford. During this mission, an incident occurred on the night of 4th to 5th August 1917.
There are two theories regarding what happened.
The first theory states that UC 44 was damaged by a mine laid earlier in July by submarine UC 42. According to this account, UC 42 had already laid its mines in Waterford Harbour in July 1917. These mines were not cleared as was normally the case; this was a strategic decision by the British Admiralty intended to lure another German submarine into the area and intercept it along with the information it carried, which was considered important for the course of the war. UC 44 was unaware of this trap and was severely damaged by one of these mines, causing it to sink in Waterford Harbour.
The second theory differs only in the assumption that the explosionwas caused by one of UC 44’s own mines.
From this point onward, both accounts describe the events in thesame way.
At the time of the explosion, Lieutenant Kurt Tebbenjohanns, the commanding officer of the submarine, was in the conning tower together with Johannes Fahnster, the engine room officer, andmachinist Walter Richter. The conning tower was separated from the rest of the submarine, which is the reason why they lost contact with the rest of the crew when the explosion occurred. After a few minutes, the three sailors found themselves with their submarine on the seabed of Waterford Harbour at a depth of about 90 feet.
Despite the extremely dangerous conditions, they decided to swim to the surface, accepting the considerable risks involved. Theyreached the surface together, but were separated by the strongcurrents.
Kurt Tebbenjohanns was rescued by three fishermen from Dunmore East – Jack McGrath and brothers Tom and Patsy Power. He was cared for onsite before being handed over to the authorities on 5th August and transferred to London as a prisoner of war.
The body of Johannes Fahnster has never been found.
Walter Richter’s body washed ashore on the coast of Wexford on 9th August 1917. His date of death is presumed to have been between 5th and 9th August 1917. He was initially buried in Duncannon and, after the war, reinterred at the German war cemetery in Glencree, County Wicklow.