You have to give a bit of credit to the Greeks. They were a tough lot during the war and truly helped the allied effort and get very little credit for it in literature and the media.
I give huge credit to all the countries who were temporarily occupied by the Axis members, and whose people fought back by forming their own Resistance, aiding the Allies and causing trouble for the invaders. True patriots and very brave - every man, woman and child that worked with or as a part of the Resistance.
I guess the best fiction I've read about the Italian and German occupation of Greece and its islands has to be Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Berniere. It's almost like magic realism.
and then the brits turned round and committed war crimes against them because of the fear of communism, even though those same communists had been fighting against the nazis
My husband, who was a proud member of the silent service, watched this with me. He was very moved. Also this man volunteered to go back to serve on a submarine, and when the sub was found, even the smallest details supported his story.
I live on that island. The story is well known here at least in the community of divers. In general in Kefalonia there are many underwater wrecks, and other reminders of the 2WW.
My Mother was born and raised on the island. She told us countless experiences and stories about her life during the war. She was an incredible Mom and person. My grandmother had 11 siblings, so they had a large family in a small village. My grandfather was in NYC waiting for the war to end in order to bring his family to the states
Sorry, I accidentally released my previous message. The Italians occupied the island until they surrendered to the Allies. To retaliate the Germans assassinated between 5000-10,000 Italian soldiers, so it is said. Every year since there is a ceremony with our Italian brothers and Greeks gathering due to this massacre.
The Greek diver and researcher Costas Thoktaridis discovered Perseus in 1997, entered the submarine and found things as John Cape had described them. In the village of Poros in Kefalonia there is a monument in honor of Perseus' men, among them the Greek vice-captain Nikolaos Merlin. John Cape fled from Poros with the caique Evangelistria captained by Miltiades Heumas and accompanied by Nikolaos Vandoros who was one of the 21 Greeks who hid him for 18 months from house to house and from village to village at the risk of their lives
Hey, great telling of this story.. It should be mentioned that Capes was not on the manifest of the Perseus because he was tending to a court case (supposedly) in Malta and missed his assigned submarine, which I believe was called HMS Thrasher. He was a hitchhiker on the Perseus, which was part of the "Magic Carpet" fleet that, as you rightly pointed out, was charged with keeping Malta supplied. On the Island, I have heard tell over the years from the locals in Mavrata (I live on Kefalonia) that some believed Capes was some kind of intelligence officer, However, I could never confirm this.. Lastly, a point of interest is that a Lieutenant Merlin of the Royal Greek Navy was also a guest on the Perseus and on his way to Alexandria to take command of a Greek submarine. From accounts of the locals Merlin, whose family was from Kefalonia, and Nicolay were outside on the conning tower so that the Greek officer could catch a look at his home Island as the batteries charged... I hope these tidbits were of interest..
Every sub sailor learns how to operate the escape hatch. American Diesel boats had escape trunks and torpedo tubes both forward and aft. Brits must had had them too. The only way to open the outer door of the trunk at depth is to equalize the inside pressure with the outside pressure which at 170 Ft would be over 60 lbs/sq in. What he did was fantastic. It doesn't matter if they didn't believe him - he knew the truth and lived to tell the sea story. Fair winds and following seas shipmate.
@@TheBaldr No it being on the sea bed makes far far more sense, given the amount of time he would have needed after reading the faulty depth gauge. Fitting the rebreathers to 3 injured crewmen and him self, equalizing the pressure, opening the escape hatch that was bolted shut.
@@rascototalwar8618 you're exactly right. All the things he did before getting the trunk door open took time enough for the boat to settle on the bottom. Not to mention that in descent, the attitude was bow-down so it was probably easier to do what needed done after the boat had settled on the sea bed. Heroic effort for sure.
Actually the maximum depth around the wreck is -52m and this is below the bow of the ship, where it hit the bottom with all its weight. John Capes escaped from -45m depth, where the top of the deck and the escape hatch is at, this is the level from which he started his ascent. Also these depths are confirmed by the multiple times we have been at the wreck.
Not everyone that is of the elite’s automatically goes into the officer class, even back then. I’ve personally met one of the Abercrombie family members that felt patriotic and enlisted shortly after 9/11. Unfortunately for him I met him as an AWOL because he couldn’t hack it.
@@unclejim1528 I agree with Uncle Jim. He knows in his heart what he did. The fact he survived (along with no other witness accounts) would make anyone skeptical of his endevour, especially some of the specific details that the Navy said "That shouldnt be" or "That isnt right". The evidence discovered today from the Perseus wreck verifies his account... to include minor details of the rum bottle, the open hatch (That the Navy said "Should" have been welded shut), and the depth gauge stating 280 feet (while the wreck was found in only 170 feet of water, and the re-breather only being tested to 110 feet).
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that sleeping in the torpedo tube gave him the protection from the blast. Too bad that the Royal Navy was not willing or able to find out why he was a passenger since it's common for military personnel to catch a ride.
Thats what I was thinking too. The casing of a torpedo tube is basically a forged steel cylinder several inches thick. Plenty enough to deflect the shockwave from the explosion while also mostly protecting him from shrapnel.
wiki "... Of the 61 on board, the only survivor was 31-year-old leading stoker John Capes, one of two non-crew members hitching a lift to Alexandria.... : On 19 and 20 May 2000, memorial ceremonies were held in Cephalonia in honour of the Perseus' crew. They were attended by relatives of the deceased (including John Capes' daughter), members of the Submarine Old Comrade's Association, locals who hid Capes, and a member of the caique crew who transported Capes to Smyrna (amongst others).
You're a phenomenal story teller and a gifted videographer. The way you introduce each chapter of your story with a header is somewhat unique among UA-camrs. Thanks for being a great entertainer and for creating documentaries worth watching.
Imagine the frustration, living your life, knowing you beat all odds TWICE and even tried to rescue others first. This man is a real hero and it's possible nobody, not even in private, ever acknowledged that.
This story should be made into a movie, so long as no over embellished artist license is taken with it. Would actually depend on how much actual interview records are available in order to get everything correct regarding everything up until the end of his time in the service. Surely surviving family members could fill in details about how he felt about people accusing him of fabricating the whole story. This really is a unique tale.
But I think @royhorn still got a good idea here. The story should be made a feature movie and, most importantly, Hollywood should be kept off it. The British should do it.
Very unique indeed. My father was a submariner on a Gato Class diesel boat, during the mid to late 60's. What a helluva tale. Is it totally true? Is all this "fairy tail/unbelievable story, TRUE? If so then your ALL over it, with the movie! Hey get with me, let's do this movie. I'm serious. It must be done. Not needs to be. But MUST BE done. Agreed?
Sad he died not being recognized but he did know that he was incredibly lucky for the remainder of his relatively long life. He probably had survivor’s guilt. Finding that depth gauge showing 270 was quite a find … and the rum bottle … and the open hatch. What a story!
WWII seemed to be a treasure trove of moments where reality was wilder than even the most fantastically outlandish fiction. This is a highlight among them...
@@anthonyiocca5683 Funny you say that. The hand of God can be found in many strange ways, such as this. Countless numbers of people who should have been killed in times of war, that survive when the situation said that they should have no chance of survival.
@@anthonyiocca5683 Then you were one of those whom God blessed and perhaps wants to use to tell of his grace. It is often strange whom he chooses to use. Many are not what most would consider worthy. Saul of Tarsus was one whom no one would think would be a chosen of God. Yet he is arguably the greatest of God's apostles.
My father was a submariner 1940-53 and I remember him telling me this story when I was a child . Sadly he didn't talk much about his days in the submarine service . He was mainly in T class subs ( HMS Tally ho ) fighting in the Burma theatre . He did tell me that they routinely sealed the escape hatches because they weakened the hull and as it was unlikely that anyone would escape and survive from a sunken submarine then the crew wasn't bothered . I think one of the most telling bits of this story is that as he went to the private Dulwich College it would have been expected that he would be an officer . Very typical of the class attitudes of those days - and probably still true today ✌️🇬🇧
The man was extroidinarily lucky in so many ways. Notwithstanding, the fact that the escape hatch on that sub wasn't stupidly welded shut as apparently most were at that time. Obviously, the engineer who designed that vessel wanted it's crew to at least have a fighting chance at surviving catastrophe
British captains had a great deal of discretion over rules aboard their vessels. A sub commander that didn’t want the escape hatches welded, could just write it up as done, for the safety of his crew.
You gotta be very brave to serve on a sub. Not sure there is a word for someone who wants to serve on a second after being the sole survivor of the first sinking except hero.
Now this was one of the better Dark Docs I’ve seen in a while… I saw only one problem, it was with the edit… The issue was an American flag shown, not a British one.. It’s something I can definitely look past… Keep up the great work!!
I've been a diver and 170' is just possible JUST! The re-breather gives more time but in a panic and adrenaline that 02 he left the sub with is gone in minute and ya need 2 minutes to cover that depth. The guy was at his limit! Great story.
John Capes did not actually surface from 170’. That is the depth of the seabed that the wreck lies on but the escape hatch is on top of the hull at 144’, with the engine room floor at about 150’. Nonetheless, a remarkable achievement.
@@mtskull59 Thata is trhe depth assuming he left the sub as/after it hit bottom. He coulda left at any point in the descent. 100'. 50'. 125', 124 1/2. etc etc. Depth guage was busted so it didn't know.
@@SuperChuckRaney The submarine travelled barely more than its own length between striking the mine and hitting the sea bed (the mine anchor lies just a few feet behind the wreck). Also, it hit the sea bed nose first with enough force to bend the entire bow sideways by several feet. To do that, it must have sunk in seconds; certainly not enough time for Capes to gather three other men, fit them with the Davis apparatus, flood the engine room, open the hatch (with difficulty) and then help the others exit before escaping himself. The submarine was definitely on the bottom when the escape took place.
I just want to voice my great appreciation for these video's. Back when boys were boys and girls were girls and the country was far more moral than it is today.
That was a most fascinating story with a most unhappy ending for Seaman Capes. But at least he was finally vindicated…….even if it was 12 years after his death. There was the story of an American soldier who fought in the bitter cold of the Korean War and when he got home and was describing to his family his experiences during the Korean War. His own mother did NOT believe him and told him to quit lying and exaggerating about his wartime experiences. The soldier never talked about his wartime service until 40 plus years later when other Korean War veterans began to share their stories about Korea and documentaries started appearing on TV about the Korean War.
Capes' reason for being on Malta is equally strange according to one article: "Capes' story started much earlier in the war when the car he was driving ran into a horse and cart on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. Before the incident was resolved however, he was recalled to service aboard the submarine HMS Thrasher where he was Leading Stoker (basically an engine room engineer). In September 1941 the 31-year-old Capes was given leave to return to the island and appear in court regarding the accident. Malta was by then under siege by the Germans and Italians so he was smuggled in by the “Magic Carpet Service”, whereby British submarines were used to deliver supplies and personnel around the Mediterranean. After several weeks he was ready to leave and on November 26 hitched a ride on HMS Perseus, one of the Royal Navy's largest submarines, which was bound for Alexandria, Egypt with orders to patrol the waters off eastern Greece on the way."
@@userofthetube2701 Thats just plain poor record keeping then. If you get a chance read "Wake of the Wahoo" by Forest Sterling. He was the yeoman on board and explains completing the sailing list and handing it off as one of the last things done before castoff.Maybe the Royal Navy had a completely different outlook or system
thats a frilling story, can i ask where the source is for welding hatches shut ive never heard that before, welding them shut is a bit extreame when they have lockes isnt it?
HMS Perseus' depth gauge is presumed faulty as it is actually at a depth of about 170 feet (52 metres), it was still reading 270 feet when found. I was surprised to hear that it's been dived by single-breath divers! John Capes wasn't on the submarine muster list because he was a passenger. I find it bizarre that not more is said of him. Why wasn't someone from his class an officer, for example? Rest in peace, brave soul. Also, a big shout out to the brave Greeks risking everything by sheltering him.
This is amazing!!!!! The same thing happened to me, during the war in 1943 when I was only 17 years old. A few of the details are different of course, the water depth, location & all. Still.. I'm like blown away man!!! Can you dig it?
Although he was in the Submarine service he was not in the crew of HMS Perseus. His actual submarine was HMS Thrasher. He was being taken to Alexandria as a "passenger" on HMS Perseus, which is why he wasn't on the crew manifest, and also why he didn't have his own bunk and was having to sleep in the torpedo rack.
There's a US Navy officer who survived the torpedo hit on his destroyer USS Strong in the Solomon islands. He was on a jap control island and did a one man gorilla war until he was rescue
One of our neighbors was among the hand full of men that chose to go into the bush instead of surrendering to the Japanese when the Phillipines fell to the Japanese. I have the book his son wrote about it. It is an incredible story.
What an incredible story of strength, endurance, and the will to survive. In terms of the psychology of what people believe, there are striking similarities to today. Even presented with truthful evidence, most people refuse to relinquish their ideologies, and cling to them with everything they have......Sound familiar to day?
Don’t believe your lying eyes, trust what those that weren’t even there have to say about it. The “official report” and the truth are not one and the same. Depending on political opinions and optics…
My comment focuses on two stories of the will to live: First story a lone pilot whose plane crashed in the Rocky Mountains. Search & Rescue gave up the search after two weeks. Several days later he was found alive. He mistakenly did the exact opposite of what one needs to do to survive. Upon being asked how did he live through all that his reply was "I'm in the middle of a divorce. I'll be damned if I die and leave my wife everything". The second was a Japanese sailor stationed on the Yamato. His first child a son was born while he was away on active duty. On its futile last mission when it was sinking he had abandoned the ship. The drag of the ship was too much to overcome. With his lungs bursting, limbs feeling like lead weights, and his will to live spent he was giving up. At the last moment, he starts thinking about the son he had never seen and it gave him the push to continue fighting to make it to the surface. When he made it to the surface and breath in the air he hated war. He had to wait for many years until his son is old enough to understand that he saved his father that day.
You have to give a bit of credit to the Greeks. They were a tough lot during the war and truly helped the allied effort and get very little credit for it in literature and the media.
I give huge credit to all the countries who were temporarily occupied by the Axis members, and whose people fought back by forming their own Resistance, aiding the Allies and causing trouble for the invaders. True patriots and very brave - every man, woman and child that worked with or as a part of the Resistance.
Both the Greeks and the Maltese.
OHpa!
I guess the best fiction I've read about the Italian and German occupation of Greece and its islands has to be Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Berniere. It's almost like magic realism.
and then the brits turned round and committed war crimes against them because of the fear of communism, even though those same communists had been fighting against the nazis
My husband, who was a proud member of the silent service, watched this with me. He was very moved. Also this man volunteered to go back to serve on a submarine, and when the sub was found, even the smallest details supported his story.
I live on that island. The story is well known here at least in the community of divers. In general in Kefalonia there are many underwater wrecks, and other reminders of the 2WW.
It’s a wonderful island. I considered living there myself
My Mother was born and raised on the island. She told us countless experiences and stories about her life during the war. She was an incredible Mom and person. My grandmother had 11 siblings, so they had a large family in a small village. My grandfather was in NYC waiting for the war to end in order to bring his family to the states
Sorry, I accidentally released my previous message. The Italians occupied the island until they surrendered to the Allies. To retaliate the Germans assassinated between 5000-10,000 Italian soldiers, so it is said. Every year since there is a ceremony with our Italian brothers and Greeks gathering due to this massacre.
@@mannysandalakis7147 This massacre was a Horrific tragedy.
"A Single Death Is a Tragedy; A Million Deaths Is a Statistic". ~ Joseph Stalin
The Greek diver and researcher Costas Thoktaridis discovered Perseus in 1997, entered the submarine and found things as John Cape had described them. In the village of Poros in Kefalonia there is a monument in honor of Perseus' men, among them the Greek vice-captain Nikolaos Merlin. John Cape fled from Poros with the caique Evangelistria captained by Miltiades Heumas and accompanied by Nikolaos Vandoros who was one of the 21 Greeks who hid him for 18 months from house to house and from village to village at the risk of their lives
Thank you for the details on this Hero.
We are proud of the Heroic Sailor & we are also proud of the Greeks for their selfless Help & Dedication in saving this Sailors. Thank You.
The English Navy should erect a memorial monument of thanks to the citizens of Poros.
Thanyou very brave men/women
Hey, great telling of this story.. It should be mentioned that Capes was not on the manifest of the Perseus because he was tending to a court case (supposedly) in Malta and missed his assigned submarine, which I believe was called HMS Thrasher. He was a hitchhiker on the Perseus, which was part of the "Magic Carpet" fleet that, as you rightly pointed out, was charged with keeping Malta supplied. On the Island, I have heard tell over the years from the locals in Mavrata (I live on Kefalonia) that some believed Capes was some kind of intelligence officer, However, I could never confirm this.. Lastly, a point of interest is that a Lieutenant Merlin of the Royal Greek Navy was also a guest on the Perseus and on his way to Alexandria to take command of a Greek submarine. From accounts of the locals Merlin, whose family was from Kefalonia, and Nicolay were outside on the conning tower so that the Greek officer could catch a look at his home Island as the batteries charged... I hope these tidbits were of interest..
Great information, thank you for sharing!!!🙏👍👻
They are, indeed, "of interest".
Every sub sailor learns how to operate the escape hatch. American Diesel boats had escape trunks and torpedo tubes both forward and aft. Brits must had had them too. The only way to open the outer door of the trunk at depth is to equalize the inside pressure with the outside pressure which at 170 Ft would be over 60 lbs/sq in. What he did was fantastic. It doesn't matter if they didn't believe him - he knew the truth and lived to tell the sea story. Fair winds and following seas shipmate.
The Sub was found at 170, he may escaped in more shallow depth while it was still sinking.
@@TheBaldr No it being on the sea bed makes far far more sense, given the amount of time he would have needed after reading the faulty depth gauge. Fitting the rebreathers to 3 injured crewmen and him self, equalizing the pressure, opening the escape hatch that was bolted shut.
@@rascototalwar8618 you're exactly right. All the things he did before getting the trunk door open took time enough for the boat to settle on the bottom. Not to mention that in descent, the attitude was bow-down so it was probably easier to do what needed done after the boat had settled on the sea bed. Heroic effort for sure.
Actually the maximum depth around the wreck is -52m and this is below the bow of the ship, where it hit the bottom with all its weight. John Capes escaped from -45m depth, where the top of the deck and the escape hatch is at, this is the level from which he started his ascent. Also these depths are confirmed by the multiple times we have been at the wreck.
Nice reply.
Amazing story! So cool that they were able to prove it was all true. And yes, it's a shame that he lived for years with folks doubting him.
🇬🇧
Another Great Briton. Uk🇬🇧
Not everyone that is of the elite’s automatically goes into the officer class, even back then. I’ve personally met one of the Abercrombie family members that felt patriotic and enlisted shortly after 9/11. Unfortunately for him I met him as an AWOL because he couldn’t hack it.
@@soonerfrac4611 There have always been "gentleman rankers".
It would have been an ingenious way for the Germans to infiltrate an agent into the submarine service, you have to admit.
So sad to me that this man died knowing that no one believed him even though he was telling the truth.
Shouldn't be, he new the truth, he was at peace with his own conscience. Also he likely understood why people were skeptical.
@@unclejim1528 I agree with Uncle Jim. He knows in his heart what he did.
The fact he survived (along with no other witness accounts) would make anyone skeptical of his endevour, especially some of the specific details that the Navy said "That shouldnt be" or "That isnt right".
The evidence discovered today from the Perseus wreck verifies his account... to include minor details of the rum bottle, the open hatch (That the Navy said "Should" have been welded shut), and the depth gauge stating 280 feet (while the wreck was found in only 170 feet of water, and the re-breather only being tested to 110 feet).
It is disappointing that they didn’t believe him but he got the last laugh by living 43 years longer than all his shipmates.
Well he's up on a cloud with his friends looking at us all saying see I told you. 😀
His offspring and family will know at least..
Remarkable. Sad that redemption was too late. But this brave mans story is finally believed.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that sleeping in the torpedo tube gave him the protection from the blast. Too bad that the Royal Navy was not willing or able to find out why he was a passenger since it's common for military personnel to catch a ride.
Thats what I was thinking too. The casing of a torpedo tube is basically a forged steel cylinder several inches thick. Plenty enough to deflect the shockwave from the explosion while also mostly protecting him from shrapnel.
perhaps not a rocket scientist. but ....how about a torpedo scientist? aaaaha!
@@coppulor6500 What is a metal tube if not a potential rocket?
@@rascototalwar8618 you, my friend, potentially have a point!
I don't think it was a torpedo tube, Moreover, a torpedo casing...as in, the body of a torpedo without the bit what goes bang inside of it.
A perfect example of: "When truth is stranger than fiction." I'm glad his story was finally validated.
wiki "... Of the 61 on board, the only survivor was 31-year-old leading stoker John Capes, one of two non-crew members hitching a lift to Alexandria.... : On 19 and 20 May 2000, memorial ceremonies were held in Cephalonia in honour of the Perseus' crew. They were attended by relatives of the deceased (including John Capes' daughter), members of the Submarine Old Comrade's Association, locals who hid Capes, and a member of the caique crew who transported Capes to Smyrna (amongst others).
People will believe just about any lie, but when given the truth, they will deny it.
Sadly true
A very good, excellent modern proverb!!!!
You're a phenomenal story teller and a gifted videographer. The way you introduce each chapter of your story with a header is somewhat unique among UA-camrs. Thanks for being a great entertainer and for creating documentaries worth watching.
Imagine the frustration, living your life, knowing you beat all odds TWICE and even tried to rescue others first.
This man is a real hero and it's possible nobody, not even in private, ever acknowledged that.
What an amazing story of perseverance and survival. Mr. Capes was a true hero and should receive a posthumous commendation.
This story should be made into a movie, so long as no over embellished artist license is taken with it. Would actually depend on how much actual interview records are available in order to get everything correct regarding everything up until the end of his time in the service. Surely surviving family members could fill in details about how he felt about people accusing him of fabricating the whole story. This really is a unique tale.
The film is available on Amazon as a documentary "The Perseus Survivor".
@@brianwithers162 Nice. Thank you for letting me know about it.
But I think @royhorn still got a good idea here. The story should be made a feature movie and, most importantly, Hollywood should be kept off it. The British should do it.
Not Holy-wood enuff !!😡😡
If he were gay,had sex on da sub,slept/the enemy ????
They have to embellish it ! New world order stuff !
Very unique indeed. My father was a submariner on a Gato Class diesel boat, during the mid to late 60's. What a helluva tale. Is it totally true? Is all this "fairy tail/unbelievable story, TRUE? If so then your ALL over it, with the movie! Hey get with me, let's do this movie. I'm serious. It must be done. Not needs to be. But MUST BE done. Agreed?
The Perseus Redemption. To use the word incredible to describe the details this man's survival is ridiculously inadequate.
Amazing
I agree
Sad he died not being recognized but he did know that he was incredibly lucky for the remainder of his relatively long life. He probably had survivor’s guilt. Finding that depth gauge showing 270 was quite a find … and the rum bottle … and the open hatch. What a story!
Thank you for telling Capes' story - this is a great channel!
WWII seemed to be a treasure trove of moments where reality was wilder than even the most fantastically outlandish fiction. This is a highlight among them...
I survived 16 months in Vietnam war is always outlandish It's where stories are bound
Devine intervention…
@@anthonyiocca5683 Funny you say that. The hand of God can be found in many strange ways, such as this. Countless numbers of people who should have been killed in times of war, that survive when the situation said that they should have no chance of survival.
@@royhorn2782 I’m one of many…
@@anthonyiocca5683 Then you were one of those whom God blessed and perhaps wants to use to tell of his grace. It is often strange whom he chooses to use. Many are not what most would consider worthy. Saul of Tarsus was one whom no one would think would be a chosen of God. Yet he is arguably the greatest of God's apostles.
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! I actually said that out loud at the end. Great story! Thank you so much
Thank you to the Greek heroes who looked after him..
My father was a submariner 1940-53 and I remember him telling me this story when I was a child . Sadly he didn't talk much about his days in the submarine service . He was mainly in T class subs ( HMS Tally ho ) fighting in the Burma theatre . He did tell me that they routinely sealed the escape hatches because they weakened the hull and as it was unlikely that anyone would escape and survive from a sunken submarine then the crew wasn't bothered . I think one of the most telling bits of this story is that as he went to the private Dulwich College it would have been expected that he would be an officer . Very typical of the class attitudes of those days - and probably still true today ✌️🇬🇧
The man was extroidinarily lucky in so many ways. Notwithstanding, the fact that the escape hatch on that sub wasn't stupidly welded shut as apparently most were at that time. Obviously, the engineer who designed that vessel wanted it's crew to at least have a fighting chance at surviving catastrophe
British captains had a great deal of discretion over rules aboard their vessels. A sub commander that didn’t want the escape hatches welded, could just write it up as done, for the safety of his crew.
the research, sourcing video, and editing I always get a top notch offering. Thank You
I listen to your to content nightly💪🏾💪🏾 thank you man.
Love your content on all your channels!
You gotta be very brave to serve on a sub. Not sure there is a word for someone who wants to serve on a second after being the sole survivor of the first sinking except hero.
Now this was one of the better Dark Docs I’ve seen in a while… I saw only one problem, it was with the edit… The issue was an American flag shown, not a British one.. It’s something I can definitely look past…
Keep up the great work!!
That’s one huge “I told you so.”
I've been a diver and 170' is just possible JUST! The re-breather gives more time but in a panic and adrenaline that 02 he left the sub with is gone in minute and ya need 2 minutes to cover that depth. The guy was at his limit! Great story.
John Capes did not actually surface from 170’. That is the depth of the seabed that the wreck lies on but the escape hatch is on top of the hull at 144’, with the engine room floor at about 150’. Nonetheless, a remarkable achievement.
@@mtskull59 Thata is trhe depth assuming he left the sub as/after it hit bottom.
He coulda left at any point in the descent. 100'. 50'.
125', 124 1/2. etc etc.
Depth guage was busted so it didn't know.
@@SuperChuckRaney The submarine travelled barely more than its own length between striking the mine and hitting the sea bed (the mine anchor lies just a few feet behind the wreck). Also, it hit the sea bed nose first with enough force to bend the entire bow sideways by several feet. To do that, it must have sunk in seconds; certainly not enough time for Capes to gather three other men, fit them with the Davis apparatus, flood the engine room, open the hatch (with difficulty) and then help the others exit before escaping himself. The submarine was definitely on the bottom when the escape took place.
I just want to voice my great appreciation for these video's. Back when boys were boys and girls were girls and the country was far more moral than it is today.
That was a most fascinating story with a most unhappy ending for Seaman Capes. But at least he was finally vindicated…….even if it was 12 years after his death. There was the story of an American soldier who fought in the bitter cold of the Korean War and when he got home and was describing to his family his experiences during the Korean War. His own mother did NOT believe him and told him to quit lying and exaggerating about his wartime experiences. The soldier never talked about his wartime service until 40 plus years later when other Korean War veterans began to share their stories about Korea and documentaries started appearing on TV about the Korean War.
interesting, do you know the name of the soldier?
This may be the most interesting video this channel has made. And this channel has made some great videos.
That was a great story. Little slice of history. Thanks!
fascinating story...thanks for bringing it to light!
Excellent punchline, well told.
A final swig of Rum.. A true Matelot.
Very interesting story. Thank you
Great history lesson. Thanks
Very cool episode! Awesome redemption story!
Thanks for your superb work 👍😀😊💜
Truth stranger than fiction.
What a history to be told in a movie!!!
It was done in 2020. A docudrama. Low rating in Imdb.
Amazing story. Thanks for sharing
One man survival story against all technical knowledge ........amazing.
thats amazing that they found the wreck and were able to verify the story.
Great story - thanks for telling it!
That some great naval footage. wish there was more of it
Excellent video 📹
Great presentation!
Your quality is always great, but the odd time your videos really get me into them. This was a particularly awesome story!
I could see this story turned into a movie it would be a great tribute
What a remarkable tale!
What an amazing story!
awsome story thank you
Incredible story !
Capes' reason for being on Malta is equally strange according to one article:
"Capes' story started much earlier in the war when the car he was driving ran into a horse and cart on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. Before the incident was resolved however, he was recalled to service aboard the submarine HMS Thrasher where he was Leading Stoker (basically an engine room engineer). In September 1941 the 31-year-old Capes was given leave to return to the island and appear in court regarding the accident. Malta was by then under siege by the Germans and Italians so he was smuggled in by the “Magic Carpet Service”, whereby British submarines were used to deliver supplies and personnel around the Mediterranean. After several weeks he was ready to leave and on November 26 hitched a ride on HMS Perseus, one of the Royal Navy's largest submarines, which was bound for Alexandria, Egypt with orders to patrol the waters off eastern Greece on the way."
So that's why he wasn't on crew list
@@simon2493 I am surprised that the Royal Navy did not have a sailing list of all personnel aboard like I believe US Navy subs had/have
@Gary S I imagine that record keeping with an entirely paper based system in the middle of a war can be somewhat error prone.
@@userofthetube2701 Thats just plain poor record keeping then. If you get a chance read "Wake of the Wahoo" by Forest Sterling. He was the yeoman on board and explains completing the sailing list and handing it off as one of the last things done before castoff.Maybe the Royal Navy had a completely different outlook or system
Great story!
God bless this man!!!
This was incredible
Navy personnel records being incomplete, shocked. This has never happened before or since.
Gotta love the stars & stripes sinking on a British Submarine! 6:52
What a story!
Good story keep em comming
Nice twist on this one 👌 stay healthy safe travels 👍
I read about this after seeing a memorial plaque whilst on holiday in Kefelonia a few years ago.
Wow! What a tale!!!
thats a frilling story, can i ask where the source is for welding hatches shut ive never heard that before, welding them shut is a bit extreame when they have lockes isnt it?
Great story! So sad they didn't believe him
HMS Perseus' depth gauge is presumed faulty as it is actually at a depth of about 170 feet (52 metres), it was still reading 270 feet when found. I was surprised to hear that it's been dived by single-breath divers!
John Capes wasn't on the submarine muster list because he was a passenger. I find it bizarre that not more is said of him. Why wasn't someone from his class an officer, for example?
Rest in peace, brave soul.
Also, a big shout out to the brave Greeks risking everything by sheltering him.
Awesome story.
"we couldn't be bothered asking the locals about it after the War either" : British Government
outstanding story 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Extraordinary 👍
Wow, well done
This is amazing!!!!! The same thing happened to me, during the war in 1943 when I was only 17 years old. A few of the details are different of course, the water depth, location & all. Still.. I'm like blown away man!!! Can you dig it?
Absolutely Amazing Story
Good one!
amazing story.
One more video that includes my country 🇬🇷 thank you 🇺🇸
Just...wow
Wow fantastic
Pretty amazing they were able to prove all those facts after all those years as well.
Wow! This was a good one!
Amazing.
Kind of odd that Capes wasn't listed on the ship's crew... but perhaps he was a replacement for someone else, and records weren't updated. 🤷♂
according to wiki he was one of 2 passengers
Or maybe even lied about his name to get into the military
@@jamesbell5226 He was a passenger.
Although he was in the Submarine service he was not in the crew of HMS Perseus. His actual submarine was HMS Thrasher. He was being taken to Alexandria as a "passenger" on HMS Perseus, which is why he wasn't on the crew manifest, and also why he didn't have his own bunk and was having to sleep in the torpedo rack.
There's a US Navy officer who survived the torpedo hit on his destroyer USS Strong in the Solomon islands. He was on a jap control island and did a one man gorilla war until he was rescue
Michael whats his name?
@@wirelessone2986 I think his last name was Miller
I think his name is Miller
One of our neighbors was among the hand full of men that chose to go into the bush instead of surrendering to the Japanese when the Phillipines fell to the Japanese. I have the book his son wrote about it. It is an incredible story.
@@cliffcole1564 I'm glad he survived
WOW!! Great Story, too bac it wasnt confirmed before he passed away.
RN Stokers are often doubted of their capabilities!
Wow!
What a fascinating story
The man survived, how can his testimony be denied?
What an incredible story of strength, endurance, and the will to survive. In terms of the psychology of what people believe, there are striking similarities to today. Even presented with truthful evidence, most people refuse to relinquish their ideologies, and cling to them with everything they have......Sound familiar to day?
Sure does.The internet is too blame for a lot of the misinformation in society.
Don’t believe your lying eyes, trust what those that weren’t even there have to say about it.
The “official report” and the truth are not one and the same. Depending on political opinions and optics…
My comment focuses on two stories of the will to live:
First story a lone pilot whose plane crashed in the Rocky Mountains. Search & Rescue gave up the search after two weeks. Several days later he was found alive. He mistakenly did the exact opposite of what one needs to do to survive. Upon being asked how did he live through all that his reply was "I'm in the middle of a divorce. I'll be damned if I die and leave my wife everything".
The second was a Japanese sailor stationed on the Yamato. His first child a son was born while he was away on active duty. On its futile last mission when it was sinking he had abandoned the ship. The drag of the ship was too much to overcome. With his lungs bursting, limbs feeling like lead weights, and his will to live spent he was giving up. At the last moment, he starts thinking about the son he had never seen and it gave him the push to continue fighting to make it to the surface. When he made it to the surface and breath in the air he hated war. He had to wait for many years until his son is old enough to understand that he saved his father that day.
I hope they at least gave his family an apology,he sure deserved it!!
Wow that's amazing
Amazing escape.
Unbelievable incredible
Incredible story.