Question: They're nearly sunk and killed when trying to get through Gibraltar, but through some miracle they make it anyway. Then suddenly they're heading back to La Rochelle. If it was so impossible to get in to the Mediterranean, how come it was so easy to get out?
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Answer: They don't make it into the Mediterranean, but sit on the bottom for a long time. The depth of the Straits is about 300m which is 100m deeper than the submarine was rated for. Getting through the Straits was a death trap for German submarines because the Straits of Gibraltar are only about 14km at their narrowest point. Also the Med was dangerous for subs as the waters of the Med are quite clear and even submerged submarines can be spotted from the air. This is why the crew was dismayed to learn they were to go to the Med.
John Elwen