Dora II (Dora 2) is an unfinished Germansubmarine base and submarine pen or bunker in Trondheim, Norway, which is next to Dora I (Dora 1). Construction of the bunker (designated by the Germans as DORA II) was undertaken during the Second World War, but the complex was never finished unlike Dora I. Trondheim was traditionally referred to as Drontheim in German, and the name DORA is the letter "D" in the German phonetic alphabet.[1]
Dora I (foreground with blue upper levels) and Dora II (background with only a partial roof). Dora II is a more open and incomplete structure than Dora I.
Diagram showing locations of the submarine bunkers
Following the occupation of Norway in 1940, it was soon realised that the country only had limited facilities for minor naval repairs. More extensive work usually meant a return to Germany. The capitulation of France two months later overshadowed the strategic importance of Norway to some extent, but it was still regarded as a better location for access to the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans than Germany. Nevertheless, better protection for U-boats from aerial attack was required so a bunker-building programme was instigated.[2]
German U-boat bases in occupied Norway operated between 1940 and 1945, when the Kriegsmarine (German navy), converted several naval bases in Norway into submarine bases. Trondheim was an important U-boat base in Norway during the war. It was the home of the 13th flotilla and it had 55 U-boats assigned to the flotilla during its service.[3]
Constructionedit
The German civil and military engineering group, Organisation Todt, started constructing the facility as a submarine base as they were finishing Dora I (completed in June 1943).[4]
Construction of Dora II began in 1942[2] but was never completed.[5] The second bunker was a little more than half complete by the time the war ended. If finished it would have been 168 feet (51 m) long by 102 feet (31 m) wide,[5] with four pens capable of holding six U-boats.[4] The completed walls are 3 m (9 ft 10 in) thick, and the roof is 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) thick (only a quarter of the roof was completed).[6]
After World War IIedit
Inside of Dora 2 (2016)
In 1947 and 1948 the port authority conducted cleanup and blasting on Dora II. Part of the walls on the uncompleted sides were blasted away.[7]
Dora II is used as a shipyard[4] and as a warehouse and garage for boats and cars by companies such as Trondheim Verft AS[8] and Skipsmaling AS.
Notesedit
^. Battlefieldsww2.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
^ abJak P Mallmann Showell Hitler's U-boat Bases (2002) Sutton Publishing ISBN0-7509-2606-6 p. 55
dora, dora, unfinished, german, submarine, base, submarine, bunker, trondheim, norway, which, next, dora, dora, construction, bunker, designated, germans, dora, undertaken, during, second, world, complex, never, finished, unlike, dora, trondheim, traditionally. Dora II Dora 2 is an unfinished German submarine base and submarine pen or bunker in Trondheim Norway which is next to Dora I Dora 1 Construction of the bunker designated by the Germans as DORA II was undertaken during the Second World War but the complex was never finished unlike Dora I Trondheim was traditionally referred to as Drontheim in German and the name DORA is the letter D in the German phonetic alphabet 1 Dora I foreground with blue upper levels and Dora II background with only a partial roof Dora II is a more open and incomplete structure than Dora I Contents 1 History 1 1 Background 1 2 Construction 2 After World War II 3 Notes 4 External linksHistory editFurther information Nordstern city Background edit nbsp Diagram showing locations of the submarine bunkersFollowing the occupation of Norway in 1940 it was soon realised that the country only had limited facilities for minor naval repairs More extensive work usually meant a return to Germany The capitulation of France two months later overshadowed the strategic importance of Norway to some extent but it was still regarded as a better location for access to the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans than Germany Nevertheless better protection for U boats from aerial attack was required so a bunker building programme was instigated 2 German U boat bases in occupied Norway operated between 1940 and 1945 when the Kriegsmarine German navy converted several naval bases in Norway into submarine bases Trondheim was an important U boat base in Norway during the war It was the home of the 13th flotilla and it had 55 U boats assigned to the flotilla during its service 3 Construction edit The German civil and military engineering group Organisation Todt started constructing the facility as a submarine base as they were finishing Dora I completed in June 1943 4 Construction of Dora II began in 1942 2 but was never completed 5 The second bunker was a little more than half complete by the time the war ended If finished it would have been 168 feet 51 m long by 102 feet 31 m wide 5 with four pens capable of holding six U boats 4 The completed walls are 3 m 9 ft 10 in thick and the roof is 3 5 m 11 ft 6 in thick only a quarter of the roof was completed 6 After World War II edit nbsp Inside of Dora 2 2016 In 1947 and 1948 the port authority conducted cleanup and blasting on Dora II Part of the walls on the uncompleted sides were blasted away 7 Dora II is used as a shipyard 4 and as a warehouse and garage for boats and cars by companies such as Trondheim Verft AS 8 and Skipsmaling AS Notes edit U Boat base Battlefieldsww2 com Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 13 March 2016 a b Jak P Mallmann Showell Hitler s U boat Bases 2002 Sutton Publishing ISBN 0 7509 2606 6 p 55 Helgason Gudmundur 13th Flotilla U boat bases Uboat net Retrieved 13 March 2016 a b c Helgason Gudmundur The Bases in Norway Trondheim U boat bases Uboat net Retrieved 13 March 2016 a b U boat Bunkers German U boat Uboataces com Retrieved 13 March 2016 Dora Wiki Strinda Retrieved 18 March 2016 Dora II Wiki Strinda Retrieved 18 March 2016 Trondheim Verft AS Norway ship2yard com Retrieved 13 March 2016 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dora 2 UBB Dora II U Boot Bunker UBB DORA I II Trondheim63 26 28 N 10 25 11 E 63 44111 N 10 41972 E 63 44111 10 41972 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dora II amp oldid 1002580828, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
