Historical information

Photograph of officer and 4 crew members rescued & interned. During June & July 1943 11 longrange Uboats including the U168, of the type 1xsc were despatched to the Indian Ocean forming what became known as the Monsun (Monsoon) Group. The U168 commanded by Kapitanleutenant Helmut Pich was intercepted on the surface off the coast of Surabaya on th 6-10-1944 by the Dutch submarine "Zwaardvisch" and sunk with a loss of 23 crew. Of the 27 survivors only 5, including the Kommandant were taken on the dutch submarine for transport to Fremantle. Hlemut Pich and his 3 officers and i quartermaster transported to Tatura in Victoria where they secured notoriety as only captive Uboat crew outside North America and the United Kingdom.