Researchers explored underwater shipwrecks of four ore carriers sunk off coast of Bell Island, Newfoundland, by German U-boats in 1942.

The SS Saganaga and SS Lord Strathcona were struck by torpedoes on the same day, Sept. 5, 1942. The SS Rose Castle and the Free French Forces vessel PLM27 were hit later that year. In total, 69 men were killed. The researchers are now applying forensic analysis to determine the tactics used by the Germans and piece together how the attacks unfolded.

So far the experts were able to determine the angles the torpedoes would have fired from the German U-boats and where they would have been in relation to where the guns on the island were that would have been firing back at them. The researchers also uses sonar to map the area and also to determine the rate of deterioration of the vessels. Many artefacts were noted being in same place when the ships went down, including cartridges of ammunition, bullets, rifles, and even toilet seats being up.

(after CBC News)