U-118 German submarine washed ashore.

In the spring of 1919, residents of Hastings awoke to an extraordinary sight — the massive wreck of German submarine U-118 stranded on the beach after a storm. Once a feared vessel of war, it now lay exposed to the public, drawing thousands of curious onlookers in top hats and Sunday dresses. It was a dramatic reminder of the recent end of World War I, which had officially concluded just months earlier with the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919.

This haunting steel giant served briefly as a tourist attraction before being dismantled, symbolizing the transition from global conflict to a fragile peace.

Do you have photographs of World War I relics or unusual wartime events in your family's history? Share them on Oldpik.com to help preserve this powerful collective memory for future generations.

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