Nazis, U-boats and the Battle for the Atlantic: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

It was the longest campaign of World War 2 – the Battle of the Atlantic. Between 1939 to 1945 more than 100,000 lives were lost at sea and it brought Britain to the brink of defeat.

At the heart of the battle against the U-boat killing machines of the Kriegsmarine – the German navy - was a small city in Northern Ireland, Londonderry, and the port of Lisahally on the River Foyle.

80 years on, in a new BBC series, experts re-examine some of the pivotal moments of this critical battle. It follows a specialist team who dive into history 20 miles off the north coast of Ireland. The team rediscover the wrecks of some of the deadliest Nazi vessels who stalked the Atlantic convoys, now both resting at the bottom of the Atlantic. The series also unlocks hidden history, revealing unsung heroes and looks back at the human cost of war.

Series details

• Title: Nazis, U-boats and the Battle for the Atlantic
• Format: Documentary
• Language: English
• Genres: War, History
• Premiere date: 2025-03-19
• Final broadcast date listed: 2025-03-19
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Web channel listed by TVmaze: BBC iPlayer
• Network country: United Kingdom
• Typical episode runtime: 59 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 86095
• IMDb ID: tt37737401
• TVDB ID: 461845

Cast and credited roles

• Michelle Fairley — Narrator

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2025-03-19; final listed air date 2025-03-19; episode order: 2.

Source and licence

Adapted from Nazis, U-boats and the Battle for the Atlantic on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.