SM U-53

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-53.

U-53 in Newport, Rhode Island 7 October 1916
History
German Empire
Name	U-53
Ordered	23 August 1914
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	235
Laid down	17 March 1915
Launched	1 February 1916
Commissioned	22 April 1916
Fate	1 December 1918 - surrendered. Broken up at Swansea in 1919
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	Type U 51 submarine
Displacement	715 t (704 long tons) surfaced 902 t (888 long tons) submerged
Length	65.20 m (213 ft 11 in) (o/a) 52.51 m (172 ft 3 in) (pressure hull)
Beam	6.44 m (21 ft 2 in) (oa) 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height	7.82 m (25 ft 8 in)
Draught	3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Installed power	2 × 2,400  PS (1,765  kW; 2,367  shp) surfaced 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion	2 shafts
Speed	17.1 knots (31.7 km/h; 19.7 mph) surfaced 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range	9,400  nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement	36
Armament	4 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (two bow, two stern) 7 torpedoes 2 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck guns
Service record
Part of:	II Flotilla 31 May 1916 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Hans Rose [2] 22 April 1916 – 17 August 1918 Kptlt. Otto von Schrader [3] 18 August – 29 November 1918
Operations:	13 patrols
Victories:	87 merchant ships sunk (224,314  GRT) 1 warship sunk (1,050 tons) 10 merchant ships damaged (46,339  GRT)

SM U-53 at Newport, Rhode Island in 1916

SM U-53 was one of the six Type U 51 U-boats of the Imperial German Navy during the First World War.

Construction and commissioning

U-53 was ordered from Germaniawerft, Kiel in 1914 and launched in 1916. She was commissioned under her first commander Hans Rose in 1916.

Service with the Imperial German Navy

Rose became the 5th ranked German submarine ace of World War I sinking USS Jacob Jones and 87 merchant ships for a total of 224,314  gross register tons  (GRT). ^[4] Rose's first patrol with U-53 was to Newport, Rhode Island. His mission had been to sink any British warships in position to ambush the merchant submarine Bremen ; but he heard a radio broadcast on 28 September 1916 indicating Bremen had been sunk. U-53 entered Newport harbor on the morning of 7 October 1916. Rose paid courtesy visits to Rear Admiral Austin M. Knight, Commandant of the United States Second Naval District, and Rear Admiral Albert Gleaves aboard the cruiser USS Birmingham; and then received courtesy visits from both admirals aboard U-53. Admiral Gleaves brought his wife and daughter to visit U-53. It took the neutral US government about two hours to decide how to handle this surprise visit. When the harbor master started talking about quarantine regulations, Rose returned to sea to avoid being interned. ^[5]

U-53's crew, 7 October 1916

Officers of U-53 in the US

U-53 commenced military operations the next morning two miles off the Lightship Nantucket. The US steamship Kansan was stopped by a shot across the bow at 05:35, and then released when examination of her papers revealed no contraband cargo. A large passenger liner was allowed to pass at 06:00 because Rose felt unable to provide for the safety of a large number of passengers. The 4,321 GRT British steamship Strathdene was stopped at 06:53 and torpedoed at 07:43 after the crew had abandoned ship. The 4,224 GRT Norwegian steamship Christian Knutsen with a cargo of diesel oil for London was stopped at 08:03 and torpedoed at 09:53 after the crew had abandoned ship. The 3,847 GRT steamship West Point was stopped at 11:30 and scuttled by explosive charges after the crew had abandoned ship. ^[6]

Seventeen US destroyers were dispatched from Newport to search for survivors in response to the Nantucket lightship's reports of sinkings. The destroyers arrived about 1700 as U-53 stopped the Dutch steamship Blommersdijk bound for the Netherlands with cargo that Rose believed to be contraband bound for Britain. The 3,449 GRT British passenger liner Stephano was stopped and the gathering US destroyers took off its crew and passengers. Rose used his last torpedoes to sink Blommersdijk at 19:50 and Stephano at 22:30. Rose set a homeward course via the Gulf Stream and evaded three British destroyers sent from Canada to intercept him. ^[7]

Political consequences of the voyage

There was a great deal of anger amongst the Allied powers after the visit of U-53 to a US port and the subsequent sinking of Allied shipping. While all of the sinkings were done according to Prize court laws and nobody was killed during them, the attacks instilled fear in the British because of the reach of the German U-boats, and the US because these attacks occurred so close to its shores.

Britain was further outraged that most of the attacks occurred while the submarine was surrounded by US destroyers. After a soothing speech by Sir Edward Grey, these complaints were calmed when he pointed out that the US ships had no legal right to interfere with these attacks and had done all they could to rescue the sailors in the water. ^[8] German newspapers celebrated the trip as a great demonstration of the reach of the German Navy and Captain Rose was praised for his actions.

Career after voyage

In the summer of 1917 German naval artist Claus Bergen accompanied U-53 on an Atlantic patrol, resulting in a series of well-known paintings. ^[9]

On 16 August 1917 ^[10] torpedoed and sank the Donaldson liner Athenia ^{[11] [12]} off Inishtrahull. Coincidentally, two decades later, in 1939, a new Athenia was sunk by the U-boat U-30 in the same area. ^[13]

Rose was relieved by Otto von Schrader in 1918. U-53 operated primarily within the English Channel after this, attacking Allied and neutral vessels. Von Schrader sank ten more ships of 1,782 tons with U-53 before the armistice on 11 November. ^[14]

U-53 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 1 December 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. She was sold by the British Admiralty to George Cohen on 3 March 1919 for £2,400 (excluding her engines), and was broken up at Swansea. ^[15]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage [Note 1]	Fate [16]
11 July 1916	Calypso	United Kingdom	2,876	Sunk
8 October 1916	Blommersdijk	Netherlands	4,835	Sunk
8 October 1916	Christian Knutsen	Norway	4,224	Sunk
8 October 1916	Stephano	United Kingdom	3,449	Sunk
8 October 1916	Strathdene	United Kingdom	4,321	Sunk
8 October 1916	West Point	United Kingdom	3,847	Sunk
22 January 1917	Anna	France	154	Sunk
22 January 1917	Zeta	Netherlands	3,053	Sunk
28 January 1917	Nueva Montana	Spain	2,039	Sunk
29 January 1917	Algorta	Spain	2,117	Sunk
31 January 1917	Hekla	Norway	524	Sunk
2 February 1917	Odin	Norway	1,045	Sunk
3 February 1917	Housatonic	United States	3,143	Sunk
4 February 1917	Aimee Maria	France	327	Sunk
4 February 1917	Bangpuhtis	Russia	259	Sunk
5 February 1917	Bråvalla	Sweden	1,519	Sunk
9 February 1917	Marian	Netherlands	71	Sunk
2 March 1917	Gazelle	United Kingdom	119	Sunk
2 March 1917	Utopia	United Kingdom	184	Sunk
3 March 1917	Theodoros Pangalos	Greece	2,838	Sunk
5 March 1917	Federico Confalonieri	Italy	4,434	Sunk
9 March 1917	Cavour	Italy	1,929	Sunk
9 March 1917	Lars Fostenes	Norway	2,118	Sunk
10 March 1917	St. Feodor	Russia	126	Damaged
11 March 1917	Folia	United Kingdom	6,705	Sunk
11 March 1917	Gracia	Spain	3,129	Sunk
12 March 1917	Hainaut	Belgium	4,113	Sunk
14 March 1917	Aquila	Norway	1,092	Sunk
18 April 1917	Scalpa	United Kingdom	1,010	Sunk
18 April 1917	Sculptor	United Kingdom	3,846	Sunk
19 April 1917	Tempus	United Kingdom	2,981	Sunk
21 April 1917	Pontiac	United Kingdom	1,698	Sunk
22 April 1917	Neepawah	Canada	1,799	Sunk
23 April 1917	Eptapyrgion	United Kingdom	4,307	Sunk
24 April 1917	Anglesea	United Kingdom	4,534	Sunk
24 April 1917	Ferndene	United Kingdom	3,770	Sunk
25 April 1917	Elisabeth	Denmark	217	Damaged
25 April 1917	Laura	United Kingdom	335	Sunk
26 April 1917	Hekla	Denmark	169	Sunk
27 June 1917	Ultonia	United Kingdom	10,402	Sunk
8 July 1917	Asheim	Norway	2,147	Sunk
8 July 1917	Atlantic	Denmark	1,087	Sunk
10 July 1917	Cedric	United Kingdom	197	Sunk
10 July 1917	Mabel	United Kingdom	205	Sunk
10 July 1917	Pacific	United Kingdom	235	Sunk
10 July 1917	Peridot	United Kingdom	214	Sunk
10 July 1917	Pretoria	United Kingdom	283	Sunk
10 July 1917	Romantic	United Kingdom	197	Sunk
10 July 1917	Sea King	United Kingdom	185	Sunk
10 July 1917	Stoic	United Kingdom	200	Sunk
16 August 1917	Athenia	United Kingdom	8,668	Sunk
21 August 1917	Devonian	United Kingdom	10,435	Sunk
21 August 1917	Roscommon	United Kingdom	8,238	Sunk
22 August 1917	Verdi	United Kingdom	7,120	Sunk
23 August 1917	Boniface	United Kingdom	3,799	Sunk
26 August 1917	Durango	United Kingdom	3,008	Sunk
26 August 1917	Kenmore	United Kingdom	3,919	Sunk
10 October 1917	Bostonian	United Kingdom	5,736	Sunk
10 October 1917	Gowrie	United Kingdom	1,031	Sunk
11 October 1917	Lewis Luckenbach	United States	3,906	Sunk
15 October 1917	San Nazario	United Kingdom	10,064	Damaged
17 October 1917	Manchuria	United Kingdom	2,997	Sunk
17 October 1917	Polvena	United Kingdom	4,750	Sunk
19 October 1917	Parkhaven	Netherlands	2,635	Sunk
20 November 1917	Megrez	Netherlands	2,695	Sunk
20 November 1917	Nederland	Netherlands	1,832	Sunk
23 November 1917	Westlands	United Kingdom	3,112	Sunk
24 November 1917	Dunrobin	United Kingdom	3,617	Sunk
1 December 1917	Helenus	United Kingdom	7,555	Damaged
5 December 1917	Earlswood	United Kingdom	2,353	Damaged
6 December 1917	USS Jacob Jones	United States Navy	1,050	Sunk
9 December 1917	Nyanza	United Kingdom	6,695	Damaged
9 December 1917	War Tune	United Kingdom	2,045	Sunk
10 December 1917	Øiekast	Norway	605	Sunk
4 February 1918	Treveal	United Kingdom	4,160	Sunk
6 February 1918	Holkar	United Kingdom	61	Sunk
6 February 1918	Marsouin	France	55	Sunk
7 February 1918	Beaumaris	United Kingdom	2,372	Sunk
8 February 1918	Basuta	United Kingdom	2,876	Sunk
9 February 1918	Lydie	United Kingdom	2,559	Sunk
11 February 1918	Merton Hall	United Kingdom	4,327	Sunk
2 April 1918	Meaford	United Kingdom	1,889	Sunk
7 April 1918	Cadillac	United Kingdom	11,106	Damaged
7 April 1918	Knight Templar	United Kingdom	7,175	Damaged
7 April 1918	Port Campbell	United Kingdom	6,230	Sunk
20 June 1918	Aisne	United Kingdom	315	Damaged
27 June 1918	Keelung	United Kingdom	6,672	Sunk
28 June 1918	Queen	United Kingdom	4,956	Sunk
30 June 1918	W.M.L.	United Kingdom	145	Sunk
2 July 1918	Erme	United Kingdom	116	Sunk
6 July 1918	Gullfaxi	Iceland	46	Sunk
28 August 1918	Pauline	Russia	134	Sunk
1 September 1918	Ami De Dieu	France	45	Sunk
1 September 1918	Etoile Polaire	France	51	Sunk
2 September 1918	Hirondelle	France	38	Sunk
2 September 1918	Nicolazic	France	42	Sunk
4 September 1918	War Firth	United Kingdom	3,112	Sunk
5 September 1918	Rio Mondego	Portugal	733	Damaged

References

Notes

1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

1. Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kapitänleutnant Hans Rose". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto von Schrader". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
4. Tarrant 1989 p.146
5. Long, October 1966, pp.89–92
6. Long, October 1966, p.93
7. Long, October 1966, pp.93–94
8. Massie 2003 p.690-691
9. "UK München 1926: The English version of Munich Submariners Association: Gallery - Claus Bergen". www.uk-muenchen.de. Archived from the original on 6 July 2004.
10. Gibson, R.H. (1931). The German Submarine War 1914–1918. Constable & Co. / Periscope Publishing. p. 200. ISBN   9781904381082.
11. "Athenia 1904". theshipslist.com. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
12. "Donaldson Line SS Athenia 1904". theshipslist.com. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
13. "Malin metal monsters". divernet.com. DIVER December 2012. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
14. Tarrant 1989 p.153
15. Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. p. 124. ISBN   978-1-5267-4198-1.
16. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 53". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.

Bibliography

• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-593-4.
• Long (October 1966). "The Cruise of the U-53". United States Naval Institute Proceedings.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Tarrant, V.E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive 1914-1945. Cassell & Company. ISBN   1-85409-520-X.
• Massie, Robert. (2003). Castles of Steel. Ballantine Books. ISBN   0-345-40878-0.
• Spindler, Arno (1932). Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten. 5 Vols (1933, 1934, 1941/1964, 1966 ed.). Berlin: Mittler & Sohn. Vols. 4+5, dealing with 1917+18, are very hard to find: Guildhall Library, London, has them all, also Vol. 1-3 in an English translation: The submarine war against commerce.
• Beesly, Patrick (1982). Room 40: British Naval Intelligence 1914-1918. London: H Hamilton. ISBN   978-0-241-10864-2.
• Halpern, Paul G. (1953). A Naval History of World War I. New York: Routledge. ISBN   978-1-85728-498-0.
• Roessler, Eberhard (1997). Die Unterseeboote der Kaiserlichen Marine. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN   978-3-7637-5963-7.
• Schroeder, Joachim (2002). Die U-Boote des Kaisers. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN   978-3-7637-6235-4.
• Koerver, Hans Joachim (2008). Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol I., The Fleet in Action. Steinbach: LIS Reinisch. ISBN   978-3-902433-76-3.
• Koerver, Hans Joachim (2009). Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol II., The Fleet in Being. Steinbach: LIS Reinisch. ISBN   978-3-902433-77-0.

External links

• Photos of cruises of German submarine U-54 in 1916-1918. Great photo quality, comments in German.
• A 44 min. film from 1917 about a cruise of the German submarine U-35. A German propaganda film without dead or wounded; many details about submarine warfare in World War I.
• Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 53". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
• Room 40: Archived 15 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine original documents, photos and maps about World War I German submarine warfare and British Room 40 Intelligence from The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, UK.
• National Maritime Museum webpage - Portrait of Commander Rose on the deck of U-53 in the collection of the National Maritime Museum