SM U-78

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-78
Ordered6 January 1915
Builder AG Vulkan, Hamburg
Yard number60
Launched31 October 1915
Commissioned26 January 1916
Fate27 October 1918 - Torpedoed by HMS G2 N of North Sea at 56°2′N5°8′E / 56.033°N 5.133°E / 56.033; 5.133 . 40 dead (all hands lost). [1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type Type UE I submarine
Displacement
  • 755  t (743 long tons) surfaced
  • 832 t (819 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 5.00 m (16 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught4.86 m (15 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 900  PS (662  kW; 888  shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2× 1.41 m (4 ft 8 in) propellers
Speed
  • 9.9 knots (18.3 km/h; 11.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,880  nmi (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 83 nmi (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement4 officers, 28 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 9 July 1916 – 27 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Otto Dröscher [3]
  • 20 April 1916 – 15 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl Thouret [4]
  • 16–31 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Johann Vollbrecht [5]
  • 1–27 February 1918
  • Kptlt. Karl Vesper [6]
  • 1 March – 26 April 1918
  • Kptlt. Wilhelm Meyer [7]
  • 27 April – 24 May 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Johann Vollbrecht [5]
  • 25 May – 27 October 1918
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories:
  • 14 merchant ships sunk
    (26,278  GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (810 tons)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    (400  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (7,869  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (3,463  GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships taken as prize
    (3,427  GRT) [1]

SM U-78 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-78 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic as a minelayer. On 27 October 1918 low frequency communications from U-78 in the Skagerrak were detected by the British submarine HMS G2 which sank her with the loss of her crew of 40. The commonly listed sinking date of 28 October 1918 is in error. [1]

Contents

The wreck has been identified in April 2014.

Original documents from Room 40

The following is a verbatim transcription of the recorded activities of SM U-78 known to British Naval Intelligence, Room 40 O.B.: [8]

SM U-78. Kptlt. Dröscher, later to U-117, but not before May 1917; then Kptlt. Vollbrecht. Was completed at Hamburg (Vulcan) in May 1916, joined the Kiel School and remained there until the 8th of July, when she went to Wilhelmshaven, and was attached to the 1st Half Flotilla.

Note: S.S. = Steam Ship; S.V. = Sailing Vessel; northabout, Muckle Flugga, Fair I. = around Scotland; Sound, Belts, Kattegat = via North of Denmark to/from German Baltic ports; Bight = to/from German North Sea ports; success = sinking of ships [9]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [10]
16 July 1916 Vidar Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 2,178Captured as prize
5 August 1916 Aranda Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,838Sunk
2 September 1916 Kelvinia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,039Sunk
26 September 1916 HMT Loch Shiel Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 216Sunk
21 October 1916 Atle Jarl Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,249Captured as prize
16 November 1916 Vega Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,204Sunk
13 December 1916 Kursk Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 7,869Damaged
7 February 1917 Väring Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 2,107Sunk
13 February 1917 Barnsley Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 144Sunk
15 February 1917 Stralsund Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 510Sunk
3 March 1917 Meldon Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,514Sunk
2 April 1917 Sagitta Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,981Sunk
2 April 1917 HMS Tithonus Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 3,463Damaged
4 April 1917 Vladimir Reitz Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 2,128Sunk
5 April 1917 Bris Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 101Sunk
7 April 1917 HMS Jason Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 810Sunk
13 April 1917 Strathcona Canadian Red Ensign (1868-1921).svg  Canada 1,881Sunk
14 April 1917 Andromache Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 313Sunk
19 April 1917 HMT Lobelia Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 184Sunk
17 June 1917 Fornebo Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,259Sunk
13 December 1917 Arnewood Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,259Sunk

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

Notes

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

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 78". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 10–11.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Dröscher (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Thouret". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  5. 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johann Vollbrecht". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Vesper (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Meyer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  8. National Archives, Kew: HW 7/3, Room 40, History of German Naval Warfare 1914-1918 (Published below - Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918)
  9. 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.
  10. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 78". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.

Bibliography