SM U-86

Last updated

SM U-86
SM U 86 at sea.jpg
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-86
Ordered23 June 1915
Builder Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number256
Laid down5 November 1915
Launched7 November 1916
Commissioned30 November 1916
FateSurrendered 20 November 1918; scuttled in the English Channel 1921.
General characteristics [1]
Displacement
  • 808 t (795 long tons) surfaced
  • 946 t (931 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (oa)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.00 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draught4.02 m (13 ft 2 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
  • 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers
Speed
  • 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) surfaced
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,220  nmi (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement4 officers, 31 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 21 February 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Friedrich Crüsemann [2]
  • 30 November 1916 – 22 June 1917
  • Kptlt. Alfred Götze [3]
  • 23 June 1917 – 25 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmut Patzig [4]
  • 26 January – 11 November 1918 [5]
Operations: 12 patrols
Victories:
  • 31 merchant ships sunk
    (89,821  GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    (27,762  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (163  GRT)

SM U-86 was a Type U 81 submarine manufactured in the Germaniawerft, Kiel shipyard for the German Empire during World War I. [5]

Contents

On 27 June 1918, under the command of Lieutenant Helmut Patzig, U-86 sank the Canadian hospital ship HMHS Llandovery Castle off the coast of Ireland, in violation of international law and standing orders of the Imperial German Navy. When the crew took to the lifeboats, U-86 surfaced, ran down all the lifeboats except one, and shot at the people in the water. Only the 24 people in the remaining lifeboat survived. They were rescued shortly afterwards and testified as to what had happened. The 234 others on board Llandovery Castle were lost, including fourteen nursing sisters. [6]

USS Covington, [7] the former Hamburg America ocean liner SS Cincinnati, was torpedoed by U-86 on 1 July 1918 and sank the next day. [8] Covington was the 17th largest ship sunk or damaged by U-boats during the war. [5]

A 1918 Canadian propaganda poster used U-86's sinking of Llandovery Castle as a focal point for selling Victory Bonds. Victory bonds (Llandovery Castle).jpg
A 1918 Canadian propaganda poster used U-86's sinking of Llandovery Castle as a focal point for selling Victory Bonds.

After the war, the captain of U-86 Helmut Patzig, and two of his lieutenants were arraigned for trial on war crimes, but Patzig fled to the Free City of Danzig, and his trial was stopped on 20 March 1931 by virtue of the Laws of Amnesty. Lieutenants Ludwig Dithmar and Johan Boldt were convicted and sentenced to four years in prison; they were released after four months.

Design

German Type U 81 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-86 had a displacement of 808 tonnes (795 long tons) when at the surface and 946 tonnes (931 long tons) while submerged. [1] She had a total length of 70.06 m (229 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 55.55 m (182 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught of 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft). [1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph). [1] When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,220 nautical miles (20,780 km; 12,910 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-86 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (four at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45 deck gun (from 1917). She had a complement of thirty-five (thirty-one crew members and four officers). [1]

Fate

U-86 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 21 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. Exhibited at Bristol in December 1918, along with UC-92, visitors could pay to go onboard with proceeds going to charity. She was then laid up at Portsmouth until scuttled in the English Channel on 30 June 1921. [9]

U86 being brought into Bristol Floating Harbour for exhibition at the end of the war. The background shows what is now M-Shed museum. U86 coming into Bristol.jpg
U86 being brought into Bristol Floating Harbour for exhibition at the end of the war. The background shows what is now M-Shed museum.
Uboats U-86 and UC-92 on exhibition in Bristol at the end of the war. Bristol Hippodrome can be seen in the background. Uboats U-86 and UC-92 on exhibtion in Bristol. 1918.jpg
Uboats U-86 and UC-92 on exhibition in Bristol at the end of the war. Bristol Hippodrome can be seen in the background.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [10]
23 March 1917 Queenborough Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 165Sunk
5 April 1917 Dunkerquoise Flag of France.svg  France 127Sunk
5 April 1917 Marie Celine Flag of France.svg  France 142Sunk
5 April 1917 Siberier Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 2,968Sunk
6 April 1917 Rosalind Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,535Sunk
18 April 1917 Atalanta Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1,091Sunk
28 May 1917 Antinoe Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,396Sunk
28 May 1917 Limerick Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,827Sunk
29 May 1917 Oswego Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,793Sunk
31 May 1917 N. Hadzikyriakos Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 3,533Sunk
2 July 1917 Bessie Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 66Sunk
10 August 1917 Capella I Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,990Sunk
13 August 1917 Turakina Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,920Sunk
15 December 1917 Baron Leopold Davilliers Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg  French Navy 163Damaged
20 December 1917 Polvarth Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,146Sunk
14 February 1918 Bessie Stephens Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 119Sunk
17 February 1918 Pinewood Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,219Sunk
19 February 1918 Wheatflower Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 188Sunk
20 February 1918 Djerv Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,527Sunk
23 February 1918 Ulabrand Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,011Sunk
30 April 1918 Kafue Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,044Sunk
30 April 1918 Kempock Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 255Sunk
2 May 1918 Medora Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,135Sunk
5 May 1918 Tommi Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 138Sunk
6 May 1918 Leeds City Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,298Sunk
11 May 1918 San Andres Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,656Sunk
12 May 1918 Inniscarra Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,412Sunk
16 May 1918 Tartary Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,181Sunk
22 May 1918 Meran Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 656Sunk
21 June 1918 Eglantine Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 339Sunk
26 June 1918 Atlantian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,399Sunk
27 June 1918 Llandovery Castle Canadian Red Ensign (1868-1921).svg  Royal Canadian Navy 11,423Sunk
1 July 1918 USS Covington Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 16,339Sunk
1 July 1918 Origen Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,545Sunk

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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 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
  2. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Friedrich Crüsemann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Alfred Götze". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Helmut Patzig". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 86". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Llandovery Castle at red-duster.co.uk Archived 30 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: USS Covington (ID-1409)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Covington". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command . Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  9. ↑ Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. pp. 20, 21, 51, 54, 101, 124. ISBN   978-1-5267-4198-1.
  10. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 86". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.

Bibliography

50°0′26.628″N0°0′33.954″W / 50.00739667°N 0.00943167°W / 50.00739667; -0.00943167

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