SM U-95

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-95.

History
German Empire
Name	U-95
Ordered	15 September 1915
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	259
Laid down	29 March 1916
Launched	20 January 1917
Commissioned	29 April 1917
Fate	Rammed and sunk by the steamship SS Breaneil off the Lizard Peninsula on 7 January 1918 [1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Type U 93 submarine
Displacement	838  t (825 long tons) surfaced 1,000 t (980 long tons) submerged
Length	71.55 m (234 ft 9 in) (o/a) 56.05 m (183 ft 11 in) (pressure hull)
Beam	6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (o/a) 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height	8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught	3.94 m (12 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, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers
Speed	16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) surfaced 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph) submerged
Range	9,020  nmi (16,710 km; 10,380 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament	6 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) 12-16 torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun
Service record
Part of:	IV Flotilla 24 May 1917 – 16 January 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Athalwin Prinz [3] 15 April 1917 – 16 January 1918
Operations:	6 patrols
Victories:	13 merchant ships sunk (37,717  GRT) 1 auxiliary warship sunk (297  GRT) 3 merchant ships damaged (5,862  GRT)

SM U-95 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-95 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. She was rammed and sunk by the steamship SS Breaneil off the Lizard Peninsula on 7 January 1918. The wreck was found and identified by archaeologist Innes McCartney in 2006. ^[4]

Design

Type U 93 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 87 submarines. U-95 had a displacement of 838 tonnes (825 long tons) when at the surface and 1,000 tonnes (980 long tons) while submerged. ^[2] She had a total length of 71.55 m (234 ft 9 in), a pressure hull length of 56.05 m (183 ft 11 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in), and a draught of 3.94 m (12 ft 11 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). ^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph). ^[2] When submerged, she could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-95 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 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers). ^[2]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage [Note 1]	Fate [5]
3 June 1917	Hollington	United Kingdom	4,221	Sunk
12 June 1917	Polyxena	United Kingdom	5,737	Sunk
24 July 1917	Bellville	Sweden	992	Damaged
27 July 1917	Belle of England	United Kingdom	3,877	Sunk
29 July 1917	Whitehall	United Kingdom	3,158	Sunk
30 July 1917	Eolo	Italy	1,679	Sunk
31 July 1917	Beacon Grange	United Kingdom	4,237	Damaged
3 September 1917	Majoren	Norway	2,747	Sunk
2 November 1917	Rochester	United States	2,551	Sunk
10 November 1917	Lapwing	United Kingdom	110	Sunk
11 November 1917	HMT Thuringia	Royal Navy	297	Sunk
13 November 1917	Ardmore	United Kingdom	1,304	Sunk
13 November 1917	Carlo	United Kingdom	3,040	Sunk
31 December 1917	Vigrid	Norway	1,617	Sunk
2 January 1918	Kingsley	United Kingdom	633	Damaged
2 January 1918	Christos Markettos	Italy	3,084	Sunk
2 January 1918	Gallier	United Kingdom	4,592	Sunk

References

Notes

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

Citations

1. Innes McCartney (2015). The Maritime Archaeology of a Modern Conflict: Comparing the Archaeology of German Submarine Wrecks to the Historical Text. New York: Routledge. pp. 107–11. ISBN   978-1138814356.
2. Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Athalwin Prinz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
4. Innes McCartney (2015). The Maritime Archaeology of a Modern Conflict: Comparing the Archaeology of German Submarine Wrecks to the Historical Text. New York: Routledge. pp. 107–11. ISBN   978-1138814356.
5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 95". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

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.

49°59′N5°12′W / 49.983°N 5.200°W / 49.983; -5.200