SM U-95

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-95
Ordered15 September 1915
Builder Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number259
Laid down29 March 1916
Launched20 January 1917
Commissioned29 April 1917
FateRammed 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
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (o/a)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught3.94 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
Propulsion2 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 depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament
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]

Contents

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

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [5]
3 June 1917 Hollington Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,221Sunk
12 June 1917 Polyxena Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,737Sunk
24 July 1917 Bellville Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 992Damaged
27 July 1917 Belle of England Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,877Sunk
29 July 1917 Whitehall Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,158Sunk
30 July 1917 Eolo Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 1,679Sunk
31 July 1917 Beacon Grange Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,237Damaged
3 September 1917 Majoren Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,747Sunk
2 November 1917 Rochester Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 2,551Sunk
10 November 1917 Lapwing Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 110Sunk
11 November 1917 HMT Thuringia Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 297Sunk
13 November 1917 Ardmore Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,304Sunk
13 November 1917 Carlo Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,040Sunk
31 December 1917 Vigrid Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,617Sunk
2 January 1918 Kingsley Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 633Damaged
2 January 1918 Christos Markettos Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 3,084Sunk
2 January 1918 Gallier Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,592Sunk

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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. 1 2 3 4 5 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

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

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