SM U-90

Last updated
SM U-90 (submarine, 1917) - NH 151 - cropped.jpg
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-90
Ordered23 June 1915
Builder Kaiserliche Werft Danzig
Yard number34
Laid down29 December 1915
Launched12 January 1917
Commissioned2 August 1917
FateSurrendered 20 November 1918; foundered in tow 1919
General characteristics [1]
Class and type Type U 87 submarine
Displacement
  • 757  t (745 long tons) surfaced
  • 998 t (982 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height9.35 m (30 ft 8 in)
Draught3.88 m (12 ft 9 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
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,380  nmi (21,080 km; 13,100 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 (160 ft)
Complement4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 10 September 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Walter Remy [2]
  • 2 August 1917 – 31 July 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmut Patzig [3]
  • 1–31 August 1918
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Jeß [4]
  • 1 September – 11 November 1918
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories:
  • 28 merchant ships sunk
    (49,348  GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warship sunk
    (24,827  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ships damaged
    (3,405  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (5,189  GRT)

SM U-90 was a Type U-87 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy during World War I. [5] Its commander Walter Remy made regular stops at remote island North Rona for provisions such as fresh mutton. On 15 May 1918, U-90 shelled the Hirta wireless station in St Kilda, Scotland. On 31 May 1918, U-90 torpedoed and sank USS President Lincoln, a former Hamburg America Line steamer that had been seized by the United States for troop transportation. From the U.S. Navy crew that abandoned the sinking vessel, U-90 captured Lieutenant Edouard Izac, eventually taking him to Germany. Izac later escaped German captivity and reported to the US Navy about German submarine movements.

Contents

U-90 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 20 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany, and later laid up at Pembroke. She was to be loaned to Belgium, and was en route there in tow from Pembroke when she foundered off the Isle of Wight on 29 November 1919. [6]

Design

Type U 87 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 81 submarines. U-90 had a displacement of 757 tonnes (745 long tons) when at the surface and 998 tonnes (982 long tons) while submerged. [1] She had a total length of 65.80 m (215 ft 11 in), a pressure hull length of 50.07 m (164 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in), and a draught of 3.88 m (12 ft 9 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 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 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 11,380 nautical miles (21,080 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-90 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), ten to twelve torpedoes, and one 10.5-centimetre (4.1 in) deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers). [1]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [7]
25 September 1917 Union Republicaine Flag of France.svg  France 44Sunk
27 September 1917 Deux Jeannes Flag of France.svg  France 50Sunk
27 September 1917 Liberte Flag of France.svg  France 49Sunk
27 September 1917 Peuples Freres Flag of France.svg  France 41Sunk
30 September 1917 Drake Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,267Sunk
30 September 1917 Heron Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 885Sunk
1 October 1917 Neuilly Flag of France.svg  France 2,186Sunk
3 October 1917 Jeannette Flag of France.svg  France 226Sunk
20 November 1917 Robert Morris Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 146Sunk
21 November 1917 Aros Castle Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,460Sunk
22 January 1918 Corton Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,405Damaged
22 January 1918 Victor De Chavarri BandMercante1785.svg  Spain 2,957Sunk
24 January 1918 Charles Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 78Sunk
25 January 1918 Normandy Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 618Sunk
26 January 1918 Union Flag of France.svg  France 677Sunk
30 January 1918 Lindeskov Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1,254Sunk
31 January 1918 Martin Gust Flag of Russia.svg  Russian Empire 248Sunk
1 February 1918 Arrino Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,484Sunk
16 March 1918 Oilfield Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,000Sunk
28 March 1918 City of Winchester Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 114Sunk
8 April 1918 Superb Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 489Sunk
29 May 1918 Begum Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,646Sunk
29 May 1918 Carlton Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,265Sunk
31 May 1918 USS President Lincoln Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 18,168Sunk
15 August 1918 USS Montanan Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 6,659Sunk
15 August 1918 J. M. J. Flag of France.svg  France 54Sunk
16 August 1918 USS West Bridge Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 5,189Damaged
17 August 1918 Escrick Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,151Sunk
17 August 1918 Joseph Cudahy Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 3,302Sunk
24 August 1918 Graciosa Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 2,276Sunk
14 October 1918 Dundalk Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 794Sunk
16 October 1918 Pentwyn Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,587Sunk

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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: Walter Remy (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Helmut Patzig (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Jeß (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 90". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  6. Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. pp. 31, 98, 124. ISBN   978-1-5267-4198-1.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 90". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

Bibliography

50°30′56″N01°09′51″W / 50.51556°N 1.16417°W / 50.51556; -1.16417