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]
| 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 | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in) |
| Draught | 3.94 m (12 ft 11 in) |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers |
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 32 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: | 6 patrols |
| Victories: | |
Design
editType 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
edit| 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
editNotes
edit- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c d e Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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
edit- 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′N 5°12′W / 49.983°N 5.200°W