SM U-8
U-8 in harbour. Note the upper rudder on the deck | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| German Empire | |
| Name | U-8 |
| Ordered | 8 April 1908 |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Cost | 2,540,000 Goldmark |
| Yard number | 150 |
| Laid down | 19 May 1909 |
| Launched | 14 March 1911 |
| Commissioned | 18 June 1911 |
| Fate | Sunk on 4 March 1915 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type U 5 submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 3.55 m (11 ft 8 in) |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed |
|
| Range | 3,300 nmi (6,100 km; 3,800 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) |
| Test depth | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 1 dinghy |
| Complement | 4 officers, 25 men |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of |
|
| Commanders | |
| Operations | 1 patrol |
| Victories | 5 merchant ships sunk (15,049 GRT) |
SM U-8 was one of 329 U-boatss which served in the Imperial German Navy during World War I.
A Type U 5 submarine, she was built at Germaniawerft in Kiel between 1909 and 1911. The boat was launched on 14 March 1911 and commissioned into the Navy on 18 June. The boat was scuttled in the English Channel in March 1915.
Service history
At the beginning of World War I, U-8 was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Konrad Gansser. In August 1914 she took part in the first U-boat operation of the war, sailing from Heligoland in a coordinated attack on the Royal Navy base at Scapa Flow.
Kapitänleutnant Alfred Stoß took over the boat on 1 September 1914, with Gansser moving to command U-33. During February 1915 she sank five British steamers in the English Channel. On 4 March, however, U-8 became trapped in anti-submarine nets in the Channel and was forced to surface. After coming under gunfire from HMS Gurkha and HMS Maori, the crew scuttled the boat at position 50°56′N 01°16′E / 50.933°N 1.267°E. The crew were taken prisoner.
In June 2015 the submarine's propeller, which had been illegally removed from the wreck, was recovered and presented to the German Navy. It is exhibited at the Laboe Naval Memorial near Kiel.[3][4] In July 2016 the wreck was officially designated as a protected site managed by Historic England.[5]
Summary of raiding history
U-8 sank five British steamers with a combined Gross Register Tonnage of 15,049 GRT.
| Date | Ship name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 February 1915 | Branksome Chine | United Kingdom | 2,026 | Sunk |
| 23 February 1915 | Oakby | United Kingdom | 1,976 | Sunk |
| 24 February 1915 | Harpalion | United Kingdom | 5,867 | Sunk |
| 24 February 1915 | Rio Parana | United Kingdom | 4,015 | Sunk |
| 24 February 1915 | Western Coast | United Kingdom | 1,165 | Sunk |
References
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Konrad Gansser (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Alfred Stoß". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ^ "WW1 German U-boat propeller returned". BBC News. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ^ "A symbol of friendship and reconcilation(sic)..." Maritime and Coastguard Agency. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ^ "British A3 submarine sunk off Jurassic Coast in 1912 gets protected status". Dorset Echo. Newsquest Media. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 8". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
Further reading
- 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.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1985). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkriegs, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935–1945 [The German Submarines and Their Shipyards: Submarine Construction Until the End of the First World War] (in German). Vol. I. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.