SM U-105

SM U-105[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-105 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. After the war she was ceded to France, where the unit served as Jean Autric until being scrapped in 1938.[3]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-105.
U-105 in Cherbourg around 1920
History
German Empire
Name: U-105
Ordered: 5 May 1916
Builder: Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number: 274
Launched: 16 May 1917
Commissioned: 4 July 1917
Fate: Surrendered to France 20 November 1918
France
Name: Jean Autric
Namesake: Jean Autric
Acquired: 1918
Stricken: 27 January 1937
Fate: Sold for scrap, 1938
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: German Type U 93 submarine
Displacement:
  • 798 t (785 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)
Height: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught: 3.90 m (12 ft 10 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 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers
Speed:
  • 16.4 knots (30.4 km/h; 18.9 mph) surfaced
  • 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h; 9.7 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 9,280 nmi (17,190 km; 10,680 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement: 4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Friedrich Strackerjan[2]
  • 4 July 1917 – 11 November 1918
Operations: 6 patrols
Victories:
  • 19 merchant ships sunk (55,834 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged (unknown GRT)[3]

On 17 October 1917, SM U-105 met Antilles, an American troop transport, during the return leg of a voyage to Europe.[4] Antilles was torpedoed by the submerged U-boat and went down just five minutes after being hit.[5] A total of 67 persons were killed in the sinking,[4] making the destruction of Antilles the event costing the single greatest number of American lives in the war to that date.[5]

Design

German Type U 93 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 87 submarines. U-105 had a displacement of 798 tonnes (785 long tons) when at the surface and 1,000 tonnes (980 long tons) while submerged.[1] 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 3.90 m (12 ft 10 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. The boat had two propeller shafts and two 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.4 knots (30.4 km/h; 18.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h; 9.7 mph).[1] When submerged, she could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,280 nautical miles (17,190 km; 10,680 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-105 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (four at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45, 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).[1]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
14 October 1917 Ecaterini C. D.  Greece 3,739 Sunk
15 October 1917 Saint Paul  France 79 Sunk
15 October 1917 St. Helens  United States 1,497 Sunk
17 October 1917 Antilles  United States Army 6,878 Sunk
19 December 1917 Vinovia  United Kingdom 7,046 Sunk
22 December 1917 Colemere  United Kingdom 2,120 Sunk
24 December 1917 Canova  United Kingdom 4,637 Sunk
28 December 1917 Lord Derby  United Kingdom 3,757 Sunk
24 February 1918 Sarpfos  Norway 1,458 Sunk
26 February 1918 Dalewood  United Kingdom 2,420 Sunk
27 February 1918 Largo  United Kingdom 1,764 Sunk
1 March 1918 Penvearn  United Kingdom 3,710 Sunk
2 March 1918 Carmelite  United Kingdom 2,583 Sunk
29 April 1918 Christiana Davis  United Kingdom 86 Sunk
29 April 1918 Johnny Toole  United Kingdom 84 Sunk
7 May 1918 Nantes  United Kingdom 1,580 Sunk
7 May 1918 Saxon  United Kingdom 1,595 Sunk
2 July 1918 Pieuse Paysanne  France unknown Damaged
2 July 1918 Albert 1er  France unknown Damaged
31 August 1918 Milwaukee  United Kingdom 7,323 Sunk
7 September 1918 Ruysdael  United Kingdom 3,478 Sunk

References

Notes
  1. "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations
  1. Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Friedrich Strackerjan (Military Merit Cross (Mecklenburg-Schwerin))". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 105". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
  4. "Online Library of Selected Images: S.S. Antilles (American Passenger-Cargo Ship, 1907)," Department of the Navy, Navy Historical Center, www.history.navy.mil/
  5. "The Tribune Graphic," in the New York Tribune, vol. 77, whole no. 25,914 (Oct. 28, 1917), pg. 1.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 105". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 17 December 2014.

Bibliography
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

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