SM U-22 (Germany)

SM U-22[Note 1] was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-22 was engaged in commerce war as part of the naval warfare, during the First Battle of the Atlantic.

A German WWI period postcard of U-22
History
German Empire
Name: U-22
Ordered: 25 November 1910
Builder: Kaiserliche Werft Danzig
Cost: 2,450,000 Goldmark
Yard number: 16
Laid down: 14 November 1911
Launched: 6 March 1913
Commissioned: 25 November 1913
Fate: Surrendered 1 December 1918; broken up 1919-22
General characteristics
Class and type: German Type U 19 submarine
Displacement:
  • 650 t (640 long tons) surfaced
  • 837 t (824 long tons) submerged
Length: 64.15 m (210 ft 6 in)
Beam: 6.10 m (20 ft)
Height: 7.30 m (23 ft 11 in)
Draught: 3.58 m (11 ft 9 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × MAN 8-cylinder two stroke diesel motors with 1,700 PS (1,250 kW; 1,680 shp)
  • 2 × AEG double Motordynamos with 1,200 PS (880 kW; 1,180 shp)
  • 320 rpm submerged
Speed:
  • 15.4 knots (28.5 km/h; 17.7 mph) surfaced
  • 9.5 knots (17.6 km/h; 10.9 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 9,700 nautical miles (18,000 km; 11,200 mi) at 8 kn surfaced
  • 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 5 kn submerged
Test depth: 50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 1 dingi
Complement: 4 officers, 31 men
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 1 August 1914 – 23 August 1916
  • Baltic Flotilla
  • 23 August 1916 – 16 March 1917
  • III Flotilla
  • 16 March 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Bruno Hoppe[1]
  • 25 November 1913 – 22 August 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl Scherb[2]
  • 23 August 1916 – 31 May 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hinrich Hermann Hashagen[3]
  • 1 June 1917 – 11 November 1918
Operations: 14 patrols
Victories:
  • 42 merchant ships sunk (46,395 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged (9,044 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as a prize (1,170 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk (175 tons)

U-22 had a career of 14 patrols, sinking 43 ships for a total of 46,583 tons. In addition, she damaged three ships totalling 9,044 tons, and captured 1 prize worth 1,170 tons.

Oblt.z.S. Hashagen was the most successful, sinking 28 of the vessels, the largest being the British passenger steamer California at 5,629 tons. She was sunk 145 nautical miles (269 km; 167 mi) NWxN3/4N of Cape Villano on 17 October 1917.[4]

U-22 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 1 December 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. She was sold (with one of her engines) by the British Admiralty to Hughes Bolckow on 3 March 1919 for £2,975, and was broken up at Blyth between 25 April 1919 and 1922.[5]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage [Note 2] Fate[6]
21 January 1915 U-7  Imperial German Navy Sunk by accident (friendly fire)
21 April 1915 Ruth  Sweden 867 Sunk
22 April 1915 St. Lawrence  United Kingdom 196 Sunk
15 June 1915 Strathnairn  United Kingdom 4,336 Sunk
16 June 1915 Trafford  United Kingdom 215 Sunk
16 June 1915 Turnwell  United Kingdom 4,264 Damaged
20 June 1915 Premier  United Kingdom 169 Sunk
8 August 1915 India  Royal Navy 7,940 Sunk
12 August 1915 Grodno  United Kingdom 1,955 Sunk
6 April 1916 Vennacher  United Kingdom 4,700 Damaged
8 April 1916 Adamton  United Kingdom 2,304 Sunk
13 April 1916 Chic  United Kingdom 3,037 Sunk
21 June 1916 Francoise D’amboise  France 1,973 Sunk
2 November 1916 Vanadis  Russia 384 Sunk
2 November 1916 Runhild  Sweden 1,170 Captured as a prize
3 November 1916 Ägir  Sweden 427 Sunk
3 November 1916 Frans  Sweden 134 Sunk
3 November 1916 Jönköping  Sweden 82 Sunk
8 November 1916 Taimi  Russia 134 Sunk
11 November 1916 Astrid  Sweden 191 Sunk
7 August 1917 Jarl  Sweden 1,643 Sunk
11 October 1917 Elve  United Kingdom 899 Sunk
16 October 1917 Jennie E. Righter  United States 647 Sunk
17 October 1917 California  United Kingdom 5,629 Sunk
19 October 1917 Australdale  Australia 4,379 Sunk
19 October 1917 Staro  Norway 1,805 Sunk
20 October 1917 Snetinden  Norway 2,859 Sunk
6 January 1918 Saint Mathieu  French Navy 175 Sunk
2 March 1918 Stina  Sweden 1,136 Sunk
11 May 1918 Michail  Russia 150 Sunk
12 May 1918 Kong Raud  Norway 60 Sunk
12 May 1918 Tennes  Norway 58 Sunk
12 May 1918 Vea  Norway 40 Sunk
14 May 1918 Stairs  Norway 54 Sunk
16 May 1918 Polarstrommen  Norway 54 Sunk
16 May 1918 Fedor Tschishoff  Russia 832 Sunk
16 May 1918 Unidentified fishing vessel  Russia 80 Sunk
19 May 1918 Forsok  Norway 31 Sunk
20 May 1918 Hertha  Russia 253 Sunk
19 August 1918 Buoni Amici  Italy 265 Sunk
20 August 1918 Magalhaes Lima  Portugal 196 Sunk
22 August 1918 Maria Luiza  Portugal 148 Sunk
31 August 1918 Norte  Portugal 254 Sunk
1 September 1918 Libertador  Portugal 185 Sunk
4 September 1918 Santa Maria  Portugal 48 Sunk
4 September 1918 Villa Franca  Portugal 46 Sunk
4 September 1918 Unnamed Barge  Portugal 300 Sunk
4 September 1918 Unidentified sailing vessel  Portugal 80 Damaged

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. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Bruno Hoppe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Scherb". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hinrich Hermann Hashagen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 22". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
  5. Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars,. Barnsley: Seaforth. p. 123. ISBN 978 1 5267 4198 1.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 22". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 15 March 2015.

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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