SM U-95

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]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-95.
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: German Type U 93 submarine
Displacement:
  • 838 t (825 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: 3.94 m (12 ft 11 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 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers
Speed:
  • 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) surfaced
  • 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 9,020 nmi (16,710 km; 10,380 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Athalwin Prinz[3]
  • 15 April 1917 – 16 January 1918
Operations: 6 patrols
Victories:
  • 14 merchant ships sunk (38,014 GRT)
  • 3 ships damaged (5,862 GRT)

Design

German Type 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
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

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

Citations
  1. 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.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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
  • 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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