Wikipedia

SM U-53

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-53.

SM U-53 was one of the six Type U 51 U-boats of the Imperial German Navy during the First World War. While in command of U-53 her first captain Hans Rose became the 5th ranked German submarine ace of World War I sinking USS Jacob Jones and 87 merchant ships for a total of 224,314 gross register tons (GRT).[4]

U-53 in Newport, Rhode Island 7 October 1916
History
German Empire
NameU-53
Ordered23 August 1914
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number235
Laid down17 March 1915
Launched1 February 1916
Commissioned22 April 1916
Fate1 December 1918 - surrendered. Broken up at Swansea in 1919
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType U 51 submarine
Displacement
  • 715 t (704 long tons) surfaced
  • 902 t (888 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.44 m (21 ft 2 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height7.82 m (25 ft 8 in)
Draught3.64 m (11 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
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 17.1 knots (31.7 km/h; 19.7 mph) surfaced
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement36
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • II Flotilla
  • 31 May 1916 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories:
  • 87 merchant ships sunk
    (224,314 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (1,050 tons)
  • 10 merchant ships damaged
    (46,339 GRT)
SM U-53 at Newport, Rhode Island in 1916

Construction and commissioning

edit

U-53 was ordered from Germaniawerft, Kiel on 23 August 1914 and launched 0n 1 February 1916. On 22 April 1916 Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant Commander) Hans Rose was appointed as her first captain and he commissioned her on 22 April 1916.[5].[6]

After sea trials found no defects the submarine passed through the Kiel Canal on 30 May to reach the naval base at Helgoland the following day.[5]

Service history

edit

Voyage to America

edit

While U-53 was in Wilhelmshaven having its steering gear repaired and with most of its crew away on leave, Rose was called on 3 September 1916 to office of Fregattenkapitän Hermann Baur, commander of the U-boat fleet on the Hamburg.[7] Bauer informed him that the merchant submarine Bermen was due to make her maiden voyage to America and it had been proposed by captain Paul König of her sistership Deutschland that another submarine be used to assist in its passage by attacking any Royal Navy vessels that were in its path. Rose had been chosen for this politically risky mission because he had the necessary qualifications and experience, as well as a good knowledge of English.[7] Also, his submarine had only been commissioned in April 1916, so it was new and well-run in. Rose was given 30 hours to think about it and immediately telegraphed his chief engineer Henning Möller return from leave for consultation and discussing it with him 24 hours later Rose accepted the assignment.[7]

While U-53 had a theoretical range of 9,400 nautical miles at 8 knots it was expected that in actual service 5,000 miles was the practical limit. The longest voyage to date that U-53 had completed to date had been nine days. A return voyage to America would take 50 days and cover 8,000 miles. Rose and Möller identified that by converting the two middle diving tanks II an IV in fuel tanks they could carry an additional 150 tons of diesel fuel to give a range of 11,000 miles. Additional fresh water was carried by filling the two of the four trim tanks and the two rear torpedo tubes with fresh water which bought the total amount being carried to 7,000 litres However with this amount of fuel on board and the necessary provisions the submarine’s buoyancy would be reduced in half and it would sit 400 mm lower in the water, which would badly impact on its sea-worthiness on the outward journey.[7] Rather than the normal complement of six torpedoes forward and four aft they decided to carry only the forward torpedoes.[7] They also added two additional engineers which increased the crew from 34 to 36.[7] Other than Möller only the two First Lieutenants Stein and Wacker was told about the secret voyage prior to the rest of the crew being told once the submarine as at sea. To misdirect any enemy agents, it was put about that the submarine was heading south.[7]

After being delayed for two days by poor weather the submarine departed the naval base at Helgoland on 17 September 1916, travelling northward around the British Isles, escorted by the Zeppelin LZ-17 for the first day. Once they reached the Atlantic Ocean on 21 September Rose told the crew their actual destination. Most of the outward voyage was plagued by bad weather with sea conditions deteriorating at one point to Force 9 on the Beaufort Scale.[7] On 24 September the submarine passed beyond radio contact with Germany. On 28 September the submarine heard a report from a radio station at Sayville on Long Island that the Bermen had been sunk. After deliberating for two days as to whether the report was true or the Bermen was merely late Rose decided to continue with his original orders to Newport, Rhode Island rather than divert to attack shipping at Halifax.[7] On 7 October 1916, U-53, was sighted off Newport by American submarine D-2 which surfaced and tracked the German vessel as it headed to port. As the two submarines passed Brenton Reef Lightship Rose requested and was given permission to enter port.[7]

Once he had docked Rose paid courtesy visits to Rear Admiral Austin M. Knight, Commandant of the United States Second Naval District, and Rear Admiral Albert Gleaves aboard the cruiser USS Birmingham; and then received courtesy visits from both admirals aboard U-53. Admiral Gleaves brought his wife and daughter to visit U-53. It took the neutral US government about two hours to decide how to handle this surprise visit. When the harbor master started talking about quarantine regulations, Rose returned to sea to avoid being interned.[8]

 
U-53's crew, 7 October 1916
 
Officers of U-53 in the US

U-53 commenced military operations the next morning two miles off the Lightship Nantucket. The US steamship Kansan was stopped by a shot across the bow at 05:35, and then released when examination of her papers revealed no contraband cargo. A large passenger liner was allowed to pass at 06:00 because Rose felt unable to provide for the safety of a large number of passengers. The 4,321 GRT British steamship Strathdene was stopped at 06:53 and torpedoed at 07:43 after the crew had abandoned ship. The 4,224 GRT Norwegian steamship Christian Knutsen with a cargo of diesel oil for London was stopped at 08:03 and torpedoed at 09:53 after the crew had abandoned ship. The 3,847 GRT steamship West Point was stopped at 11:30 and scuttled by explosive charges after the crew had abandoned ship.[9] Seventeen US destroyers were dispatched from Newport to search for survivors in response to the Nantucket lightship's reports of sinkings. The destroyers arrived about 1700 as U-53 stopped the Dutch steamship Blommersdijk bound for the Netherlands with cargo that Rose believed to be contraband bound for Britain which he sank at 19:50. The 3,449 GRT British passenger liner Stephano carrying a cargo of codfish, worth $140,000 was stopped, and the gathering US destroyers took off its crew and passengers before Rose used his last torpedoes to sink it at 22:30. After sinking five ships in 17 days with no loss of life Rose set a homeward course via the Gulf Stream and evaded three British destroyers sent from Canada to intercept him.[10][11]

On 27 October U-53entered Helgoland harbour to a hero’s welcome.[12] The next day the submarine departed for Wilhelmshaven, where upon arrival the crew were greeted by Admiral Scheer and his staff. Each member of the crew was personally awarded by the Admiral with Iron Cross while Rose was later awarded the House of Hohenzollern’s Order of the Knight’s Cross with Swords.[12] That night for the first time in six weeks that the crew slept ashore.

Political consequences of the voyage

edit

There was a great deal of anger amongst the Allied powers after the visit of U-53 to a US port and the subsequent sinking of Allied shipping. While all of the sinkings were done according to Prize court laws and nobody was killed during them, the attacks instilled fear in the British because of the reach of the German U-boats, and the US because these attacks occurred so close to its shores.

Britain was further outraged that most of the attacks occurred while the submarine was surrounded by US destroyers. After a soothing speech by Sir Edward Grey, these complaints were calmed when he pointed out that the US ships had no legal right to interfere with these attacks and had done all they could to rescue the sailors in the water.[13] German newspapers celebrated the trip as a great demonstration of the reach of the German Navy and Captain Rose was praised for his actions.

Accompanied by artist Claus Bergen

edit

In the summer of 1917 German naval artist Claus Bergen accompanied U-53 on an Atlantic patrol, resulting in a series of well-known paintings.[14]

Sinking of SS Housatonic

edit

On 3 February 1917 U-53 captured and scuttled SS Housatonic about 20 nautical miles (37 km) southwest of Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly.[15] At the time the USA was still neutral and reacted cautiously to Housatonic's sinking. The New York Times noted the courtesy and propriety with which Rose had applied the rules of war.[16] The US Government did not regard Housatonic's sinking as a casus belli.[16] Her sinking however contributed to increasing diplomatic tension that eventually led the US to declare war on Germany.

On March 11, 1917 U-53 torpedoed and sank the 6705 ton Cunard Liner RMS Folia.

On 16 August 1917[17] torpedoed and sank the Donaldson liner Athenia[18][19] off Inishtrahull. Coincidentally, two decades later, in 1939, a new Athenia was sunk by the U-boat U-30 in the same area.[20]

Sinking of USS Jacob Jones

edit
 
USS Jacob Jones (DD-61)

On December 6, 1917, Rose torpedoed and sank USS Jacob Jones, the first American destroyer lost in the First World War. The torpedo hit Jacob Jones at 3,000 yards (2,700 m), the longest successful torpedo shot on record at the time.[citation needed]

On 8 July 1918 while off the Norwegian coast and two days out from its base at Helgoland U-53 answered a distress call from U-86 which had hit a mine and as a result had lost all of its diesel fuel. Meeting with the damaged submarine U-53 transferred fuel to it and provided further assistance until it was relieved by surface vessels.[21]

On 10 July 1918 U-53 returned to port having completed its fifteenth mission under Rose.[22]

Rose replaced by von Schrader

edit

Rose returned from a months leave on 10 August to be informed that he had been replaced as commander of U-53 by Otto von Schrader.[23]

Under von Schrader U-53 operated primarily within the English Channel after this, attacking Allied and neutral vessels, sinking ten ships of 1,782 tons with U-53 before the armistice on 11 November.[24]

U-53 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 1 December 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. She was sold by the British Admiralty to George Cohen on 3 March 1919 for £2,400 (excluding her engines), and was broken up at Swansea.[25]

Summary of raiding history

edit
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[26]
11 July 1916 Calypso   United Kingdom 2,876 Sunk
8 October 1916 Blommersdijk   Netherlands 4,835 Sunk
8 October 1916 Christian Knutsen   Norway 4,224 Sunk
8 October 1916 Stephano   United Kingdom 3,449 Sunk
8 October 1916 Strathdene   United Kingdom 4,321 Sunk
8 October 1916 West Point   United Kingdom 3,847 Sunk
22 January 1917 Anna   France 154 Sunk
22 January 1917 Zeta   Netherlands 3,053 Sunk
28 January 1917 Nueva Montana   Spain 2,039 Sunk
29 January 1917 Algorta   Spain 2,117 Sunk
31 January 1917 Hekla   Norway 524 Sunk
2 February 1917 Odin   Norway 1,045 Sunk
3 February 1917 Housatonic   United States 3,143 Sunk
4 February 1917 Aimee Maria   France 327 Sunk
4 February 1917 Bangpuhtis   Russia 259 Sunk
5 February 1917 Bråvalla   Sweden 1,519 Sunk
9 February 1917 Marian   Netherlands 71 Sunk
2 March 1917 Gazelle   United Kingdom 119 Sunk
2 March 1917 Utopia   United Kingdom 184 Sunk
3 March 1917 Theodoros Pangalos   Greece 2,838 Sunk
5 March 1917 Federico Confalonieri   Italy 4,434 Sunk
9 March 1917 Cavour   Italy 1,929 Sunk
9 March 1917 Lars Fostenes   Norway 2,118 Sunk
10 March 1917 St. Feodor   Russia 126 Damaged
11 March 1917 Folia   United Kingdom 6,705 Sunk
11 March 1917 Gracia   Spain 3,129 Sunk
12 March 1917 Hainaut   Belgium 4,113 Sunk
14 March 1917 Aquila   Norway 1,092 Sunk
18 April 1917 Scalpa   United Kingdom 1,010 Sunk
18 April 1917 Sculptor   United Kingdom 3,846 Sunk
19 April 1917 Tempus   United Kingdom 2,981 Sunk
21 April 1917 Pontiac   United Kingdom 1,698 Sunk
22 April 1917 Neepawah   Canada 1,799 Sunk
23 April 1917 Eptapyrgion   United Kingdom 4,307 Sunk
24 April 1917 Anglesea   United Kingdom 4,534 Sunk
24 April 1917 Ferndene   United Kingdom 3,770 Sunk
25 April 1917 Elisabeth   Denmark 217 Damaged
25 April 1917 Laura   United Kingdom 335 Sunk
26 April 1917 Hekla   Denmark 169 Sunk
27 June 1917 Ultonia   United Kingdom 10,402 Sunk
8 July 1917 Asheim   Norway 2,147 Sunk
8 July 1917 Atlantic   Denmark 1,087 Sunk
10 July 1917 Cedric   United Kingdom 197 Sunk
10 July 1917 Mabel   United Kingdom 205 Sunk
10 July 1917 Pacific   United Kingdom 235 Sunk
10 July 1917 Peridot   United Kingdom 214 Sunk
10 July 1917 Pretoria   United Kingdom 283 Sunk
10 July 1917 Romantic   United Kingdom 197 Sunk
10 July 1917 Sea King   United Kingdom 185 Sunk
10 July 1917 Stoic   United Kingdom 200 Sunk
16 August 1917 Athenia   United Kingdom 8,668 Sunk
21 August 1917 Devonian   United Kingdom 10,435 Sunk
21 August 1917 Roscommon   United Kingdom 8,238 Sunk
22 August 1917 Verdi   United Kingdom 7,120 Sunk
23 August 1917 Boniface   United Kingdom 3,799 Sunk
26 August 1917 Durango   United Kingdom 3,008 Sunk
26 August 1917 Kenmore   United Kingdom 3,919 Sunk
10 October 1917 Bostonian   United Kingdom 5,736 Sunk
10 October 1917 Gowrie   United Kingdom 1,031 Sunk
11 October 1917 Lewis Luckenbach   United States 3,906 Sunk
15 October 1917 San Nazario   United Kingdom 10,064 Damaged
17 October 1917 Manchuria   United Kingdom 2,997 Sunk
17 October 1917 Polvena   United Kingdom 4,750 Sunk
19 October 1917 Parkhaven   Netherlands 2,635 Sunk
20 November 1917 Megrez   Netherlands 2,695 Sunk
20 November 1917 Nederland   Netherlands 1,832 Sunk
23 November 1917 Westlands   United Kingdom 3,112 Sunk
24 November 1917 Dunrobin   United Kingdom 3,617 Sunk
1 December 1917 Helenus   United Kingdom 7,555 Damaged
5 December 1917 Earlswood   United Kingdom 2,353 Damaged
6 December 1917 USS Jacob Jones   United States Navy 1,050 Sunk
9 December 1917 Nyanza   United Kingdom 6,695 Damaged
9 December 1917 War Tune   United Kingdom 2,045 Sunk
10 December 1917 Øiekast   Norway 605 Sunk
4 February 1918 Treveal   United Kingdom 4,160 Sunk
6 February 1918 Holkar   United Kingdom 61 Sunk
6 February 1918 Marsouin   France 55 Sunk
7 February 1918 Beaumaris   United Kingdom 2,372 Sunk
8 February 1918 Basuta   United Kingdom 2,876 Sunk
9 February 1918 Lydie   United Kingdom 2,559 Sunk
11 February 1918 Merton Hall   United Kingdom 4,327 Sunk
2 April 1918 Meaford   United Kingdom 1,889 Sunk
7 April 1918 Cadillac   United Kingdom 11,106 Damaged
7 April 1918 Knight Templar   United Kingdom 7,175 Damaged
7 April 1918 Port Campbell   United Kingdom 6,230 Sunk
20 June 1918 Aisne   United Kingdom 315 Damaged
27 June 1918 Keelung   United Kingdom 6,672 Sunk
28 June 1918 Queen   United Kingdom 4,956 Sunk
30 June 1918 W.M.L.   United Kingdom 145 Sunk
2 July 1918 Erme   United Kingdom 116 Sunk
6 July 1918 Gullfaxi   Iceland 46 Sunk
28 August 1918 Pauline   Russia 134 Sunk
1 September 1918 Ami De Dieu   France 45 Sunk
1 September 1918 Etoile Polaire   France 51 Sunk
2 September 1918 Hirondelle   France 38 Sunk
2 September 1918 Nicolazic   France 42 Sunk
4 September 1918 War Firth   United Kingdom 3,112 Sunk
5 September 1918 Rio Mondego   Portugal 733 Damaged

References

edit

Notes

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

Citations

edit
  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kapitänleutnant Hans Rose". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto von Schrader". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  4. ^ Tarrant 1989 p.146
  5. ^ a b Robinson, pp. 113, 116, 118, 119
  6. ^ "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Rose". uboat.net. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Robinson, pp. 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 37
  8. ^ Long, October 1966, pp.89–92
  9. ^ Long, October 1966, p.93
  10. ^ Long, October 1966, pp.93–94
  11. ^ Robinson, pp. 51-53
  12. ^ a b Robinson, pp. 56, 57
  13. ^ Massie 2003 p.690-691
  14. ^ "UK München 1926: The English version of Munich Submariners Association: Gallery - Claus Bergen". www.uk-muenchen.de. Archived from the original on 6 July 2004.
  15. ^ "Captain says U-53 sank Housatonic" (PDF). The New York Times. 21 February 1917. p. 2. Retrieved 5 December 2012 – via Times Machine.
  16. ^ a b Carlisle, pp. 43, 46-47
  17. ^ Gibson, R.H. (1931). The German Submarine War 1914–1918. Constable & Co. / Periscope Publishing. p. 200. ISBN 9781904381082.
  18. ^ "Athenia 1904". theshipslist.com. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  19. ^ "Donaldson Line SS Athenia 1904". theshipslist.com. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  20. ^ "Malin metal monsters". divernet.com. DIVER December 2012. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  21. ^ Robinson, pp. 200, 201
  22. ^ Robinson, p. 201
  23. ^ Robinson, p. 203, 204, 205
  24. ^ Tarrant 1989 p.153
  25. ^ Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
  26. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 53". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.

Bibliography

edit
  • Beesly, Patrick (1982). Room 40: British Naval Intelligence 1914-1918. London: H Hamilton. ISBN 978-0-241-10864-2.
  • 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.
  • Halpern, Paul G. (1953). A Naval History of World War I. New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-85728-498-0.
  • Koerver, Hans Joachim (2008). Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol I., The Fleet in Action. Steinbach: LIS Reinisch. ISBN 978-3-902433-76-3.
  • Koerver, Hans Joachim (2009). Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol II., The Fleet in Being. Steinbach: LIS Reinisch. ISBN 978-3-902433-77-0.
  • Long, Wellington (October 1966). "The Cruise of the U-53". United States Naval Institute Proceedings. 92/10/764. United States Naval Institute.
  • Massie, Robert (2003). Castles of Steel. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-40878-0.
  • Robinson, Markus F.; Robinson, Gertrude J. (2018). Der Kapitän: U-Boat Ace Hans Rose (Hardcover). Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: Amberley. ISBN 978-1-4456-7560-2.
  • Roessler, Eberhard (1997). Die Unterseeboote der Kaiserlichen Marine. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 978-3-7637-5963-7.
  • Schroeder, Joachim (2002). Die U-Boote des Kaisers. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 978-3-7637-6235-4.
  • Spindler, Arno (1932). Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten. 5 Vols (1933, 1934, 1941/1964, 1966 ed.). Berlin: Mittler & Sohn. Vols. 4+5, dealing with 1917+18, are very hard to find: Guildhall Library, London, has them all, also Vol. 1-3 in an English translation: The submarine war against commerce.
  • Tarrant, V.E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive 1914-1945. Cassell & Company. ISBN 1-85409-520-X.
edit

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SM_U-53&oldid=1241073417"