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SM U-28 (Germany)

Summary

SM U-28[a] was a Type U 27 U-boat that served in the First World War. It conducted 5 patrols, sinking 40 ships totalling 90,126 GRT.

A submarine on the surface in the middle distance on the right. Nearer to the camera, on the left, is a small steam vessel.
SM U-28 seen from Batavier V, a ship she captured as a prize in March 1915.
History
German Empire
NameU-28
Ordered19 February 1912
BuilderKaiserliche Werft, Danzig
Yard number18
Launched30 August 1913
Commissioned26 June 1914
FateSunk 2 September 1917. 39 dead.
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeGerman Type U 27 submarine
Displacement
  • 675 t (664 long tons) surfaced
  • 878 t (864 long tons) submerged
Length64.70 m (212 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam6.32 m (20 ft 9 in)
Draught3.48 m (11 ft 5 in)
Speed
  • 16.7 knots (30.9 km/h; 19.2 mph) surfaced
  • 9.8 knots (18.1 km/h; 11.3 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,420 nmi (15,590 km; 9,690 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 85 nmi (157 km; 98 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft)
Complement4 officers, 31 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 1 August 1914 - Unknown end
  • Training Flotilla
  • Unknown start – 10 May 1917
  • IV Flotilla
  • 10 May – 2 September 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Freiherr Georg-Günther von Forstner[2]
  • 1 August 1914 – 14 June 1916
  • Kptlt. Otto Rohrbeck[3]
  • 15 June – 4 August 1916
  • Kptlt. Freiherr von Loë-Degenhart[4]
  • 5 August 1916 – 14 January 1917
  • Kptlt. Georg Schmidt[5]
  • 15 January – 2 September 1917[6]
Operations: 5 patrols
Victories:
  • 39 merchant ships sunk
    (89,632 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (494 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (14,976 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships taken as prize
    (3,226 GRT)
SM U-28 sinking the SS Falaba

Career edit

U-28 was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 26 June 1914, with Freiherr Georg-Günther von Forstner (1882-1940) in command.[2] Commander von Forstner was relieved on 15 June 1916 by Otto Rohrbeck, who was in turn relieved on 5 August by Freiherr von Loe-Degenhart. On 15 January 1917, Georg Schmidt took command.

On 30 July 1915, U-28 sank the British steamer Iberian. According to Commander von Forstner's account of the incident, the wreckage remained under the water for about 25 seconds until an explosion sent some of the debris flying up. It is said that along with the debris, a creature described as a "gigantic aquatic animal" resembling a crocodile was seen, which quickly disappeared from sight.[7]

Sinking edit

U-28's final patrol began on 19 August 1917, when it departed from Emden for the Arctic Ocean. On 2 September, at 11:55 am, it encountered the armed English steamer Olive Branch, 85 nautical miles (157 km; 98 mi) north-by-northeast of North Cape, Norway. U-28 scored a torpedo hit, and closed in to finish the steamer with gunfire. The shells detonated Olive Branch's cargo of munitions, which it had been carrying from England to Arkhangelsk, Russia, and the subsequent explosion so badly damaged the U-boat that it sank along with the steamer. All 39 of its crew were lost; some were seen swimming, but were not picked up by Olive Branch's lifeboats.[8]

An alternative description of the event states that when the ammunition detonated, a truck carried as deck cargo was blown into the air and fell from a great height on the U-boat, sinking it.[9]

Summary of raiding history edit

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[b] Fate[10]
17 March 1915 Leeuwarden   United Kingdom 990 Sunk
18 March 1915 Zaanstrom   Netherlands 1,657 Captured as prize
18 March 1915 Batavier V   Netherlands 1,569 Captured as prize
25 March 1915 Medea   Netherlands 1,235 Sunk
27 March 1915 Aguila   United Kingdom 2,114 Sunk
27 March 1915 South Point   United Kingdom 3,837 Sunk
27 March 1915 Vosges   United Kingdom 1,295 Sunk
28 March 1915 Falaba   United Kingdom 4,806 Sunk
28 March 1915 City Of Cambridge   United Kingdom 3,788 Damaged
29 March 1915 Flaminian   United Kingdom 3,500 Sunk
29 March 1915 Theseus   United Kingdom 6,723 Damaged
30 March 1915 Crown of Castile   United Kingdom 4,505 Sunk
30 July 1915 Iberian   United Kingdom 5,223 Sunk
31 July 1915 Nugget   United Kingdom 405 Sunk
31 July 1915 Turquoise   United Kingdom 486 Sunk
1 August 1915 Benvorlich   United Kingdom 3,381 Sunk
1 August 1915 Clintonia   United Kingdom 3,830 Sunk
1 August 1915 Koophandel   Belgium 1,736 Sunk
1 August 1915 Ranza   United Kingdom 2,320 Sunk
2 August 1915 HMS Portia   Royal Navy 494 Sunk
3 August 1915 Costello   United Kingdom 1,591 Sunk
4 August 1915 Midland Queen   Canada 1,993 Sunk
26 March 1916 Norne   Norway 1,224 Sunk
28 March 1916 Rio Tiete   United Kingdom 3,042 Sunk
30 March 1916 Trewyn   United Kingdom 3,084 Sunk
30 March 1916 Saint Hubert   France 232 Sunk
31 March 1916 Vigo   Spain 1,137 Sunk
1 April 1916 Bengairn   United Kingdom 2,127 Sunk
29 May 1917 Fridtjof Nansen   Norway 2,190 Sunk
29 May 1917 Karna   Norway 210 Sunk
29 May 1917 Kodan   Norway 217 Sunk
3 June 1917 Merioneth   United Kingdom 3,004 Sunk
4 June 1917 Algol   Russia 2,088 Sunk
5 June 1917 Alaska   Norway 90 Sunk
5 June 1917 Duen   Norway 30 Sunk
5 June 1917 Sydkap   Norway 40 Sunk
8 June 1917 Manchester Engineer   United Kingdom 4,465 Damaged
8 June 1917 Sverre II   Norway 44 Sunk
10 June 1917 Marie Elsie   United Kingdom 2,615 Sunk
10 June 1917 Perla   United Kingdom 5,355 Sunk
28 August 1917 Hidalgo   United Kingdom 4,271 Sunk
28 August 1917 Whitecourt   United Kingdom 3,680 Sunk
28 August 1917 Marselieza   Russia 3,568 Sunk
1 September 1917 Dront   Russia 3,488 Sunk
2 September 1917 Olive Branch   United Kingdom 4,649 Sunk

See also edit

References edit

Notes edit

  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 edit

  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 6–7.
  2. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Georg-Günther von Forstner (Friedrich-August Cross (Oldenburg))". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Rohrbeck". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr von Loë-Degenhart". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Georg Schmidt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 28". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
  7. ^ Hearst Magazines (September 1934). "Popular Mechanics". Popular Mechanics. Hearst Magazines: 398–401, 118A. ISSN 0032-4558.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ Spindler, Arno (1932). Der Krieg zur See: Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten. Mittler.
  9. ^ Gwatkin-Williams, R. S. (1922). Under the Black Ensign. Hutchinson & Co.
  10. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 28". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 December 2014.

Bibliography edit

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

External links edit

  • The Journal of Submarine Commander von Forstner at Project Gutenberg
  •   The Journal of Submarine Commander von Forstner public domain audiobook at LibriVox

72°34′N 27°56′E / 72.567°N 27.933°E / 72.567; 27.933

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