SM U-53 explained

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 and 87 merchant ships for a total of .[1]

Construction and commissioning

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.[2] .[3]

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.[2]

Service history

Voyage to America

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.[4] 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.[4] 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.[4]

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.[4] Rather than the normal complement of six torpedoes forward and four aft they decided to carry only the forward torpedoes.[4] They also added two additional engineers which increased the crew from 34 to 36.[4] 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.[4]

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.[4] 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.[4] 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.[4]

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 ; 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.[5]

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 British steamship Strathdene was stopped at 06:53 and torpedoed at 07:43 after the crew had abandoned ship. The 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 steamship West Point was stopped at 11:30 and scuttled by explosive charges after the crew had abandoned ship.[6] 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 bound for the Netherlands with cargo that Rose believed to be contraband bound for Britain which he sank at 19:50. The British passenger liner 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.[7] [8]

On 27 October U-53entered Helgoland harbour to a hero’s welcome.[9] 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.[9] That night for the first time in six weeks that the crew slept ashore.

Political consequences of the voyage

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.[10] 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

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.[11]

Sinking of SS Housatonic

On 3 February 1917 U-53 captured and scuttled SS Housatonic about 20nmi southwest of Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly.[12] At the time the USA was still neutral and reacted cautiously to Housatonics sinking. The New York Times noted the courtesy and propriety with which Rose had applied the rules of war.[13] The US Government did not regard Housatonics sinking as a casus belli.[13] 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 .

On 16 August 1917[14] torpedoed and sank the Donaldson liner [15] [16] off Inishtrahull. Coincidentally, two decades later, in 1939, a new was sunk by the U-boat in the same area.[17]

Sinking of USS Jacob Jones

On December 6, 1917, Rose torpedoed and sank, the first American destroyer lost in the First World War. The torpedo hit Jacob Jones at 3000yd, the longest successful torpedo shot on record at the time.

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.[18] On 10 July 1918 U-53 returned to port having completed its fifteenth mission under Rose.[19]

Rose replaced by von Schrader

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.[20]

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.[21]

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.[22]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage[23] Fate[24]
11 July 1916Calypso United Kingdom2,876Sunk
8 October 1916 Netherlands4,835Sunk
8 October 1916Christian Knutsen Norway4,224Sunk
8 October 1916 United Kingdom3,449Sunk
8 October 1916Strathdene United Kingdom4,321Sunk
8 October 1916West Point United Kingdom3,847Sunk
22 January 1917Anna France154Sunk
22 January 1917Zeta Netherlands3,053Sunk
28 January 1917Nueva Montana Spain2,039Sunk
29 January 1917Algorta Spain2,117Sunk
31 January 1917Hekla Norway524Sunk
2 February 1917Odin Norway1,045Sunk
3 February 1917Housatonic United States3,143Sunk
4 February 1917Aimee Maria France327Sunk
4 February 1917Bangpuhtis259Sunk
5 February 1917Bråvalla Sweden1,519Sunk
9 February 1917Marian Netherlands71Sunk
2 March 1917Gazelle United Kingdom119Sunk
2 March 1917Utopia United Kingdom184Sunk
3 March 1917Theodoros Pangalos Greece2,838Sunk
5 March 1917Federico Confalonieri4,434Sunk
9 March 1917Cavour1,929Sunk
9 March 1917Lars Fostenes Norway2,118Sunk
10 March 1917St. Feodor126Damaged
11 March 1917Folia United Kingdom6,705Sunk
11 March 1917Gracia Spain3,129Sunk
12 March 1917Hainaut Belgium4,113Sunk
14 March 1917Aquila Norway1,092Sunk
18 April 1917Scalpa United Kingdom1,010Sunk
18 April 1917Sculptor United Kingdom3,846Sunk
19 April 1917Tempus United Kingdom2,981Sunk
21 April 1917Pontiac United Kingdom1,698Sunk
22 April 1917Neepawah Canada1,799Sunk
23 April 1917Eptapyrgion United Kingdom4,307Sunk
24 April 1917Anglesea United Kingdom4,534Sunk
24 April 1917Ferndene United Kingdom3,770Sunk
25 April 1917Elisabeth Denmark217Damaged
25 April 1917Laura United Kingdom335Sunk
26 April 1917Hekla Denmark169Sunk
27 June 1917Ultonia United Kingdom10,402Sunk
8 July 1917Asheim Norway2,147Sunk
8 July 1917Atlantic Denmark1,087Sunk
10 July 1917Cedric United Kingdom197Sunk
10 July 1917Mabel United Kingdom205Sunk
10 July 1917Pacific United Kingdom235Sunk
10 July 1917Peridot United Kingdom214Sunk
10 July 1917Pretoria United Kingdom283Sunk
10 July 1917Romantic United Kingdom197Sunk
10 July 1917Sea King United Kingdom185Sunk
10 July 1917Stoic United Kingdom200Sunk
16 August 1917 United Kingdom8,668Sunk
21 August 1917Devonian United Kingdom10,435Sunk
21 August 1917Roscommon United Kingdom8,238Sunk
22 August 1917Verdi United Kingdom7,120Sunk
23 August 1917Boniface United Kingdom3,799Sunk
26 August 1917Durango United Kingdom3,008Sunk
26 August 1917Kenmore United Kingdom3,919Sunk
10 October 1917Bostonian United Kingdom5,736Sunk
10 October 1917Gowrie United Kingdom1,031Sunk
11 October 1917Lewis Luckenbach United States3,906Sunk
15 October 1917San Nazario United Kingdom10,064Damaged
17 October 1917Manchuria United Kingdom2,997Sunk
17 October 1917Polvena United Kingdom4,750Sunk
19 October 1917Parkhaven Netherlands2,635Sunk
20 November 1917Megrez Netherlands2,695Sunk
20 November 1917Nederland Netherlands1,832Sunk
23 November 1917Westlands United Kingdom3,112Sunk
24 November 1917Dunrobin United Kingdom3,617Sunk
1 December 1917Helenus United Kingdom7,555Damaged
5 December 1917Earlswood United Kingdom2,353Damaged
6 December 19171,050Sunk
9 December 1917Nyanza United Kingdom6,695Damaged
9 December 1917War Tune United Kingdom2,045Sunk
10 December 1917Øiekast Norway605Sunk
4 February 1918Treveal United Kingdom4,160Sunk
6 February 1918Holkar United Kingdom61Sunk
6 February 1918Marsouin France55Sunk
7 February 1918Beaumaris United Kingdom2,372Sunk
8 February 1918Basuta United Kingdom2,876Sunk
9 February 1918Lydie United Kingdom2,559Sunk
11 February 1918Merton Hall United Kingdom4,327Sunk
2 April 1918Meaford United Kingdom1,889Sunk
7 April 1918Cadillac United Kingdom11,106Damaged
7 April 1918Knight Templar United Kingdom7,175Damaged
7 April 1918Port Campbell United Kingdom6,230Sunk
20 June 1918Aisne United Kingdom315Damaged
27 June 1918Keelung United Kingdom6,672Sunk
28 June 1918Queen United Kingdom4,956Sunk
30 June 1918W.M.L. United Kingdom145Sunk
2 July 1918Erme United Kingdom116Sunk
6 July 1918Gullfaxi Denmark46Sunk
28 August 1918Pauline134Sunk
1 September 1918Ami De Dieu France45Sunk
1 September 1918Etoile Polaire France51Sunk
2 September 1918Hirondelle France38Sunk
2 September 1918Nicolazic France42Sunk
4 September 1918War Firth United Kingdom3,112Sunk
5 September 1918Rio Mondego Portugal733Damaged

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Tarrant 1989 p.146
  2. Robinson, pp. 113, 116, 118, 119
  3. Web site: WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Rose . uboat.net . 16 July 2024.
  4. Robinson, pp. 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 37
  5. Long, October 1966, pp.89–92
  6. Long, October 1966, p.93
  7. Long, October 1966, pp.93–94
  8. Robinson, pp. 51-53
  9. Robinson, pp. 56, 57
  10. Massie 2003 p.690-691
  11. Web site: UK München 1926: The English version of Munich Submariners Association: Gallery - Claus Bergen . www.uk-muenchen.de . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20040706221754/http://www.uk-muenchen.de/english/eng_bergen.htm . 2004-07-06.
  12. News: Captain says U-53 sank Housatonic . . 2 . 21 February 1917 . Times Machine . 5 December 2012.
  13. Carlisle, pp. 43, 46-47
  14. Book: Gibson, R.H. . 1931 . The German Submarine War 1914–1918 . Constable & Co. / Periscope Publishing . 200 . 9781904381082 .
  15. Web site: Athenia 1904 . theshipslist.com . 5 October 2017.
  16. Web site: Donaldson Line SS Athenia 1904 . theshipslist.com . 5 October 2017.
  17. Web site: Malin metal monsters . divernet.com . DIVER December 2012 . 5 October 2017 . 5 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171005201641/http://www.divernet.com/wrecks-general/p301629-malin-metal-monsters.html . dead.
  18. Robinson, pp. 200, 201
  19. Robinson, p. 201
  20. Robinson, p. 203, 204, 205
  21. Tarrant 1989 p.153
  22. Book: Dodson . Aidan . Cant . Serena . 2020 . Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars . Barnsley . Seaforth . 978-1-5267-4198-1 . 124.
  23. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  24. u53. U 53. 1boat. 8 December 2014.

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