SM U-16 (Germany)

U-Boats at Kiel, 1914. U-22, U-20, U-19, & U-21 (1st row, l-r); U-14, U-15, U-11, U-16, U-18, and U-?? (2nd row, l-r).
History
Germany
Name:	U-16
Ordered:	26 August 1909
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Cost:	2,539,000 Goldmark
Yard number:	157
Laid down:	10 May 1910
Launched:	29 August 1911
Commissioned:	28 December 1911
Fate:	February 1919 - Sunk in an accident in position 58°59′N 08°29′E / 58.983°N 8.483°ECoordinates: 58°59′N 08°29′E / 58.983°N 8.483°E while on passage to surrender.
General characteristics
Class and type:	German Type U 16 submarine
Displacement:	489 t (481 long tons) surfaced 627 t (617 long tons) submerged
Length:	57.80 m (189 ft 8 in)
Beam:	6.00 m (19 ft 8 in)
Draught:	3.36 m (11 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × Körting 6-cylinder and 2 × Körting 8-cylinder two stroke paraffin motors with 900 PS (660 kW; 890 shp) 2 × SSW electric motors with 1,040 PS (760 kW; 1,030 shp) 550 rpm surfaced 600 rpm submerged
Speed:	15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) surfaced 10.7 knots (19.8 km/h; 12.3 mph) submerged
Test depth:	50 m (160 ft)
Boats & landing craft carried:	1 dingi
Complement:	4 officers, 25 men
Armament:	4 × 45 cm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 each bow and stern) with 6 torpedoes 1 × 5 cm (2.0 in) SK L/40 gun
Service record
Part of:	II Flotilla 1 August 1914 – unknown end
Commanders:	Kptlt. Claus Hansen[1] 1 August 1914 – 15 March 1915 Oblt.z.S. Leo Hillebrand[2] 16 March – 21 October 1915
Operations:	4 patrols
Victories:	11 merchant ships sunk (11,730 GRT) 2 merchant ships damaged (11,228 GRT) 1 merchant ships taken as a prize (838 GRT)

SM U-16 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.

Service History

U-16 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[3]
15 February 1915	Dulwich	United Kingdom	3,289	Sunk
15 February 1915	Ville de Lille	France	997	Sunk
18 February 1915	Dinorah	France	4,208	Damaged
19 February 1915	Belridge	Norway	7,020	Damaged
26 May 1915	M. Roosval	Sweden	309	Sunk
26 May 1915	Betty	Denmark	2,109	Sunk
28 May 1915	Mars	Russian Empire	251	Sunk
30 May 1915	Søborg	Denmark	2,108	Sunk
20 September 1915	Thorvaldsen	Denmark	1,220	Sunk
26 September 1915	Ellen Benzon	Denmark	143	Sunk
29 September 1915	Flora	Norway	184	Sunk
29 September 1915	Actie	Norway	562	Sunk
30 September 1915	Florida	Norway	558	Sunk
1 October 1915	Pallas	Sweden	838	Captured as prize

References

Citations

1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Claus Hansen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Leo Hillebrand (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 16". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 19 February 2014.

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.