SM U-78

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-78.
History
German Empire
Name: U-78
Ordered: 6 January 1915
Builder: AG Vulkan, Hamburg ( 56)
Launched: 31 October 1915
Commissioned: 26 January 1916
Fate: 27 October 1918 - Torpedoed by HMS G2 N of North Sea at 56°2′N 5°8′E / 56.033°N 5.133°E / 56.033; 5.133. 40 dead (all hands lost).[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UE I submarine
Displacement:
  • 755 t (743 long tons) surfaced
  • 832 t (819 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 5.00 m (16 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Height: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught: 4.86 m (15 ft 11 in)
Installed power:
  • 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 800 PS (588 kW; 789 shp) submerged
Propulsion: 2 shafts, 2× 1.41 m (4 ft 8 in) propellers
Speed:
  • 9.9 knots (18.3 km/h; 11.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 7,880 nmi (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 83 nmi (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement: 4 officers, 28 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Otto Dröscher[3]
  • 20 April 1916 – 15 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl Thouret[4]
  • 16–31 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Johann Vollbrecht[5]
  • 1–27 February 1918
  • Kptlt. Karl Vesper[6]
  • 1 March – 26 April 1918
  • Kptlt. Wilhelm Meyer[7]
  • 27 April – 24 May 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Johann Vollbrecht[5]
  • 25 May – 28 October 1918
Operations: 12 patrols
Victories:
  • 17 ships sunk 27,488 GRT
  • 2 ships damaged 11,332 GRT
  • 2 merchant ships taken as prize 3,427 GRT[1]

SM U-78 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-78 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic as a minelayer. On 27 October 1918 low frequency communications from U-78 in the Skagerrak were detected by the British submarine HMS G2 which sank her with the loss of her crew of 40. The commonly listed sinking date of October 28, 1918 is in error.[1]

The wreck has been identified in April 2014.

Original documents from Room 40

The following is a verbatim transcription of the recorded activities of SM U-78 known to British Naval Intelligence, Room 40 O.B.:[8] SM U-78. Kptlt. Dröscher, later to U-117, but not before May 1917; then Kptlt. Vollbrecht. Was completed at Hamburg (Vulcan) in May 1916, joined the Kiel School and remained there until the 8th of July, when she went to Wilhelmshaven, and was attached to the 1st Half Flotilla.

Note: S.S. = Steam Ship; S.V. = Sailing Vessel; northabout, Muckle Flugga, Fair I. = around Scotland; Sound, Belts, Kattegat = via North of Denmark to/from German Baltic ports; Bight = to/from German North Sea ports; success = sinking of ships [9]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)
Fate[10]
16 July 1916 Vidar  Sweden 2,178 Captured as a prize
5 August 1916 Aranda  Norway 1,838 Sunk
2 September 1916 Kelvinia  United Kingdom 5,039 Sunk
26 September 1916 HMT Loch Shiel  Royal Navy 216 Sunk
21 October 1916 Atle Jarl  Norway 1,249 Captured as a prize
16 November 1916 Vega  Norway 1,204 Sunk
13 December 1916 Kursk  Russian Empire 7,869 Damaged
7 February 1917 Väring  Sweden 2,107 Sunk
13 February 1917 Barnsley  United Kingdom 144 Sunk
15 February 1917 Stralsund  Norway 510 Sunk
3 March 1917 Meldon  United Kingdom 2,514 Sunk
2 April 1917 Sagitta  Norway 1,981 Sunk
2 April 1917 Tithonus  Royal Navy 3,463 Damaged
4 April 1917 Vladimir Reitz  Denmark 2,128 Sunk
5 April 1917 Bris  Denmark 101 Sunk
7 April 1917 HMS Jason  Royal Navy 810 Sunk
13 April 1917 Strathcona  Canada 1,881 Sunk
14 April 1917 Andromache  United Kingdom 313 Sunk
19 April 1917 HMT Lobelia  Royal Navy 184 Sunk
17 June 1917 Fornebo  United Kingdom 4,259 Sunk
13 December 1917 Arnewood  United Kingdom 2,259 Sunk

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 78". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 10-11.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Dröscher (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Thouret". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  5. 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johann Vollbrecht". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Vesper (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Meyer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  8. National Archives, Kew: HW 7/3, Room 40, History of German Naval Warfare 1914-1918 (Published below - Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918)
  9. 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.
  10. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 78". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.

Bibliography

External links

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