SM U-8

SM U-8 sinking after being scuttled on March 4, 1915
History
German Empire
Name:	U-8
Ordered:	8 April 1908
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Cost:	2,540,000 Goldmark
Yard number:	150
Laid down:	19 May 1909
Launched:	14 March 1911
Commissioned:	18 June 1911
Fate:	4 March 1915 - Trapped in nets, forced to surface and scuttled under gunfire from HMS Gurkha and Maori at position 50°41′N 0°06′E / 50.683°N 0.100°ECoordinates: 50°41′N 0°06′E / 50.683°N 0.100°E.
General characteristics
Class and type:	German Type U 5 submarine
Displacement:	505 t (497 long tons) surfaced 636 t (626 long tons) submerged
Length:	57.30 m (188 ft) (o/a) 43.10 m (141 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	5.60 m (18 ft 4 in) (o/a) 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in) (pressure hull)
Draught:	3.55 m (11 ft 8 in)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × Körting 6-cylinder and 2 × Körting 8-cylinder two stroke paraffin motors with 900 PS (890 hp) 2 × SSW electric motors with 1,040 PS (1,030 hp) 550 rpm surfaced 600 rpm submerged
Speed:	13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced 10.2 knots (18.9 km/h; 11.7 mph) submerged
Range:	3,300 nmi (6,100 km; 3,800 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Test depth:	30 m (98 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 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Hotchkiss gun
Service record
Part of:	I Flotilla 1 August 1914 – 4 March 1915
Commanders:	Kptlt. Konrad Gansser[1] 1–31 August 1914 Kptlt. Alfred Stoß[2] 1 September 1914 – 4 March 1915
Operations:	1 patrol
Victories:	5 merchant ships sunk (15,049 GRT)

Service History

SM U-8 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-8 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Fate

Trapped in nets, forced to surface and scuttled under gunfire from HMS Gurkha and Maori, in the English Channel, at position 50°56′N 01°16′E / 50.933°N 1.267°E. In June 2015 the submarine's propeller, which had been illegally removed from the wreck, was recovered and presented to the German Navy. It will be exhibited at the Laboe Naval Memorial near Kiel.^[3][4]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[5]
23 February 1915	Branksome Chine	United Kingdom	2,026	Sunk
23 February 1915	Oakby	United Kingdom	1,976	Sunk
24 February 1915	Harpalion	United Kingdom	5,867	Sunk
24 February 1915	Rio Parana	United Kingdom	4,015	Sunk
24 February 1915	Western Coast	United Kingdom	1,165	Sunk

Note the upper rudder on the deck

References

1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Konrad Gansser (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Alfred Stoß". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
3. "WW1 German U-boat propeller returned". BBC News. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
4. "A symbol of friendship and reconcilation(sic)...". Maritime and Coastguard Agency. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 8". 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.
• Rössler, Eberhard (1985). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkriegs, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935-1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German) I (Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe). ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.

External links