SM U-16 (Austria-Hungary)
History | |
---|---|
Austria-Hungary | |
Name | SM U-16 |
Ordered | 1 April 1915[4] |
Builder | AG Weser, Bremen[4] |
Yard number | 233[2][3] |
Laid down | April 1915[3] |
Launched | 31 August 1915[1] |
Completed | 30 September 1915[1] |
Commissioned | 6 October 1915[5] |
Fate | Sunk, 17 October 1916[6] |
Service record | |
Commanders: |
|
Victories: | |
General characteristics | |
Type | U-10-class submarine |
Displacement |
|
Length |
|
Beam | 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in) |
Draught | 3.03 m (9 ft 11 in) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range | |
Test depth | 50 m (160 ft)[8] |
Complement | 17[4] |
Armament |
|
SM U-16 or U-XVI was a U-10-class submarine or U-boat of the Austro-Hungarian Navy (German: Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine or K.u. K. Kriegsmarine) during World War I. U-16 was constructed in Germany and shipped by rail to Pola where she was assembled and completed in September 1915. She was commissioned in October 1915.
For most of her career, U-16 operated in the
Design and construction
U-16 was a small, coastal submarine that displaced 125.5 long tons (127.5 t) surfaced and 140.25 long tons (142.50 t) submerged. She featured a single shaft, a single 60 bhp (45 kW)
U-16 was equipped with two 45 cm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes located in the front and carried a complement of two torpedoes. Although most members of the class were outfitted with a 37 mm/23 (1.5 in) quick-firing (QF) gun to supplement their armament in October 1916, it is not known whether this upgrade had yet taken place on U-16 by the time of her sinking during that month.[4]
U-16 was ordered by the Austro-Hungarian Navy on 1 April 1915 and
Operational history
SM U-16 was commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy on 6 October under the command of
U-16 set out on her next patrol on 3 December, but had to return to fix a broken gyrocompass, and was underway for Albania the next day. On 5 December, the sailboat Xephanie was stopped, searched, and allowed to proceed.[1] Near the same location, U-16 next encountered Fione Albania again. When stopped this time, the 62 GRT ship had Montenegrin soldiers, weapons, and ammunition aboard. The vessel was seized as a prize and taken back to Kotor.[1][11][Note 3] U-16 attempted two more Albanian patrols at the end of December. The first, departing Kotor on 19 December, was cut short by severe weather that forced the submarine back to port. The next attempt, on 25 December, ended when U-16 suffered engine problems. U-16 sailed for Pula on 27 December for more extensive engine repairs at the naval base there.[1]
U-16's repairs were complete by 9 January 1916 when the submarine departed Pula for diving tests with Field Marshal
From late April to early September, U-16 patrolled the Adriatic between
Fate
On 9 October 1916, when the repairs were complete, U-16 set out for another Albanian patrol. The submarine made a detour to Djenovic on 11 October to replace another faulty gyrocompass,[1] but quickly resumed her journey to the Vlorë area.[12] After discovering an Italian convoy on 17 October,[12] Zopa torpedoed and sank one of the convoy escorts, the Nembo.[6] In the ensuing action, U-16 was sunk, but sources disagree on the exact manner. [13] Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 reports that the Italian steamer Bormida, one of the convoyed ships, rammed and damaged U-16, causing U-16's crew to scuttle their ship due to the severity of the damage.[4][Note 4] Uboat.net's U-Boat War in World War I reports that Nembo herself rammed U-16 before going down,[14] while Robert Grant and Gordon Smith give another possible fate for U-16: that Nembo's depth charges detonated and sank the submarine while Nembo was sinking.[6][12] Smith reports that 11 men aboard U-16, including her commanding officer Zopa, lost their lives in the sinking, and that two survivors were picked up.[12] U-16 was the only boat of her class to be sunk during the war.[4]
Exploration of the wreck site
In 2015 the Albanian-American team comprising the RPM Nautical Foundation and The Albanian Center for Marine Research located a wreck south-west of
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 5] | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|
23 November 1915 | Unione | Italy | 25 | Sunk |
7 December 1915 | Fiore Albania | Albania | 62 | Captured as prize |
16 October 1916 | Nembo | Regia Marina | 330 | Sunk |
Total: | 417 |
Notes
- ^ The Austro-Hungarian U-10 class and the German Type UB I were virtually identical.
- ^ Two of U-16's sister ships, SM U-15 and SM U-17, were commissioned the same day.
- ^ The date is reported as either 5 or 7 December.
- ^ Conway's (p. 343) reports the name of the ship as "Borminda", which does not show up in ship registries. Rodger Haworth reports an Italian cargo ship by the name of "Bormida" active from 1884 to 1928, which agrees with one of the names given by Gordon Smith.
For Haworth, see: "Bormida (5615289)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
For Smith, see: Smith, Gordon (15 September 2008). "Austro-Hungarian Navy: Submarines". World War 1 at Sea. Retrieved 10 November 2008. - gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Tengeralattjárók" (PDF) (in Hungarian). Imperial and Royal Navy Association. pp. 12, 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2009.
- ^ Baumgartner and Sieche, as excerpted here (reprinted and translated into English by Sieche). Retrieved 17 November 2008.
- ^ a b c "U-16 (6104942)". Miramar Ship Index.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Gardiner, p. 343.
- ^ a b c d e Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: KUK U16". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
- ^ a b c Grant, p. 163.
- ^ Gardiner, p. 180.
- ^ Messimer, p. 137.
- ^ Messimer, p. 126–27.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Unione". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Fiore Albania". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Gordon (15 September 2008). "Austro-Hungarian Navy: Submarines". World War 1 at Sea. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by KUK U16". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Nembo". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ Zahranicni.eurozpravy.cz: Čeští potápěči se dostali k vraku rakousko-uherské ponorky; 2017 (czech)
Bibliography
- Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Baumgartner, Lothar; Erwin Sieche (1999). Die Schiffe der k.(u.)k. Kriegsmarine im Bild = Austro-Hungarian warships in photographs (in German). OCLC 43596931.
- Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. OCLC 12119866.
- Grant, Robert M. (2002) [1964]. U-boats Destroyed: The Effect of Anti-submarine Warfare, 1914–1918. OCLC 50215640.
- Messimer, Dwight R. (2002). Verschollen: World War I U-boat Losses. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. OCLC 231973419.