User:Trekphiler/SM U-draft

SM U-92 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) in World War I. She was engaged in the commerce warfare in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Construction of U-92 was ordered in August 1915, and her keel was laid in August 1916 at the Kaiserliche Werft yard in Danzig. She was launched in October 1917, and sunk by mine 9 September 1918. 

Operations
After acceptance trials at Danzig (where she was first detected by Room 40, which followed and recorded all her subsequent movements), She was again assigned to the southwest Ireland station. On this long patrol, from which she returned to Kiel on about 28 May (Room 40 was uncertain of the date), she was attacked three times by enemy A/S forces (once by patrol seaplane), and again scored no successes.

She returned to Ireland station for her fourth patrol, sortieing 29 June. Despite coming under attack on only the second day of her patrol, by submarine E42, she attacked a convoy eight days later, on 9 July, but was prevented from scoring and suffered damage in a collision. By the end of her patrol, on 22 July, she had sunk 22,000 tons of shipping.

"SM U-92.


 * 29th June - 22nd July 1918. From Bight northabout to S.W. of Ireland. By 14th July claimed 22,000 tons sinkings. Returned northabout and Sound. Attacked by H.M. submarine E42 on second day out. U-92 attacked a convoy on 9th July, was chased off and damaged by ramming.
 * 4th September 1918. Left by Kattegat and was sunk by a mine in Northern Barrage (Area B) on 9th September 1918, possibly in about 59°N., 1°30'W."

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

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 * . Came off the stocks in October 1917. After practicing in Danzig, joined the Kiel Submarine School on 2 November 1917 and left from there for the North Sea about the end of December 1917.
 * Tactical Unit: 3rd German Submarine Flotilla, stationed at this time.
 * C.O.: First 3 cruises Kaptlt. Bieler, then Kaptlt. Günther Ehrlich, lost with her.


 * Operations:
 * 1 January - 30 January 1918. From Heligoland around Scotland to northern part of Bay of Biscay. Heavy fog, reported no sinkings. Returned around Scotland, Muckle Flugga,.
 * 24 February - 23 March 1918. From Wilhelmshaven via Kiel Canal to Kiel, Baltic, then via Denmark and around Scotland to south-west Ireland. On the way out was in neighbourhood of the Skaw for 2 days in connection with the stranding of the German raider’s WOLF prize IGOTZ MENDI. On 4 March 1918 she attacked the armed steam ship S.S British Princess, 7034 BRT, by torpedo without warning, causing 1 dead. The ship was damaged and could reach port . No sinkings on this cruise. , Back around Scotland and by Sound to Kiel.
 * 24 April - ? 28 May 1918. From Heligoland via Kiel Canal to the Baltic, then via Denmark and around Scotland, Fair Island, to south-west of Ireland, back by Scotland, Muckle Flugga, Sound, and Kiel Canal to Wilhelmshaven . Was four times engaged by enemy forces (once by seaplane). No sinkings. After the cruise Kptlt. Bieler was relieved of his command, which was the usual practise for C.O.s without sinkings in 3 consecutive cruises..
 * 29 June - 22 July 1918. Kptlt. Ehrlich. From Wilhelmshaven to Heligoland and around Scotland to the south-west of Ireland. Attacked by H.M. submarine E42 on second day out south of the Dogger Bank by 2 torpedoes, which missed . U-92 attacked a convoy on 9 July, was chased off and damaged by ramming Boat made 2 tons of water, and was heavily damaged. She could only dive with great problems, but continued its cruise. Returned via Scotland, Sound, and Kiel Canal to Wilhelmshaven. By 14 July claimed 22,000 tons sinkings :
 * 8.7.1918, S.S. Ben Lomond, 2814 BRT, British armed Steam Ship, sunk, torpedoed without warning 30 miles S.E. of Daunts Rock. 23 Lives lost, including Master;
 * 8.7.1918, S.S. Mars, 3550 BRT, British armed Steam Ship, sunk, torpedoed without warning in a convoy of 30 ships 74 miles W. by N. from Bishop Rock;
 * 10.7.1918 S.V. Charles Theriault, 339 BRT, British armed Sailing Vessel, attacked by gun, damaged, towed in;
 * 11.7.1918 S.S. Westover, 5590 BRT, U.S. Steam Ship, from New York to France, torpedoed without warning at wind force 6, sunk;
 * 13.7.1918 S.S. Ramon de Larrinaga, 3058 BRT, Spanish Steam Ship, sunk with warning by 2 torpedoes;
 * 4 September 1918. Wilhelmshaven, Kiel Canal, Skagerrak, into North Sea. Was sunk by a mine in the Northern Barrage (Area B), a brand-new, gigantic US mine-barrier between south Norway and north Scotland, on 9 September 1918, in about 59°N., 1°30'W. All hands lost: 42 officer and men.

Lingua nautica
Just so it doesn't get challenged or taken out as unsupported, time in harbor between patrols is a refit period, so it's safe to say so. Also, Bieler seems to have suffered lack of nerve, judging by his poor results. And I'd like to say if she was driven off by escorts or by an aggressive merchie in her collision; if she doesn't sink, I hesitate to call it ramming, & it also suggests it wasn't an escort (which would seem more likely to sink her).  TREKphiler any time you're ready, Uhura 20:39, 25 December 2009 (UTC)