SM UB-85 was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 26 October 1917, and was commissioned later that same year. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-85 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-85 would carry a crew of up to 3 officers and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8,180 nautical miles (15,150 km; 9,410 mi). UB-85 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 647 t (637 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) when submerged.
Service historyedit
On her second patrol, she was picked up by HM DrifterCoreopsis II[Note 2] off the coast of Belfast, Ireland on 30 April 1918, after she was partially flooded through a semi-open hatch while trying to evade attack by the British vessel.[3] The ingress of water could not be controlled, since cables for a heater in the officers' compartment had previously been laid through a watertight door, by order of Kapt. Krech.[5] The submarine was forced to surface and was abandoned by her crew while under fire. No casualties occurred amongst the 34 crew and they were taken as prisoners of war.[6]
Under interrogation, the captain is reported to have said that the submarine had surfaced the night before to recharge the batteries and had been attacked by a large sea creature that had damaged the vessel and left it unable to submerge. The crew had fired their sidearms at the creature.[7][8]
Wreckedit
Engineers working on an electricity cable, the Western HVDC Link, discovered the almost intact wreck of a UB-III class submarine, believed to be either UB-85 or UB-82, lying off the Galloway coast in October 2016.[9] Dr Innes McCartney who identified the wreck said: "We are certainly closer to solving the so-called mystery of UB-85 and the reason behind its sinking - whether common mechanical failure or something that is less easily explained."[7]
^ abcHelgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 85". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
^Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Günther Krech". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
^Messimer, Dwight R. (2002). Verschollen: World War I U-boat Losses. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 210. ISBN978-1557504753.
^"NOTICE OF INTENDED DISTRIBUTION OF NAVAL PRIZE BOUNTY MONEY". The London Gazette (32515): 8942. 11 November 1921. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
^ ab"Experts move a step closer to uncovering the mystery of the German submarine "attacked by a sea monster" in WWI". New Zealand Herald. 19 October 2016.
^Sweeney, James B. Sea Monsters: A Collection of Eyewitness Accounts. D. McKay Co., 1977.
^"Wreck of German U-boat found off coast of Stranraer". BBC. 19 October 2016.
Notesedit
^"SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN0-85177-593-4.
Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN3-7637-5213-7.
External linksedit
Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 85". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
April 12, 2024
other, ships, with, same, name, german, submarine, note, type, boat, german, imperial, navy, german, kaiserliche, marine, during, world, ordered, september, 1916, boat, built, weser, shipyard, bremen, commissioned, november, 1917, under, command, kapitänleutna. For other ships with the same name see German submarine U 85 SM UB 85 Note 1 was a Type UB III U boat in the German Imperial Navy German Kaiserliche Marine during World War I Ordered on 23 September 1916 the U boat was built at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen and commissioned on 24 November 1917 under the command of Kapitanleutnant Gunther Krech 3 UB 148 at sea a U boat similar to UB 85 HistoryGerman EmpireNameUB 85Ordered23 September 1916 2 BuilderAG Weser BremenCost3 341 000 German PapiermarkYard number285Laid down24 January 1917 3 Launched26 October 1917 1 Commissioned24 November 1917 1 FateSunk 30 April 1918 by British destroyer at 54 47 N 5 23 W 54 783 N 5 383 W 54 783 5 383 1 General characteristics 1 Class and typeGerman Type UB III submarineDisplacement516 t 508 long tons surfaced 647 t 637 long tons submergedLength55 85 m 183 ft 3 in o a Beam5 80 m 19 ft Draught3 72 m 12 ft 2 in Propulsion2 propeller shaft 2 Daimler four stroke 6 cylinder diesel engines 1 050 bhp 780 kW 2 BBC electric motors 780 shp 580 kW Speed13 4 knots 24 8 km h 15 4 mph surfaced 7 5 knots 13 9 km h 8 6 mph submergedRange8 180 nmi 15 150 km 9 410 mi at 6 knots 11 km h 6 9 mph surfaced 50 nmi 93 km 58 mi at 4 knots 7 4 km h 4 6 mph submergedTest depth50 m 160 ft Complement3 officers 31 men 1 Armament5 50 cm 19 7 in torpedo tubes 4 bow 1 stern 10 torpedoes 1 8 8 cm 3 46 in deck gunService recordPart of V Flotilla 10 February 30 April 1918Commanders Kptlt Gunther Krech 4 24 November 1917 30 April 1918Operations 2 patrolsVictories None Contents 1 Construction 2 Service history 3 Relationship with cryptozoology 4 Wreck 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 7 Bibliography 8 External linksConstruction editMain article German Type UB III submarine SM UB 85 was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction launched at Bremen on 26 October 1917 and was commissioned later that same year Like all Type UB III submarines UB 85 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8 8 cm 3 46 in deck gun UB 85 would carry a crew of up to 3 officers and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8 180 nautical miles 15 150 km 9 410 mi UB 85 had a displacement of 516 t 508 long tons while surfaced and 647 t 637 long tons when submerged Her engines enabled her to travel at 13 4 knots 24 8 km h 15 4 mph when surfaced and 7 5 knots 13 9 km h 8 6 mph when submerged Service history editOn her second patrol she was picked up by HM Drifter Coreopsis II Note 2 off the coast of Belfast Ireland on 30 April 1918 after she was partially flooded through a semi open hatch while trying to evade attack by the British vessel 3 The ingress of water could not be controlled since cables for a heater in the officers compartment had previously been laid through a watertight door by order of Kapt Krech 5 The submarine was forced to surface and was abandoned by her crew while under fire No casualties occurred amongst the 34 crew and they were taken as prisoners of war 6 Relationship with cryptozoology editUnder interrogation the captain is reported to have said that the submarine had surfaced the night before to recharge the batteries and had been attacked by a large sea creature that had damaged the vessel and left it unable to submerge The crew had fired their sidearms at the creature 7 8 Wreck editEngineers working on an electricity cable the Western HVDC Link discovered the almost intact wreck of a UB III class submarine believed to be either UB 85 or UB 82 lying off the Galloway coast in October 2016 9 Dr Innes McCartney who identified the wreck said We are certainly closer to solving the so called mystery of UB 85 and the reason behind its sinking whether common mechanical failure or something that is less easily explained 7 See also editSM U 28 Germany References edit a b c d e Groner 1991 pp 25 30 Rossler 1979 p 55 a b c Helgason Gudmundur WWI U boats UB 85 German and Austrian U boats of World War I Kaiserliche Marine Uboat net Retrieved 9 March 2011 Helgason Gudmundur WWI U boat commanders Gunther Krech German and Austrian U boats of World War I Kaiserliche Marine Uboat net Retrieved 9 March 2015 Messimer Dwight R 2002 Verschollen World War I U boat Losses Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press p 210 ISBN 978 1557504753 NOTICE OF INTENDED DISTRIBUTION OF NAVAL PRIZE BOUNTY MONEY The London Gazette 32515 8942 11 November 1921 Retrieved 15 November 2017 a b Experts move a step closer to uncovering the mystery of the German submarine attacked by a sea monster in WWI New Zealand Herald 19 October 2016 Sweeney James B Sea Monsters A Collection of Eyewitness Accounts D McKay Co 1977 Wreck of German U boat found off coast of Stranraer BBC 19 October 2016 Notes edit SM stands for Seiner Majestat English His Majesty s and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty s Submarine Not HMS Coreopsis 1917 a sloop and Q ship with which it is often confused Bibliography editBendert Harald 2000 Die UB Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine 1914 1918 Einsatze Erfolge Schicksal in German Hamburg Verlag E S Mittler amp Sohn GmbH ISBN 3 8132 0713 7 Groner Erich Jung Dieter Maass Martin 1991 German Warships 1815 1945 U boats and Mine Warfare Vessels Vol 2 Translated by Thomas Keith Magowan Rachel London Conway Maritime Press ISBN 0 85177 593 4 Rossler Eberhard 1979 Die deutschen U Boote und ihre Werften eine Bilddokumentation uber den deutschen U Bootbau in zwei Banden in German Vol I Munich Bernard amp Graefe ISBN 3 7637 5213 7 External links editHelgason Gudmundur WWI U boats UB 85 German and Austrian U boats of World War I Kaiserliche Marine Uboat net Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SM UB 85 amp oldid 1198370864, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
