SM U-12 (Germany)

SM U 12 was a petroleum - electric submarine of the German Imperial Navy, which was used in the First World War.

Inserts

U 12 was on May 6, 1910 at the Imperial Shipyard in Gdansk from the stack and was put into service on August 13, 1911. The Indienststellungs commander of the submarine was Claus Rücker. From 1 August 1914 to February 9, 1915, commanded Walter Forstmann. On February 10, 1915 on took Lieutenant Hans Kratzsch the command.

U 12 led in the years 1914 and 1915 by four combat missions. On November 11, 1914 recessed Forstmann with U 12 the British minesweeper Niger. On March 9, 1915, one day before his own demise, sank U 12, the British steamship Aberdon.

U 12 was one of the first submarines, with which the use of onboard aircraft was tested.

Whereabouts

On March 4, 1915 U 12 ran from Helgoland to a patrol at the British east coast. On the morning of March 10, 1915 the submarine was sighted by a British fishing vessel at the lighthouse Fife Ness, near the Scottish village of Crail. The fishermen called down three British destroyers Acheron, and Ariel Attack. The destroyers were after about an hour on the spot and fired on the German U- boat. Lieutenant Kratzsch let dive immediately. The Ariel, however, managed to ram the conning tower of the submarine wegtauchenden, who was also severely damaged by at least one grenade hit. This forced U 12 to show up. Kratzsch was then killed by another artillery fire in the damaged tower. The crew of the submarine made ​​explosives with time fuses sharp for it to sink themselves and to prevent confiscation by the British. The self-absorption by the following explosion took place so quickly that not all crew members could go in time to disembark. Of the 30 anti-submarine drivers survived 2 officers and 8 non-commissioned officers and men who were rescued by the British. U 12 sank about 17 against clock. 56 ° 7 ' N, 2 ° 20' W56.116666666667 - 2.3333333333333: As an approximate position coordinates the following apply.

The wreck of U 12 was 13 January 2008 found by two Scottish divers. It is around 50 m depth about 42.5 km off the Scottish port Eyemouth.