SM U 15
U-15. 09/08/1914
U13 Class U boat.
Displacement: 644t disp (surf)
Length: 57.9m. Beam: 6m. Draught: 3.4 m.
Propulsion: . Diesel and batteries
Complement: 25 officers and men.
Crew Lost: 25
Armament: 4 T.T., (2 bow/2 stern, 6 torpedoes, 1 x 105mm deck gun
U13 Class U boat.
Displacement: 644t disp (surf)
Length: 57.9m. Beam: 6m. Draught: 3.4 m.
Propulsion: . Diesel and batteries
Complement: 25 officers and men.
Crew Lost: 25
Armament: 4 T.T., (2 bow/2 stern, 6 torpedoes, 1 x 105mm deck gun
Constructed by Kaiserliche Werft Danzig, U-15 was ordered in February 1909 and was commissioned on 7 July 1912. U 15 left port for its first patrol on 1 August 1914 under the command of Kptlt. Richard Pohle.
The Loss
HMS Birmingham spotted a U 15 sitting on the surface through a thick fog and could hear hammering from inside the boat. It is possible the crew were trying to repair a damaged engine.
The Birmingham's Captain Arthur Duff ordered his crew to fire on the U-boat, but missed. As U-15 attempted to dive to avoid the attack, HMS Birmingham rammed the U Boat at full speed, and cut it in half killing the 25 crew.
The Birmingham's Captain Arthur Duff ordered his crew to fire on the U-boat, but missed. As U-15 attempted to dive to avoid the attack, HMS Birmingham rammed the U Boat at full speed, and cut it in half killing the 25 crew.
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Taken from logbook HMS Birmingham ADM 53/35404 (Feb 1914 to Jan 1915)
3.50. Observed German Submarine No.15 by N.E. about 1000x a(c towards here and increased to full speed. Opened fire with ????? and rammed her twice, there by sinking her. Stern very slightly damaged.
Position of action 58 23'N 2 5'E
Position of action 58 23'N 2 5'E
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Newspapers
Coventry Evening Telegraph - Tuesday 11 August 1914
H.M.S. Birmingham.
THE CRUISER WHICH SUNK THE SUBMARINE.
The following message from Mr. Churchill addressed to the Lord Mayor was received in Birmingham last evening : Birmingham will learn with pride that the first German submarine destroyed in the war was sunk by H.M.S. Birmingham—First Lord Admiralty. In the absence of the Land MayOr the Deputy Lord Mayor (Alderman Bowater) replied:— "On behalf of the citizens Birmingham I thank you for the intimation that H.M.S. Birmingham has so distinguished herself. The Birmingham is one of our more recently completed light cruisers. She was only put into commission last year by Captain Arthur Duff. Her connection with Birmingham was cemented not long since by presents from that city. Birmingham is about 450 ft. long with a displacement 5,400 tons and a horse-power of 25,000, which gives her of nearly 26.5 knots. A belt of 3in. steel gives protection the vitals and her armament consists of eight 6in. guns and two 21 in. torpedo tubes. It is among the duties of such cruisers as the Birmingham to assist in the protection of the battle fleet from torpedo craft, and her speed and handiness make her a useful vessel for this purpose, as the present occasion shows.
H.M.S. Birmingham.
THE CRUISER WHICH SUNK THE SUBMARINE.
The following message from Mr. Churchill addressed to the Lord Mayor was received in Birmingham last evening : Birmingham will learn with pride that the first German submarine destroyed in the war was sunk by H.M.S. Birmingham—First Lord Admiralty. In the absence of the Land MayOr the Deputy Lord Mayor (Alderman Bowater) replied:— "On behalf of the citizens Birmingham I thank you for the intimation that H.M.S. Birmingham has so distinguished herself. The Birmingham is one of our more recently completed light cruisers. She was only put into commission last year by Captain Arthur Duff. Her connection with Birmingham was cemented not long since by presents from that city. Birmingham is about 450 ft. long with a displacement 5,400 tons and a horse-power of 25,000, which gives her of nearly 26.5 knots. A belt of 3in. steel gives protection the vitals and her armament consists of eight 6in. guns and two 21 in. torpedo tubes. It is among the duties of such cruisers as the Birmingham to assist in the protection of the battle fleet from torpedo craft, and her speed and handiness make her a useful vessel for this purpose, as the present occasion shows.
Tamworth Herald - Saturday 29 August 1914
THE SUCCESS OF H.M.S. BIRMINGHAM.
HOW THE SUBMARINE WAS SUNK.
The "Scotsman" has printed the following account from a correspondent of the action which resulted in the loss to the Germans of submarine U 15. It is a story of fine seamanship and brilliant gunnery- It is known generally that a cruiser squadron the British Fleet was attacked by a German submarine flotilla, and that the squadron sustained no loss, while destroying one of the enemy. The details of the action are of a character which reveal in their finest aspect those special qualities of the British Fleet which so amply warrant that regard in which it is held as "the sure shield of the Empire." The cruiser squadron, occupying its allotted place in the present naval dispositions, became aware of the approach of a submarine flotilla. The enemy approached submerged, only the periscopes showing above the surface of the water. The exact number of the attacking flotilla was noted, but need not be stated. The attitude of the squadron in face the approach of "the deadliest of the things that keep the sea" was coolly deceptive. There seems no doubt that the Germans were utterly misled. The tactics followed will not be described, though they were, of course, seen by the enemy's flotilla. Then came a change. The nearest submarine was showing her periscope at distance just within the danger zone, when the cruiser Birmingham, steaming at full speed, fired the first shot. The shot was not meant for the sunken body of the submarine beneath its deep cushion of the protecting waves. It was aimed at the thin line of the periscope which ripped the surface, and the gunnery was splendid. The periscope was shattered, and the submarine, now a blinded thing; rushing under water in immediate danger of self-destruction from collision with one of the cruisers ploughing above, was in a serious plight. Her consorts recognised their danger, and made off, but the sightless submarine, in the circumstances in which the action was being fought, was bound to come up the surface. The cruiser had not long to wait for her reappearance. As the dark mass of the conning tower the enemy showed on the surface, the guns of the Birmingham covered it, and in a moment the second shot of the fight was fired. There was time for the observers to see the extinguishing number and letter the doomed vessel ere a shot striking the base of the conning tower just where it was awash ripped the whole structure clean out of the submarine, and she sank like a stone. The shot from a vessel steaming at full speed provided the second example of the qualities of the gunners of the navy. The effect of the action upon the morale of the enemy, o far as the submarine service concerned, is calculated to be not inconsiderable, and the grim coolness of the cruiser squadron which completely deceived the opposing vessels by running in the silence of apparent unconsciousness almost within the range desired by their foes is not likely soon to forgotten by the German officer's of the surviving submarines who witnessed the occurrence.
THE SUCCESS OF H.M.S. BIRMINGHAM.
HOW THE SUBMARINE WAS SUNK.
The "Scotsman" has printed the following account from a correspondent of the action which resulted in the loss to the Germans of submarine U 15. It is a story of fine seamanship and brilliant gunnery- It is known generally that a cruiser squadron the British Fleet was attacked by a German submarine flotilla, and that the squadron sustained no loss, while destroying one of the enemy. The details of the action are of a character which reveal in their finest aspect those special qualities of the British Fleet which so amply warrant that regard in which it is held as "the sure shield of the Empire." The cruiser squadron, occupying its allotted place in the present naval dispositions, became aware of the approach of a submarine flotilla. The enemy approached submerged, only the periscopes showing above the surface of the water. The exact number of the attacking flotilla was noted, but need not be stated. The attitude of the squadron in face the approach of "the deadliest of the things that keep the sea" was coolly deceptive. There seems no doubt that the Germans were utterly misled. The tactics followed will not be described, though they were, of course, seen by the enemy's flotilla. Then came a change. The nearest submarine was showing her periscope at distance just within the danger zone, when the cruiser Birmingham, steaming at full speed, fired the first shot. The shot was not meant for the sunken body of the submarine beneath its deep cushion of the protecting waves. It was aimed at the thin line of the periscope which ripped the surface, and the gunnery was splendid. The periscope was shattered, and the submarine, now a blinded thing; rushing under water in immediate danger of self-destruction from collision with one of the cruisers ploughing above, was in a serious plight. Her consorts recognised their danger, and made off, but the sightless submarine, in the circumstances in which the action was being fought, was bound to come up the surface. The cruiser had not long to wait for her reappearance. As the dark mass of the conning tower the enemy showed on the surface, the guns of the Birmingham covered it, and in a moment the second shot of the fight was fired. There was time for the observers to see the extinguishing number and letter the doomed vessel ere a shot striking the base of the conning tower just where it was awash ripped the whole structure clean out of the submarine, and she sank like a stone. The shot from a vessel steaming at full speed provided the second example of the qualities of the gunners of the navy. The effect of the action upon the morale of the enemy, o far as the submarine service concerned, is calculated to be not inconsiderable, and the grim coolness of the cruiser squadron which completely deceived the opposing vessels by running in the silence of apparent unconsciousness almost within the range desired by their foes is not likely soon to forgotten by the German officer's of the surviving submarines who witnessed the occurrence.
The Wreck
U 15 has the UKHO Wreck Card 1728. The card was created in 1974 and has just one entry : ''Reported sun in 583500N, 015600E.( Naval staff monographs, Vol.10) NCA Posn for filing only''
A report on U Boat net says the wreck of U 15 was located in 2021.
A report on U Boat net says the wreck of U 15 was located in 2021.
The Crew
POHLE, RICHARD (31), Kapitänleutnant, Order of Naval Merit (Spain), Born 11.10.1882 in Paris,
ZERRATH, OTTO, Leutnant zur See, Born in Kaukehmen,
GRÜNDLER, OSKAR (33), Marine-Oberingenieur, Born 31.05.1881 in Rixdorf,
QUEISSER, REINHOLD, Steuermann, Born in Schweidnitz,
VITTER, HEINRICH, Maschinist, Born in Siegen,
BÖTTCHER, RICHARD, Heizer, Born in Potzlow,
DEBLIS DOBLIEß, MICHEL, Obermatrose, Born in Karkelbek,
FLORES, FERDINAND, Heizer, Born in Buer,
HANSEN-WOLFF, NICOLAI, Matrose, Born in Eckensund,
HUWE, MAX, Oberheizer, Born in Berlin,
KNÜPPEL, HEINRICH, Oberbootsmaat, Born in Diepholz,
LÖDING, HEINRICH, Obermaschinistenmaat, Born in Hamburg,
MAU, OTTO, Obermatrose, Born in Höxter,
RASCH, REINHOLD, Oberheizer, Born in Berlin,
RUSACK, HEINRICH, Maschinenmaat, Born in Kiel,
SCHMITZ, KARL, Maschinenmaat, Born in Burscheid,
SCHULZ, OTTO, Obermaschinistenmaat, Born in Vietz,
SCHÜTT, OTTO, Obermatrose, Born in Kiel,
SUHR, GUSTAV, Maschinenmaat, Born in Fuhlendorf,
THORDSEN, MARTIN, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Lindholm,
TILLMANN, RICHARD, Heizer, Born in Geburte: Tost,
VOLKMANN, OTTO, Funktelegraphie-Obergast, Born in Riesenburg,
WIETFELD, HEINRICH, Heizer, Born in Ütze,
ZIEGLER, ALOIS, Bootsmannmaat, Born in Ottersweiler,
ZSCHECH, ALWIN, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Schmölln,
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