SM U 40
U-40. 23/06/1915
Type: U31
Displacement: 878t disp (submerged)
Length: 64.7m. Beam: 6.2m. Draught: 3.56 m.
Propulsion: . 2 x diesel engines , 2 x electric motors
Complement: 32 officers and men.
Crew Lost: 29
Armament: 4 T.T., (2 bow/2 stern, 6 torpedoes, 1 x 105mm deck gun
Type: U31
Displacement: 878t disp (submerged)
Length: 64.7m. Beam: 6.2m. Draught: 3.56 m.
Propulsion: . 2 x diesel engines , 2 x electric motors
Complement: 32 officers and men.
Crew Lost: 29
Armament: 4 T.T., (2 bow/2 stern, 6 torpedoes, 1 x 105mm deck gun
U 40 was on the first patrol and was under the command of Kapitänleutnant Gerhardt Fürbringer.
The Loss
On the morning of 23rd June 1915 a trawler was spotted off Stonehaven. The U boat surfaced and fired a shot over the bow of the trawler.
Kapitänleutnant Gerhardt Fürbringer was unaware that the trawler was part of a trap and was connected to the British submarine C24 by a cable. The newspaper article below describes the operation despite crediting C-24 with the wrong U boat.
Kapitänleutnant Gerhardt Fürbringer was unaware that the trawler was part of a trap and was connected to the British submarine C24 by a cable. The newspaper article below describes the operation despite crediting C-24 with the wrong U boat.
Inverness Courier - Friday 07 March 1919
U-BOAT HUNTING.
HOW TRAWLERS WERE USED AS DECOYS.
In Blackwood’s for March, “ Klaxon ” continues his interesting series of articles, “The Story of Our Submarines.”
In the following extract he describes the ingenious method by which our fishing fleets were protected from submarine attack : — In April 1915, the idea of using a fishing trawler as a decoy originated in the Vulcan’s flotilla (G-class submarines)—based on Leith. The U-boat had been sinking our fishing boats at their leisure, and it was clear that if a few U-boats were mysteriously lost on this duty, it would be a discouraging thought for the remainder. It mast be remembered that a “missing” boat has a certain moral effect—a boat openly sunk by gun-fire, serves only as an example for others to be more careful. If a certain duty or a certain area becomes unhealthy for U-boats without, any explanation, it tends to make the enemy wary of sending boats out on similar work until the matter in cleared up. Hence the secretiveness of the Admiralty during the war on the losses of enemy submarines. Prisoners' taken from U-boats were prevented from explaining to anybody how their boats were sunk,
It may have been from humanity, or it may have been from the consideration that U-boat prisoners were usually communicative in a useful way, but orders were strict that as many prisoners as possible were to be saved from the water when U-boats were sunk, The Vulcan's idea was of masterly simplicity. The U-boats found a fishing fleet easy prey; therefore a fishing fleet with a “catch” on it would get results. One trawler of each fleet was to tow, instead of a trawl, a C class submarine.
The submarine would keep well submerged at the end of the hawser, and need not necessarily keep a periscope lookout, in view of the act that the critical moment for her to slip tow (a tow can he slipped while submerged) would be notified to her by telephone from the trawler's bridge. Submarine C 24 was the first to show that the theory worked out in practice, It will be seen, however, that she did the work under a considerable handicap, and had the most aggravating experience a submarine can have-—that of doing an attack with “something wrong with the works. Lieut. Taylor, in command, reported ;
— ' “At 9.30 a.m., June 23rd, I heard a report which I took to be an explosive signal from trawler Taranaki to show my periscope, I being at 30 feet. I telephoned her for confirmation, and got the answer, ‘Submarine 1500 yards on port bow;’ and then again, as trawler altered course, ‘ Submarine 1000 yards astern.’ I gave the order to slip, but the slip- gear jammed in C 24. 1 then told Turanaki to slip her end, which she did. I went ahead, helm hard a-starboard, to attack submarine astern. The boat immediately sank to 38 feet with 5 degs. inclination, bow down. The trim then took some time to adjust, as I had, at that time, 100 fathoms of 33-inch wire hawser, 100 fathom 8-inch coir hawser, and 100 fathom telephone cable hanging from the bows. Eventually sighted enemy's conning-tower 1000 yards off. Closed to 500 yards, maneuvered for beam shot, and fired 9.55 a.m. Torpedo hit enemy amidships. I then came to the surface and picked up U 40 Captain. My propeller then refused to move, and it was found that there were 20 turns of telephone cable round the shaft . . .” Lieut.-Commander Edwards (in trawler Taranaki) was, of course, ignorant of the fact that C 24 was somewhat hampered by these cables hanging at the bow:—
09 30 am., June 23rd.— Enemy submarine rose and fired a shot across my bows from 2000 yards range—shell burst 20 yards ahead—informed C 24 by telephone.
9.45: Slipped Taranaki’s end of tow, as C 24’s slip had jammed. Got boat out to simulate abandoning ship and panic. Saw C 24 periscope pass, attacking. 9.55: Observed torpedo run and explode under conning-tower of enemy. An officer and a petty officer the only survivors.
The success of this scheme of U-boat hunting depended, of course, entirely on the secrecy maintained as to its existence ; It was therefore unfortunate that the prisoners from U 23 (sic) were allowed to mix with interned German civilians who were about to be repatriated—a mistake which was excusable in the midst of the general confusion caused in the authorities minds by the change from peace to war. At that date the disposal of prisoners was out of the Admiralty’s hands, and on this mistake being discovered, steps were taken that prisoners having secrets to tell should be prevented from telling them to Germany. The trawler scheme of hunting, however, had to be given up for some time.
NOTE: U 23 was sunk by C-27 in conjunction with trawler Princess Louise on 20th July 1915, 10 crew were saved.
U-BOAT HUNTING.
HOW TRAWLERS WERE USED AS DECOYS.
In Blackwood’s for March, “ Klaxon ” continues his interesting series of articles, “The Story of Our Submarines.”
In the following extract he describes the ingenious method by which our fishing fleets were protected from submarine attack : — In April 1915, the idea of using a fishing trawler as a decoy originated in the Vulcan’s flotilla (G-class submarines)—based on Leith. The U-boat had been sinking our fishing boats at their leisure, and it was clear that if a few U-boats were mysteriously lost on this duty, it would be a discouraging thought for the remainder. It mast be remembered that a “missing” boat has a certain moral effect—a boat openly sunk by gun-fire, serves only as an example for others to be more careful. If a certain duty or a certain area becomes unhealthy for U-boats without, any explanation, it tends to make the enemy wary of sending boats out on similar work until the matter in cleared up. Hence the secretiveness of the Admiralty during the war on the losses of enemy submarines. Prisoners' taken from U-boats were prevented from explaining to anybody how their boats were sunk,
It may have been from humanity, or it may have been from the consideration that U-boat prisoners were usually communicative in a useful way, but orders were strict that as many prisoners as possible were to be saved from the water when U-boats were sunk, The Vulcan's idea was of masterly simplicity. The U-boats found a fishing fleet easy prey; therefore a fishing fleet with a “catch” on it would get results. One trawler of each fleet was to tow, instead of a trawl, a C class submarine.
The submarine would keep well submerged at the end of the hawser, and need not necessarily keep a periscope lookout, in view of the act that the critical moment for her to slip tow (a tow can he slipped while submerged) would be notified to her by telephone from the trawler's bridge. Submarine C 24 was the first to show that the theory worked out in practice, It will be seen, however, that she did the work under a considerable handicap, and had the most aggravating experience a submarine can have-—that of doing an attack with “something wrong with the works. Lieut. Taylor, in command, reported ;
— ' “At 9.30 a.m., June 23rd, I heard a report which I took to be an explosive signal from trawler Taranaki to show my periscope, I being at 30 feet. I telephoned her for confirmation, and got the answer, ‘Submarine 1500 yards on port bow;’ and then again, as trawler altered course, ‘ Submarine 1000 yards astern.’ I gave the order to slip, but the slip- gear jammed in C 24. 1 then told Turanaki to slip her end, which she did. I went ahead, helm hard a-starboard, to attack submarine astern. The boat immediately sank to 38 feet with 5 degs. inclination, bow down. The trim then took some time to adjust, as I had, at that time, 100 fathoms of 33-inch wire hawser, 100 fathom 8-inch coir hawser, and 100 fathom telephone cable hanging from the bows. Eventually sighted enemy's conning-tower 1000 yards off. Closed to 500 yards, maneuvered for beam shot, and fired 9.55 a.m. Torpedo hit enemy amidships. I then came to the surface and picked up U 40 Captain. My propeller then refused to move, and it was found that there were 20 turns of telephone cable round the shaft . . .” Lieut.-Commander Edwards (in trawler Taranaki) was, of course, ignorant of the fact that C 24 was somewhat hampered by these cables hanging at the bow:—
09 30 am., June 23rd.— Enemy submarine rose and fired a shot across my bows from 2000 yards range—shell burst 20 yards ahead—informed C 24 by telephone.
9.45: Slipped Taranaki’s end of tow, as C 24’s slip had jammed. Got boat out to simulate abandoning ship and panic. Saw C 24 periscope pass, attacking. 9.55: Observed torpedo run and explode under conning-tower of enemy. An officer and a petty officer the only survivors.
The success of this scheme of U-boat hunting depended, of course, entirely on the secrecy maintained as to its existence ; It was therefore unfortunate that the prisoners from U 23 (sic) were allowed to mix with interned German civilians who were about to be repatriated—a mistake which was excusable in the midst of the general confusion caused in the authorities minds by the change from peace to war. At that date the disposal of prisoners was out of the Admiralty’s hands, and on this mistake being discovered, steps were taken that prisoners having secrets to tell should be prevented from telling them to Germany. The trawler scheme of hunting, however, had to be given up for some time.
NOTE: U 23 was sunk by C-27 in conjunction with trawler Princess Louise on 20th July 1915, 10 crew were saved.
Bounty paid -- John Bull - Saturday 08 January 1921
The Wreck
U-40 has the UKHO Wreck Card 2215.
The Wreck Card was created using information from the book U Boat Intelligence and gave a rough position for the sinking as 57 00.00N 01 15.00W.
A survey, by Guardline, in 2010 failed to locate any wreck in the above location and the card was amended to 'DEAD'
A wreck found in 2007 by Guardline Hydro was described as a submarine was given the Wreck Card 70436
This card was updated in 2009 to be U 40 after being dived by a local dive boat and the skipper stated that evidence proved this was U 40.
Further research and the video taken by divers proved this to be the U 1020, a WW2 Type VIIC/41 U boat sunk in a minefield in 1945.
To date U 40 has not been found.
The Wreck Card was created using information from the book U Boat Intelligence and gave a rough position for the sinking as 57 00.00N 01 15.00W.
A survey, by Guardline, in 2010 failed to locate any wreck in the above location and the card was amended to 'DEAD'
A wreck found in 2007 by Guardline Hydro was described as a submarine was given the Wreck Card 70436
This card was updated in 2009 to be U 40 after being dived by a local dive boat and the skipper stated that evidence proved this was U 40.
Further research and the video taken by divers proved this to be the U 1020, a WW2 Type VIIC/41 U boat sunk in a minefield in 1945.
To date U 40 has not been found.
Crew saved
Kapitänleutnant Gerhardt Fürbringer and two other crew members were saved after the explosion.
Crew Lost †23/06/1915
JAUCH, RUDOLF, Leutnant zur See, Born in Hamburg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
AMANN, OTTO, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Kollmarsreuthe, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
BERG, WILHELM, Heizer, Born in Charlottenburg, Memorial: U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
CLASEN, HENRY, Marine-Ingenieur, , Born in Hamburg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
COORS, WALTER, Maschinenmaat, , Born in Neuland, Harburg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
EHRHARDT, PAUL, Heizer, Born in Kaltennordheim, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
GASPERS, THEO, Maschinenmaat, Born in Düsseldorf, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
GOETZ, KARL, Oberheizer, Born in Lauenburg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
HARTMANN, FRIEDRICH, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Radolfzell, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
KIRSCH, KARL, Maschinenmaat, , Born in Methmann, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
MEJO-GRÄFFNER, PAUL, Matrose, , Born in Kallenberg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
MÜLLER, OTTO, Maschinenmaat, Born in Kallehne, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
OLDENBURG, WALTER, Funktelegraphie-Gast, , Born in Lübeck, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
OTTE, GEORG, Obermaschinistenmaat, , Born in Potsdam, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
PETERS, GEORG, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Demmin, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
PREUSSER, KARL, Matrose, Born in Berlin, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
PUDOLKO, GEORG, Oberbootsmannmaat, Born in Oberhermsdorf, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
RATH, ALFRED, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Eberswalde, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
RÖVER, FRANZ, Oberheizer, Born in Rothenburg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
RUPPRECHT, ALFRED, Heizer, Born in Jarotschin, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SALEWSKY, GUSTAV, Matrose, , Born in Pillau, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SALGE, KARL, Obermatrose, ,Born in Lahde, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SALING, WILHELM, Matrose, Born in Hannover-Wülfel, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SCHOLZ, RICHARD, Oberheizer, Born in Obermittelpeilau, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SCHRÖDER, ERNST, Matrose, Born in Hitdorf, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SCHUBERT, PAUL, Obersteuermann, Born in Friedenthal-Giersmannsdorf, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
STECKLING, KARL, Maschinenmaat, , Born in Stettin, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
VOLLMAR, EMIL, Funktelegraphie-Gast, , Born in Remscheid, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
ZÖLLNER, CHRISTIAN, Maschinenmaat, , Born in Kiel, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
AMANN, OTTO, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Kollmarsreuthe, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
BERG, WILHELM, Heizer, Born in Charlottenburg, Memorial: U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
CLASEN, HENRY, Marine-Ingenieur, , Born in Hamburg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
COORS, WALTER, Maschinenmaat, , Born in Neuland, Harburg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
EHRHARDT, PAUL, Heizer, Born in Kaltennordheim, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
GASPERS, THEO, Maschinenmaat, Born in Düsseldorf, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
GOETZ, KARL, Oberheizer, Born in Lauenburg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
HARTMANN, FRIEDRICH, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Radolfzell, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
KIRSCH, KARL, Maschinenmaat, , Born in Methmann, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
MEJO-GRÄFFNER, PAUL, Matrose, , Born in Kallenberg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
MÜLLER, OTTO, Maschinenmaat, Born in Kallehne, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
OLDENBURG, WALTER, Funktelegraphie-Gast, , Born in Lübeck, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
OTTE, GEORG, Obermaschinistenmaat, , Born in Potsdam, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
PETERS, GEORG, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Demmin, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
PREUSSER, KARL, Matrose, Born in Berlin, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
PUDOLKO, GEORG, Oberbootsmannmaat, Born in Oberhermsdorf, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
RATH, ALFRED, Maschinenanwärter, Born in Eberswalde, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
RÖVER, FRANZ, Oberheizer, Born in Rothenburg, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
RUPPRECHT, ALFRED, Heizer, Born in Jarotschin, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SALEWSKY, GUSTAV, Matrose, , Born in Pillau, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SALGE, KARL, Obermatrose, ,Born in Lahde, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SALING, WILHELM, Matrose, Born in Hannover-Wülfel, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SCHOLZ, RICHARD, Oberheizer, Born in Obermittelpeilau, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SCHRÖDER, ERNST, Matrose, Born in Hitdorf, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
SCHUBERT, PAUL, Obersteuermann, Born in Friedenthal-Giersmannsdorf, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
STECKLING, KARL, Maschinenmaat, , Born in Stettin, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
VOLLMAR, EMIL, Funktelegraphie-Gast, , Born in Remscheid, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
ZÖLLNER, CHRISTIAN, Maschinenmaat, , Born in Kiel, Remembered on the U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort
