SM U-36
SM U-36 (U31 Class) 24/07/1915
Displacement: 878t disp (surf)
Length: 64.7m. Beam: 6.32m. Draught: 3.56 m.
Propulsion: 2 x diesel engines (1850 hp), 2 x electric motor (1200 hp)
Complement: 33 officers and men.
Armament: 6 torpedoes, 4 T.T. 2 fwd and 2 aft, 1 x 105 mm deck gun
Built by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft A. G., Kiel 1i 1914.
Displacement: 878t disp (surf)
Length: 64.7m. Beam: 6.32m. Draught: 3.56 m.
Propulsion: 2 x diesel engines (1850 hp), 2 x electric motor (1200 hp)
Complement: 33 officers and men.
Armament: 6 torpedoes, 4 T.T. 2 fwd and 2 aft, 1 x 105 mm deck gun
Built by Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft A. G., Kiel 1i 1914.
On the 24th July 1915 U 36 stopped the merchant ship SS Luise off the island of North Rona. While onboard, another steamship was seen approaching so the U 36 got underway to intercept it.
The ship was the SS (HMS) Prince Charles which was an armed steamship disguised to look like a normal merchant ship. The holds were full of empty barrels so if the ship was damaged it would stay afloat. This type of vessel were known as ''Q'' ships.
U-36 fired a warning shot at SS Prince Charles which stopped and some of the crew looked to be about to abandon ship as would normally happen. This was known as the ''panic party''. What the U boat did not know is that gunners were still onboard waiting for the U Boat to come close to the ship.
U-36 fired some shells and closed to within 600 meters of SS Prince Charles when the white ensign was suddenly raised and false panels hiding the guns were dropped and Prince Charles opened fire. A number of shells hit the U boat which then began to sink by the stern.
There were 15 survivors, including the commander Ernst Graeff.
18 crew were lost. This was the first U Boat to be sunk by a ''Q'' ship.
Globe - Tuesday 11 May 1920
The Wreck.
The wreck of SM U-36 has not, to date, been located. U 36 has a Wreck card number 383 which was created in 1969 and gives a position 59 05.00N 06 01.00W, 6 miles south west North Rona. The wreck was not charted.
In 1981 this area was surveyed and a ''disproving search'' was conducted 7 cables around the above position. No wreck was located. It was an area of featureless sand and gravel.
In 1984 the Wreck Card was amended to Dead.
Grant. in his book lists 59°07'N, 5°30'W , Messimer has 59°10'N, 5°30'W while Kemp lists 59°05'N, 6°01'W.
The Crew. †24/07/1915
BIERMANN, HEINRICH , Funktelegraphie-Gast
BOHN, WILHELM , Heizer
BOSSE, CARL , Matrose
BRISCHA, AUGUST , Heizer
GEHLHAAR, OTTO , Obermatrose
GREGERSEN, JÜRGEN , Torpedo-Oberheizer d. Res
.
HAMMER, KURT , Obermaschinistenmaat,
HENKEL, HEINRICH , Maschinenanwärter
,
JEBSEN, FRIEDRICH , Fähnrich zur See d. S.II
KOTREMBA, PAUL , Maschinenanwärter
LÖSCHE, ERWIN , Maschinenmaat d. Res.
OTTO, FRIEDRICH , Maschinenmaat d. Res.
SCHMITT, MARKUS , Maschinenmaat d. Res
.
SCHRÖDER, HANS , Bootsmannmaat,
SINKWITZ, WALTER , Matrose,
THEMM, ANTON , Maschinenmaat d. Res.
WEICHERT, OTTO , Obermatrose,
WIEDEMANN, ALFRED , Obermatrose,
The German crew will not be researched but will be remembered.
