sms deutschland: merchant u-boat

8/9/2019 SMS Deutschland: Merchant U-Boat

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SMS Deutschland: Merchant U-BoatAn article by Russell Phillips

IntroductionThe idea of merchant submarines, a variation on standard merchant ships, has been suggested on

multiple occasions, but has only been put into practice once, during WWI. In 191 a class of sevenu!boats "as built by a private shipping company. These ne" u!boats "ere large, displacing over

#,#$$ tons, and "ith a "ide beam to facilitate loading. They had no torpedo tubes or otherarmament, being civilian vessels, operated by a civilian company, the %orth &erman 'loyd 'ine.

SMS Deutschland. Note the very wide berth

Although they "ere large by u!boat standards, their cargo capacity of around ($$ tons "as

relatively small by surface ship standards. Their ability to submerge to avoid detection, ho"ever,"as a significant advantage for a country that "as under an efficient naval bloc)ade.

The u!boats "ere a response to the naval bloc)ade put in place by the *ntente po"ers, "hich "as

severely hampering &erman trade and ma)ing it difficult for &erman companies to ac+uire ra"
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materials. f the seven built, only t"o "ere used in their intended role, and of those t"o, SMS

Bremensan) on her maiden voyage. SMS Deutschlandmade t"o successful round voyages to the-nited tates.

Maiden Voyage

/ 0eutschland set off on her maiden voyage on # 2une 191, "ith a cre" of four officers and

t"enty!five men, under the command of Paul 34nig. he carried (5$ tons of high!value cargo

6patented dyes, medicines and gemstones7. he passed through the *nglish 8hannel "ithoutdetection, and arrived at altimore on 9 2uly 191.

:er arrival at altimore "as noted by all belligerent nations, and great concern on the part of the

Allies. 34nig immediately made an announcement, in "hich he stated that ;ur trip passing 0overacross the ocean "as an uneventful one.; and ;%eedless to say that "e are +uite unarmed and only a

peaceful merchantman.; The cre"men "ere treated as celebrities during their time in altimore,due to the novel and remar)able voyage that they had underta)en. The naval architect imon 'a)e

visited the submarine, and made arrangements to build cargo submarines in the -, though thisproamined to determine "hich country they originated from, and

"hether or not they "ere actually combatant. The note further stated that there "as a ;capacity forharm inherent in the nature of such vessels;. The Allies "anted neutral countries to detain any

submarine from "arring nations that entered one of their ports. They further stated that neutralsubmarines "ould be in ;grave danger;, should they navigate regions fre+uented by belligerent

submarines.

&ermany "as putting a great deal of diplomatic pressure on the -nited tates, claiming that, despiteclaiming to be neutral, it generally adopted a pro!Allied posture. n the 1 August 191, the -


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&overnment sent a reply to the Allied nations, "hich too) the &erman side. The strongly!"orded

reply stated that the &overnment of the -nited tates did not see any reason "hy submarines 6either"ar or merchant7 should not be covered by the e>isting rules of international la". The reply also

specifically refuted the claim that neutral submarines may be in ;grave danger;, stating that the -

&overnment ;holds it to be the duty of belligerent po"ers to distinguish bet"een submarines ofneutral and belligerent nationality;.

y this time, theDeutschland"as bac) in &ermany, having departed altimore on # August andarrived bac) at remerhaven on #? August. he carried ?1 tons of nic)el, 9 tons of tin, and ?@

tons of crude rubber, the ma


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In August 191@, she sailed again, under the command of erdinand tudt, "ith orders to cruise off

the - coast, laying mines and cutting telegraph lines. This cruise "as much less successful thanthe 191( cruise, laying her mines in the "rong place and failing to locate a telegraph line. he san)

three merchantmen, but "as damaged on 1 eptember, rendering her temporarily unable to dive.

he returned to &ermany on 1# %ovember 191@. he "as ta)en to ritain, "here she "as put ondisplay before being sold for scrap in 19#1.

Specifications: SMS Deutschland

0isplacementB #,#(# tons

'engthB 5 m 6#1 ft7eamB @.9 m 6#9 ft7

0raughtB 5. m 61( ft7

PropulsionB @$$ hppeedB 15 )nots surfaced, ( )nots submerged

RangeB 1$,9(( nautical miles

8apacityB ($$ tons8omplementB ? officers, #5 men

Armament 6-1557B

#> bo" torpedo tubes 6$ torpedoes7

#> 15$mm dec) guns


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About Russell hillipsorn and brought up in a mining village in outh Cor)shire, RussellPhillips has lived and "or)ed in outh Cor)shire, 'incolnshire,

8umbria and taffordshire. :e "rites boo)s and articles about military

technology and history. :is articles have been published in /iniatureWargames, Wargames Illustrated, and the ociety of T"entieth 8entury

Wargamers= 2ournal. Russell has been intervie"ed for the Americanedition of The Doice of Russia. :e currently lives in to)e!on!Trent

"ith his "ife and t"o children.

Boo!s by Russell hillips

A leet in eingB Austro!:ungarian Warships of WWI

A 0amn 8lose!Run ThingB A rief :istory of the al)lands 8onflict

Red teelB oviet Tan)s and 8ombat Dehicles of the 8old War

The ear /arches WestB 1# cenarios for 19@$s %AT vs Warsa" Pact Wargames

This We=ll 0efendB The Weapons and *+uipment of the -.. Army

"ind Russell hillips #nline

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This "or) by Russell Phillipsis licensed under a 8reative 8ommons

Attribution!hareAli)e ?.$ International 'icense.
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sms deutschland: merchant u-boat

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