SM U-26
![]() SM U-26 sinks the Russian armoured cruiser Pallada with a torpedo on 11 October 1914 in the Gulf of Finland. | |
History | |
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Name | U-26 |
Ordered | 18 March 1911 |
Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
Yard number | 180 |
Laid down | 31 May 1912 |
Launched | 16 October 1913 |
Commissioned | 20 May 1914 |
Fate | Sunk by a Russian mine in Gulf of Finland on 31 August or 4 September 1915 (all hands lost). |
General characteristics Ocean-going diesel submarine | |
Class and type | German Type U 23 submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 64.70 m (212.3 ft) |
Beam | 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) |
Draught | 3.45 m (11 ft 4 in) |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | about 50 m (160 ft) |
Boats & landing craft carried | 1 dingi |
Complement | 4 officers, 31 men |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: |
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Operations: | 1 patrol |
Victories: |
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SM U-26 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) in World War I.
U-26 was engaged in the submarine war in the Baltic Sea. On 11 October 1914, she sank the cruiser Pallada, inflicting the first loss of the war on the Russian Navy.
Fate
[edit]The boat did not return from sea in August 1915, and is assumed to have struck a mine off the coast of Finland, being lost with its entire crew of 30.
Wreck discovered
[edit]The boat was found in the western Gulf of Finland as reported by the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat in May 2014.[2][3]
Summary of raiding history
[edit]Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[4] |
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11 October 1914 | Pallada | ![]() | 7,775 | Sunk |
23 April 1915 | Fråck | ![]() | 849 | Sunk |
4 June 1915 | Yenisei | ![]() | 3,600 | Sunk |
25 August 1915 | Petshora | ![]() | 1,982 | Sunk |
30 August 1915 | Zemlya | ![]() | 869 | Sunk |
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
[edit]- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Egewolf Freiherr von Berckheim (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
- ^ Unto Hämäläinen, Sata vuotta etsitty sukellusvene U-26 löytyi. Helsingin Sanomat, May 29, 2014 p. A 15
- ^ "Tältä näyttää sata vuotta vanhan U26-sukellusveneen hylky Suomenlahden pohjassa – video". 2 June 2014.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 26". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
Bibliography
[edit]- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.