SM U-83

Career (German Empire)
Name: U-83
Ordered: 23 October 1915
Builder: Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number: Werk 253
Launched: 13 July 1916
Commissioned: 6 September 1916
Fate: Sunk by gunfire of Q-Ship Farnborough SW of Ireland at , 17 February 1917. 35 dead and 1 survivor (all hands lost).[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type U 81 submarine
Displacement: 808 long tons (821 t) surfaced
946 long tons (961 t) submerged
1,160 long tons (1,179 t) total
Length: 70.6 m (231 ft 8 in) o/a
55.5 m (182 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam: 6.3 m (20 ft 8 in) o/a
4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Draught: 4.02 m (13 ft 2 in)
Propulsion: 2,400 hp (1,790 kW) diesel engine
1,200 hp (895 kW) electric motor
Speed: 16.8 knots (19.3 mph; 31.1 km/h) surfaced
9.1 knots (10.5 mph; 16.9 km/h) submerged
Range: 11,220 nmi (20,780 km) surfaced
56 nmi (104 km) submerged
Complement: 39 men
Armament: • 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)
• 16 × torpedoes
• 1 × 105 mm (4.1 in) deck gun with 220 rounds
• 1 × 88 mm (3.5 in) deck gun
Service record
Part of: Kaiserliche Marine
Commanders: Kapitänleutnant Bruno Hoppe
6 September 1916 - 17 February 1917[3]
Operations: 2
Victories: 5 merchant ships sunk (6,286 GRT)

SM U-83 was a Type Mittel U U-boat of the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during the First World War. She had been commissioned and deployed to operate off the coast of the British Isles and attack coastal shipping as part of the German U-boat campaign.[1]

In a six month career, U-83 made two combat patrols into the South-Western Approaches during the Atlantic campaign. In these patrols she sank five allied merchant ships for 6,286 tons. On 17 February 1917, she torpedoed the British Q-ship HMS Farnborough off the Irish coast, but was sunk by Farnborough's hidden armaments when she approached too close. There were just 2 survivors, picked up by Farnborough; 35 of her crew perished. Farnborough was commanded by the submarine hunter Gordon Campbell and had on board later Victoria Cross recipients Ronald Niel Stuart and William Williams.

References