SM U-90

SM U-90 was a Type U-87 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy during World War I.[5] Its commander Walter Remy made regular stops at remote island North Rona for provisions such as fresh mutton. On 15 May 1918, U-90 shelled the Hirta wireless station in St Kilda, Scotland. On 31 May 1918, U-90 torpedoed and sank USS President Lincoln, a former Hamburg America Line steamer that had been seized by the United States for troop transportation. From the U.S. Navy crew that abandoned the sinking vessel, U-90 captured Lieutenant Edouard Izac, eventually taking him to Germany. Izac later escaped German captivity and reported to the US Navy about German submarine movements.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-90.
History
German Empire
Name: U-90
Ordered: 23 June 1915
Builder: Kaiserliche Werft Danzig
Yard number: 34
Laid down: 29 December 1915
Launched: 12 January 1917
Commissioned: 2 August 1917
Fate: Surrendered 20 November 1918; foundered in tow 1919
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: German Type U 87 submarine
Displacement:
  • 757 t (745 long tons) surfaced
  • 998 t (982 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height: 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in)
Draught: 3.88 m (12 ft 9 in)
Installed power:
  • 2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion: 2 shafts, 2 × 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers
Speed:
  • 16.8 knots (31.1 km/h; 19.3 mph) surfaced
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 11,380 nmi (21,080 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Walter Remy[2]
  • 2 August 1917 – 31 July 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmut Patzig[3]
  • 1–31 August 1918
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Jeß[4]
  • 1 September – 11 November 1918
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories:
  • 30 merchant ships sunk (74,175 GRT)
  • 2 ships damaged (8,594 GRT)

U-90 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 20 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany, and later laid up at Pembroke. She was to be loaned to Belgium, and was en route there in tow from Pembroke when she foundered off the Isle of Wight on 29 November 1919.[6]

Design

German Type U 87 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 81 submarines. U-90 had a displacement of 757 tonnes (745 long tons) when at the surface and 998 tonnes (982 long tons) while submerged.[1] She had a total length of 65.80 m (215 ft 11 in), a pressure hull length of 50.07 m (164 ft 3 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.35 m (30 ft 8 in), and a draught of 3.88 m (12 ft 9 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph).[1] When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,380 nautical miles (21,080 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-90 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), ten to twelve torpedoes, and one 10.5-centimetre (4.1 in) deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers).[1]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[7]
25 September 1917 Union Republicaine  France 44 Sunk
27 September 1917 Deux Jeannes  France 50 Sunk
27 September 1917 Liberte  France 49 Sunk
27 September 1917 Peuples Freres  France 41 Sunk
30 September 1917 Drake  United Kingdom 2,267 Sunk
30 September 1917 Heron  United Kingdom 885 Sunk
1 October 1917 Neuilly  France 2,186 Sunk
3 October 1917 Jeannette  France 226 Sunk
20 November 1917 Robert Morris  United Kingdom 146 Sunk
21 November 1917 Aros Castle  United Kingdom 4,460 Sunk
22 January 1918 Corton  United Kingdom 3,405 Damaged
22 January 1918 Victor De Chavarri  Spain 2,957 Sunk
24 January 1918 Charles  United Kingdom 78 Sunk
25 January 1918 Normandy  United Kingdom 618 Sunk
26 January 1918 Union  France 677 Sunk
30 January 1918 Lindeskov  Denmark 1,254 Sunk
31 January 1918 Martin Gust  Russian Empire 248 Sunk
1 February 1918 Arrino  United Kingdom 4,484 Sunk
16 March 1918 Oilfield  United Kingdom 4,000 Sunk
28 March 1918 City of Winchester  United Kingdom 114 Sunk
8 April 1918 Superb  Norway 489 Sunk
29 May 1918 Begum  United Kingdom 4,646 Sunk
29 May 1918 Carlton  United Kingdom 5,265 Sunk
31 May 1918 USS President Lincoln  United States Navy 18,168 Sunk
15 August 1918 USS Montanan  United States Navy 6,659 Sunk
15 August 1918 J. M. J.  France 54 Sunk
16 August 1918 USS West Bridge  United States Navy 5,189 Damaged
17 August 1918 Escrick  United Kingdom 4,151 Sunk
17 August 1918 Joseph Cudahy  United States 3,302 Sunk
24 August 1918 Graciosa  Portugal 2,276 Sunk
14 October 1918 Dundalk  United Kingdom 794 Sunk
16 October 1918 Pentwyn  United Kingdom 3,587 Sunk

References

Notes
  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Gröner 1991, pp. 12-14.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Remy (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Helmut Patzig (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Jeß (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 90". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  6. Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars,. Barnsley: Seaforth. p. 31, 98, 124. ISBN 978 1 5267 4198 1.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 89". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

Bibliography
  • Dodson, Aidan (2020). "A's & A's: Japan's U-boats". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2020. Oxford, UK: Osprey. p. 198. ISBN 978-1-4728-4071-4.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

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