SM U-103

SM U-103 was an Imperial German Navy Type U 57 U-boat that was rammed and sunk by HMT Olympic during the First World War. U-103 was built by AG Weser in Bremen, launched on 9 June 1917 and commissioned 15 July 1917. She completed five tours of duty under Kptlt. Claus Rücker and sank eight ships totalling before being lost in the English Channel on 12 May 1918.

Sinking

In the early hours of 12 May 1918, the surfaced U-103 sighted Olympic, the older sister of and HMHS Britannic, which was carrying U.S. troops to France. The crew prepared to launch torpedoes from her stern torpedo tubes but was unable to flood them in time before the submarine was spotted by Olympic, whose gunners opened fire as the transport ship turned to ram.

SM U-103 started to crash dive to in an attempt to turn to a parallel course to the liner. But there was not enough time before the bow of Olympic rammed the submarine, cutting into its pressure hull just aft of the conning tower. The crew of U-103 blew ballast tanks before scuttling their sinking submarine. Nine crewmen lost their lives. Olympic did not stop to pick up the survivors but continued on to Cherbourg. later sighted a distress flare and took 35 survivors to Queenstown (now Cobh) in Ireland.

Wreck The remains of U-103 lie at a depth of in the English Channel about midway between England and France (). Its deep location makes it largely inaccessible to divers but the wreck was surveyed and identified by a remotely operated underwater vehicle in 2012.

Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageTonnages are in gross register tonsFate12 September 1917St. Margaret943Sunk12 November 1917Depute Pierre Goujon4,121Sunk16 November 1917Garron Head1,933Sunk26 January 1918Cork1,232Sunk29 January 1918Glenfruin3,097Sunk17 March 1918Cressida150Sunk17 March 1918Sea Gull976Sunk18 March 1918Grainton6,042Damaged20 March 1918Kassanga3,015Sunk

In popular culture

Its sinking by the Olympic was shown in the opening of the film Operation Seawolf.

SM U-103

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