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List of the largest ships hit by U-boats in World War I

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During the First World War, U-boats of the German Imperial Navy (German language: Kaiserliche Marine) and the Austro-Hungarian Navy (German language: Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine or K.u.K. Kriegsmarine) sank over 6,000 Allied and neutral ships totaling over 14,200,000 tons.[1] Many additional ships that are not included in those totals were damaged, but were able to return to service after repairs. This list contains the approximately 100 ships over 10,000 tons that were either damaged or sunk by U-boats by torpedoes, submarine-laid mines, gunfire, or other means.[Note 1]

List[]

Ships listed are presented in descending order on the tonnage figure. Those that were damaged are indicated with an asterisk after their names. Three ships—Justicia, Celtic, and Southland—appear on the list twice. Justicia was damaged by UB-64 on 19 July 1918 and sunk while under tow the following day by UB-124.[2] Celtic was damaged by U-80 and UB-77 in separate incidents in February 1917 and March 1918, respectively.[3] Southland was seriously damaged by UB-14 in September 1915 and sunk by U-70 in June 1917.[4] All U-boats listed are German unless otherwise noted in the table.

Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Otto Weddigen in U-9 sank three Royal Navy cruisers that appear on the list—Aboukir, Hogue, and Cressy—in a little more than an hour during the action of 22 September 1914.[5] The first three victims of UB-14's career—the Italian armored cruiser Amalfi, the British troopship Royal Edward, and the troopship Southland (which was seriously damaged) in July, August, and September 1915, respectively—were all on the list.[6]

Four U-boat commanders appear four or more times on the list. Kptlt. Hans Rose in U-53 sank two ships and damaged two others between June 1917 and April 1918,[7] while Kptlt. Otto Steinbrinck in UC-65 did the same between March and July 1917.[7] Between October 1916 and October 1918, Kptlt. Wolfgang Steinbauer sank three ships on the list in UB-47 and damaged a fourth in UB-48.[7] Kptlt. Gustav Sieß—responsible for sinking the largest ship on the list, the hospital ship Britannic (the younger sister ship of Titanic and Olympic)—topped the list with five entries, four (including Britannic) sunk in U-73 and a fifth sunk in U-33, all between April 1916 and April 1917.[7] Other notable commanders that appear on the list are Kptlt. Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière (three times) who sank the most tonnage of any submarine commander ever,[8] and Linienschiffsleutnant Georg Ritter von Trapp of the Austro-Hungarian Navy (two times), known as the patriarch of the family made famous in The Sound of Music and its subsequent film adaptation.[9]

Largest ships hit by U-boats in World War I[7]
Ship Nationality [Note 1] Tons Date U-boat Commander Notes
BritannicHMHS Britannic British 48,758 21 November 1916 U-073U-73 Gustav Sieß Sunk by Mine
JusticiaJusticia British 32,234 19 July 1918 UB-064UB-64 Otto von Schrader Damaged, taken under tow
JusticiaJusticia British 32,234 20 July 1918 UB-124UB-124 Hans Oskar Wutsdorff Sunk while under tow from 1st attack
LusitaniaRMS Lusitania British 30,396 7 May 1915 U-020U-20 Walther Schwieger sunk with great loss of life
Jean BartJean Bart French 22,189 21 December 1914 U-012U-12 (Austria-Hungary) Egon Lerch Returned to port under own power
CelticCeltic British 20,904 15 February 1917 U-080U-80 Alfred von Glasenapp Struck mine, returned to port under tow
CelticCeltic British 20,904 31 March 1918 UB-077UB-77 Wilhelm Meyer Torpedoed, returned to port under tow
MerionSS Merion British 19,380 29 May 1915 UB-008UB-8 Ernst von Voigt Decoy disguised as HMS Tiger, sunk
LaplandSS Lapland British 18,565 7 April 1917 UC-065UC-65 Otto Steinbrinck Struck mine, returned to port
FranconiaFranconia British 18,510 4 October 1916 UB-047UB-47 Wolfgang Steinbauer Torpedoed while empty
VoltaireVoltaire French 18,400 18 October 1918 UB-048UB-48 Wolfgang Steinbauer Lightly damaged by 2 torpedoes
Mount VernonUSS Mount Vernon American 18,372 5 September 1918 U-082U-82 Heinrich Middendorf Heavy damage, returned to port under own power
DantonDanton French 18,300 19 March 1917 U-064U-64 Robert Moraht Torpedoed and sunk
President LincolnUSS President Lincoln American 18,168 31 May 1918 U-090U-90 Walter Remy Torpedoed and sunk, most lives saved
LaconiaLaconia British 18,099 25 February 1917 U-050U-50 Gerhard Berger
MinnesotaUSS Minnesota American 18,000 29 September 1918 U-117U-117 Otto Dröscher
BritanniaHMS Britannia British 16,350 9 November 1918 UB-050UB-50 Heinrich Kukat
CovingtonUSS Covington American 16,339 1 July 1918 U-086U-86 Helmut Patzig
ArabicArabic British 15,801 19 August 1915 U-024U-24 Rudolf Schneider
RurikRurik Russian 15,544 19 November 1916 UC-027UC-27 Karl Vesper
FormidableHMS Formidable British 15,000 1 January 1915 U-024U-24 Rudolf Schneider
GalliaGallia French 14,966 4 October 1916 U-035U-35 Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière
MajesticHMS Majestic British 14,900 27 May 1915 U-021U-21 Otto Hersing
LaurenticLaurentic British 14,892 25 January 1917 U-080U-80 Alfred von Glasenapp
TransylvaniaTransylvania British 14,348 4 May 1917 U-063U-63 Otto Schultze
TuscaniaTuscania British 14,348 5 February 1918 UB-077UB-77 Wilhelm Meyer
MinnewaskaMinnewaska British 14,317 29 November 1916 UC-023UC-23 Johannes Kirchner
DrakeHMS Drake British 14,300 2 October 1917 U-079U-79 Otto Rohrbeck
IverniaIvernia British 14,278 1 January 1917 UB-047UB-47 Wolfgang Steinbauer
King AlfredHMS King Alfred British 14,150 11 April 1918 UC-031UC-31 Kurt Siewert
RussellHMS Russell British 14,000 27 April 1916 U-073U-73 Gustav Sieß
CornwallisHMS Cornwallis British 14,000 9 January 1917 U-032U-32 Kurt Hartwig
AuraniaAurania British 13,936 4 February 1918 UB-067UB-67 Gerhard Schulz
TubantiaSS Tubantia Dutch 13,911 16 March 1916 UB-013UB-13 Arthur Metz
La ProvenceLa Provence French 13,753 26 February 1916 U-035U-35 Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière
MinnehahaMinnehaha British 13,714 7 September 1917 U-048U-48 Karl Edeling
San DiegoUSS San Diego American 13,680 19 July 1918 U-156U-156 Richard Feldt
CarpathiaRMS Carpathia British 13,603 17 July 1918 U-055U-55 Wilhelm Werner
MinneapolisMinneapolis British 13,543 23 March 1916 U-035U-35 Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière
MinnetonkaMinnetonka British 13,528 30 January 1918 U-064U-64 Robert Moraht
PeresvyetPeresvet Russian 13,500 2 January 1917 U-073U-73 Gustav Sieß
AvengerAvenger British 13,441 14 June 1917 U-069U-69 Ernst Wilhelms
Regina MargheritaRegina Margherita Italian 13,427 12 December 1916 UC-014UC-14 Franz Becker
AlauniaAlaunia British 13,405 19 October 1916 UC-016UC-16 Egon von Werner
AndaniaAndania British 13,405 27 January 1918 U-046U-46 Leo Hillebrand
CymricCymric British 13,370 8 May 1916 U-020U-20 Walther Schwieger
OramaOrama British 12,927 19 October 1917 U-062U-62 Ernst Hashagen
SuffrenSuffren French 12,750 25 November 1916 U-052U-52 Hans Walther
AthosAthos French 12,644 17 February 1917 U-065U-65 Hermann von Fischel
RijndamSS Rijndam Dutch 12,527 18 January 1916 UC-001UC-1 Egon von Werner
CalgarianCalgarian British 12,515 1 March 1918 U-019U-19 Johannes Spieß
MissanabieMissanabie British 12,469 9 September 1918 UB-087UB-87 Karl Petri
MalojaMaloja British 12,431 27 February 1916 UC-006UC-6 Matthias Graf von Schmettow
Leon GambettaLéon Gambetta French 12,416 27 April 1915 U-005U-5 (Austria-Hungary) Georg Ritter von Trapp
MedinaMedina British 12,350 28 April 1917 UB-031UB-31 Thomas Bieber
FinlandFinland American 12,222 28 October 1917 U-093U-93 Helmut Gerlach
ArgyllshireArgyllshire British 12,097 5 February 1917 UC-046UC-46 Friedrich Moecke
OtwayOtway British 12,077 23 July 1917 UC-049UC-49 Karl Petri
PersicPersic British 12,045 7 September 1918 UB-087UB-87 Karl Petri
OrsovaOrsova British 12,036 14 March 1917 UC-068UC-68 Hans Degetau
BurdigalaBurdigala French 12,009 14 November 1916 U-073U-73 Gustav Sieß
AsturiasAsturias British 12,002 20 March 1917 UC-066UC-66 Herbert Pustkuchen
AboukirHMS Aboukir British 12,000 22 September 1914 U-009U-9 Otto Weddigen
CressyHMS Cressy British 12,000 22 September 1914 U-009U-9 Otto Weddigen
HogueHMS Hogue British 12,000 22 September 1914 U-009U-9 Otto Weddigen
AfricAfric British 11,999 12 February 1917 UC-066UC-66 Herbert Pustkuchen
TriumphHMS Triumph British 11,985 25 May 1915 U-021U-21 Otto Hersing
SouthlandSouthland British 11,899 2 September 1915 UB-014UB-14 Heino von Heimburg
SouthlandSouthland British 11,899 4 June 1917 U-070U-70 Otto Wünsche
HaverfordHaverford British 11,635 26 June 1917 U-094U-94 Alfred Saalwächter
VolturnoVolturno Italian 11,495 26 March 1918 UB-050UB-50 Franz Becker
DemeraraDemerara British 11,484 1 July 1917 U-084U-84 Walter Roehr
DrinaDrina British 11,483 1 March 1917 UC-065UC-65 Otto Steinbrinck
MilazzoMilazzo Italian 11,477 29 August 1917 U-014U-14 (Austria-Hungary) Georg Ritter von Trapp
Llandovery CastleHMHS Llandovery Castle British 11,423 27 June 1918 U-086U-86 Helmut Patzig
RotoruaRotorua British 11,140 22 March 1917 UC-017UC-17 Ralph Wenninger
BerrimaBerrima British 11,137 18 February 1917 U-084U-84 Walter Roehr
BallaratBallarat British 11,120 25 April 1917 UB-032UB-32 Max Viebeg
Royal EdwardRoyal Edward Canadian 11,117 13 August 1915 UB-014UB-14 Heino von Heimburg
CadillacCadillac British 11,106 7 April 1918 U-053U-53 Hans Rose
GauloisGaulois French 11,100 27 December 1916 UB-047UB-47 Wolfgang Steinbauer
AriadneHMS Ariadne British 11,000 26 July 1917 UC-065UC-65 Otto Steinbrinck
CameroniaCameronia British 10,963 15 April 1917 U-033U-33 Gustav Sieß
Yasaka MaruYasaka Maru Japanese 10,932 21 December 1915 U-038U-38 Max Valentiner
HesperianHesperian British 10,920 4 September 1915 U-020U-20 Walther Schwieger
RoxburghHMS Roxburgh British 10,850 20 June 1915 U-038U-38 Max Valentiner
HampshireHMS Hampshire British 10,850 5 June 1916 U-075U-75 Curt Beitzen
New YorkNew York American 10,798 9 April 1917 UC-065UC-65 Otto Steinbrinck
VirginianVirginian British 10,757 21 August 1917 U-102U-102 Ernst Killmann
HurunuiHurunui British 10,644 18 May 1918 U-094U-94 Martin Schwab
MarmoraMarmora British 10,509 23 July 1918 UB-064UB-64 Otto von Schrader
VestrisVestris British 10,494 26 January 1918 UB-054UB-54 Egon von Werner
DevonianDevonian British 10,435 21 August 1917 U-053U-53 Hans Rose
WinifredianWinifredian British 10,422 17 April 1917 UC-076UC-76 Wilhelm Barten
UltoniaUltonia British 10,402 27 June 1917 U-053U-53 Hans Rose
RowanmoreRowanmore British 10,320 26 October 1916 U-057U-57 Carl-Siegfried Ritter von Georg
O. B. JenningsO. B. Jennings American 10,289 4 August 1918 U-140U-140 Waldemar Kophamel
San MelitoSan Melito British 10,160 21 August 1915 U-038U-38 Max Valentiner
San hilarioSan Hilario British 10,157 20 April 1917 U-043U-43 Hellmuth Jürst
AmalfiAmalfi Italian 10,118 7 July 1915 UB-014UB-14 Heino von Heimburg
San NazarioSan Nazario British 10,064 15 October 1917 U-053U-53 Hans Rose
RarangaRaranga British 10,040 26 June 1918 UC-071UC-71 Walter Warzecha
AmazonAmazon British 10,037 15 March 1918 U-110U-110 Karl Kroll

* damaged but not sunk

Notes[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement

References[]

  1. ↑ Gibson and Prendergast, pp. 380, 382.
  2. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Justicia". U-Boat War in World War I. Uboat.net. http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/3222.html. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Celtic". U-Boat War in World War I. Uboat.net. http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/1190.html. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Southland". U-Boat War in World War I. Uboat.net. http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/5672.html. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 
  5. ↑ Gibson and Prendergast, pp. 7–9.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Ships hit by UB 14". U-Boat War in World War I. Uboat.net. http://uboat.net/wwi/boats/successes/ub14.html. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Ships over 10.000 tons hit by U-boat during WWI". U-Boat War in World War I. Uboat.net. http://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/largest.html. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 
  8. ↑ Tarrant, p. 146.
  9. ↑ Gearin, Joan. "The Real Story of the von Trapp Family". National Archives and Records Administration. http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/winter/von-trapps.html. Retrieved 15 April 2009. 

Bibliography[]

  • Gibson, R. H.; Maurice Prendergast (2003) [1931]. The German Submarine War, 1914–1918. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781591143147. OCLC 52924732. 
  • Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC 20338385. 
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