SM U-93


SM U-93 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.
U-93 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Design

s were preceded by the shorter Type U 87 submarines. U-93 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two engines for use while surfaced, and two engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, she could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-93 was fitted with six torpedo tubes, twelve to sixteen torpedoes, and one SK L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-six.

Operational history

After February 1917 she was commanded by the late author of books and experienced submarine commander Edgar von Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim
On 30 April 1917 about south of Ireland, in the Atlantic, U-93 attacked HMS Prize, a three-masted topsail schooner commanded by Lieutenant William Edward Sanders. HMS Prize was damaged by shellfire. After the 'panic party' had taken to the boats and the ship appeared to be sinking, the U-boat approached to within of her port quarter, whereupon the White Ensign was hoisted and the Prize opened fire.
Within a few minutes the submarine was on fire and her bows rose in the air, whilst the Prize was further damaged. The U-boat disappeared from sight, and was believed to have been sunk by the crew of the Prize and by several of the German crew who had been blown or jumped into the sea.
Neither of the crippled ships had sunk, with the Prize being towed in flames back to Kinsale, while the U-93 struggled back to the Sylt nine days later after a dramatic escape effort through the British mine and destroyer barrages off Dover.
U 93 after repairs operated in the English channel. She was lost to unknown cause off Hardelot, France in January 1918. The wreck was located by divers in 2003.

Summary of raiding history

Citations