SM U-30 (Germany)
Encyclopedia
SM U-30 was one of 329 submarine
s serving in the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine
) in World War I
. She engaged in commerce warfare
as part of the First Battle of the Atlantic. U-30 is significant for the torpedoing of the American tanker Gulflight
on 1 May 1915 twenty miles west of Scilly.
The patrol ships Iago and Filey started to hunt for the submarine, but succeeded only in intercepting the Gulflight, which they took under escort. The escort proved something of a disadvantage to the gulflight because she was obliged to slow down for the patrol and then under international law, as a ship escorted by armed vessels became a legitimate target for attack. U30 spotted the convoy and fired one torpedo at Gulflight, before noticing that she was flying an american flag. The submarine then broke off the attack in accordance with her instructions not to attack neutral vessels.
The Gulflight survived the attack, although two members of the crew drowned while evacuating the ship and the master Captain Gunter died later that night from a heart attack. The ship was towed to Crow Bay and later repaired. News of the event would be overshadowed a few days later by the sinking of the RMS Lusitania
but the incident together with the attack on Lusitania and another ship the Cushing formed the basis of a formal complaint from the US government to Germany. Although the United States remained officially neutral in the ongoing hostilities, it reached agreement with the German government that further attacks by submarine would be strictly in accord with "cruiser Rules" as defined by international law.
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s serving in the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
) in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. She engaged in commerce warfare
Naval warfare of World War I
Naval warfare in World War I was mainly characterized by the efforts of the Allied Powers, with their larger fleets and surrounding position, to blockade the Central Powers by sea, and the efforts of the Central Powers to break that blockade or to establish an effective blockade of the United...
as part of the First Battle of the Atlantic. U-30 is significant for the torpedoing of the American tanker Gulflight
Gulflight
The American 5,189 ton tanker Gulflight, was built by the New York Shipbuilding Co. of Camden, New Jersey for the Gulf Refining Company . It was launched on 8 August 1914. The ship became famous when it was torpedoed early in World War I and became the center of a diplomatic incident which moved...
on 1 May 1915 twenty miles west of Scilly.
Torpedoing of the Gulflight
The particular mission when the Gulflight was attacked commenced 24 April 1915. On 28 April U-30 intercepted the 1950 ton collier Mobile which she sank by gunfire after allowing the crew to escape. On 29 April she similarly sank the 3200 ton Cherbourg. 30 April she ordered the steamer Fulgent to halt, but when the ship failed to do so fired a shot into the ship's bridge, which killed the captain and quartermaster. The ship stopped and the rest of the crew were allowed to escape before the ship was sunk by explosive charges placed inside. That afternoon, the 3100 ton Svorno was stopped and sunk. On 1 May the grain carrier Edale and French ship Europe were sunk. A Dutch ship was stopped and as a neutral permitted to continue at a point some 45 miles north west of the Scilly Isles but the submarine was spotted at this point by a steam drifter, Clara Alice which reported her position to a naval patrol.The patrol ships Iago and Filey started to hunt for the submarine, but succeeded only in intercepting the Gulflight, which they took under escort. The escort proved something of a disadvantage to the gulflight because she was obliged to slow down for the patrol and then under international law, as a ship escorted by armed vessels became a legitimate target for attack. U30 spotted the convoy and fired one torpedo at Gulflight, before noticing that she was flying an american flag. The submarine then broke off the attack in accordance with her instructions not to attack neutral vessels.
The Gulflight survived the attack, although two members of the crew drowned while evacuating the ship and the master Captain Gunter died later that night from a heart attack. The ship was towed to Crow Bay and later repaired. News of the event would be overshadowed a few days later by the sinking of the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
but the incident together with the attack on Lusitania and another ship the Cushing formed the basis of a formal complaint from the US government to Germany. Although the United States remained officially neutral in the ongoing hostilities, it reached agreement with the German government that further attacks by submarine would be strictly in accord with "cruiser Rules" as defined by international law.