About the U.C.5
The ill-fated U.C.5 was a member of the Flanders Flotilla, which ran aground on Shipwash Sands on 27 April 1916.
Unable to re-float his boat, the commander, K/Lt Mohrbutter destroyed his logs, war diary, signal books and navigation charts, then tried to blow up the boat with demolition charges. These failed to destroy the boat however, and after inflicting as much damage as possible to the boat’s mechanical systems and radio with pistol shots and spanner blows, the crew abandoned ship when the
destroyer H.M.S. FIREDRAKE appeared on the scene.
With the crew rescued, the boat was re-floated, towed to Harwich, dry docked and examined by Royal Navy engineers, submariners and intelligence specialists. Subsequently, the U.C.5 was repaired to the extent necessary to travel around the U.K. as a fund-raising attraction, and it eventually journeyed to the United States for a war bond tour.
The last known photograph was taken in the U.S., and the boat presumably found its way into an American scrap yard.
Unable to re-float his boat, the commander, K/Lt Mohrbutter destroyed his logs, war diary, signal books and navigation charts, then tried to blow up the boat with demolition charges. These failed to destroy the boat however, and after inflicting as much damage as possible to the boat’s mechanical systems and radio with pistol shots and spanner blows, the crew abandoned ship when the
destroyer H.M.S. FIREDRAKE appeared on the scene.
With the crew rescued, the boat was re-floated, towed to Harwich, dry docked and examined by Royal Navy engineers, submariners and intelligence specialists. Subsequently, the U.C.5 was repaired to the extent necessary to travel around the U.K. as a fund-raising attraction, and it eventually journeyed to the United States for a war bond tour.
The last known photograph was taken in the U.S., and the boat presumably found its way into an American scrap yard.
~ U.C.5 Captured German Submarine at Harwich Harbour (1916) H&D ~
I do't actually believe this image was taken at Harwich Harbour
~ U.C.5 Captured German Submarine at Harwich Harbour (1916) H&D ~
I do't actually believe this image was taken at Harwich Harbour, with the building removed by British WW1 Censors
~ U.C.5 Captured German Submarine Being Towed on the Thames (1916) H&D ~
~ U.C.5 Captured German Submarine In the River Thames, London (1916) H&D ~
~The German U-Boat U.C.5 in Harwich Harbour ~
~ The U.C.5 Captured German Submarine Cross-Section (1916) H&D ~
U-Boat Cutaway
A brilliant cutaway diagram of UC-5, an Imperial German Navy mine layer, that ran aground near Harwich in April 1916. UC-5 and her crew were captured the morning after her grounding.
The UC-5 was commissioned in June 1915 and could carry 12 mines in her 6 vertically aligned tubes. She carried no torpedoes but during her short career managed to sink two ships with her mines.
In May, 1916, the German submarine minelayer U.C.5 on a mine- laying operation went ashore on the shipwash shoal off Harwich. She was seen and challenged by H.M. Destroyer Firedrake,' the Germans surrendered and abandoned their vessel after scuttling her, but their attempt to blow up her unlaid mines .was unsuccessful. After about a month of hazardous and trying salvage work by the 'Racer' she was brought into Harwich and put in a floating dock. Some weeks later, her mines having been removed, she was sent round to the Thames and lay there on exhibition alongside the embankment below the Houses of Parliament. She flew the German Imperial Ensign, but " inferior " to the White Ensign. Several photographs and drawings of the U.C.5 appeared in our Press at the time, and these may have given the German artist his inspiration.—Yours very truly, Q. H. PATERSON, " Strathtullis," Helens burgh, Dumbartonshire. Capt., R.N. (Retd.).
A brilliant cutaway diagram of UC-5, an Imperial German Navy mine layer, that ran aground near Harwich in April 1916. UC-5 and her crew were captured the morning after her grounding.
The UC-5 was commissioned in June 1915 and could carry 12 mines in her 6 vertically aligned tubes. She carried no torpedoes but during her short career managed to sink two ships with her mines.
In May, 1916, the German submarine minelayer U.C.5 on a mine- laying operation went ashore on the shipwash shoal off Harwich. She was seen and challenged by H.M. Destroyer Firedrake,' the Germans surrendered and abandoned their vessel after scuttling her, but their attempt to blow up her unlaid mines .was unsuccessful. After about a month of hazardous and trying salvage work by the 'Racer' she was brought into Harwich and put in a floating dock. Some weeks later, her mines having been removed, she was sent round to the Thames and lay there on exhibition alongside the embankment below the Houses of Parliament. She flew the German Imperial Ensign, but " inferior " to the White Ensign. Several photographs and drawings of the U.C.5 appeared in our Press at the time, and these may have given the German artist his inspiration.—Yours very truly, Q. H. PATERSON, " Strathtullis," Helens burgh, Dumbartonshire. Capt., R.N. (Retd.).
~ The U.C.5 Captured German Submarine Cross-Section (1916) H&D Reverse ~
Picture 008
Picture 009
Picture 010
Picture 011
