SM U-53

U-53 was ordered from Germaniawerft, Kiel on 23 August 1914 and launched on 1 February 1916. On 22 April 1916 Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant Commander) Hans Rose was appointed as her first captain and he commissioned her on 22 April 1916.Robinson, pp. 113, 116, 118, 119{{cite web |title= WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Rose |url= https://www.uboat.net/wwi/men/commanders/273.html|website= uboat.net |accessdate=16 July 2024}}

After sea trials found no defects the submarine passed through the Kiel Canal on 30 May to reach the naval base at Helgoland the following day.

While U-53 was in Wilhelmshaven having its steering gear repaired and with most of its crew away on leave, Rose was called on 3 September 1916 to office of Fregattenkapitän Hermann Baur, commander of the U-boat fleet on the Hamburg.Robinson, pp. 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 37 Bauer informed him that the merchant submarine Bremen was due to make her maiden voyage to America and it had been proposed by captain Paul König of her sistership Deutschland that another submarine be used to assist in its passage by attacking any Royal Navy vessels that were in its path. Rose had been chosen for this politically risky mission because he had the necessary qualifications and experience, as well as a good knowledge of English. Also, his submarine had only been commissioned in April 1916, so it was new and well-run in.

Rose was given 30 hours to think about it and immediately telegraphed his chief engineer Henning Möller return from leave for consultation and discussing it with him 24 hours later Rose accepted the assignment.

While U-53 had a theoretical range of 9,400 nautical miles at 8 knots it was expected that in actual service 5,000 miles was the practical limit. The longest voyage that U-53 had completed to date had been nine days. A return voyage to America would take 50 days and cover 8,000 miles. Rose and Möller identified that by converting the two middle diving tanks II and IV into fuel tanks they could carry an additional 150 tons of diesel fuel to give a range of 11,000 miles. Additional fresh water was carried by filling two of the four trim tanks and the two rear torpedo tubes with fresh water which bought the total amount being carried to 7,000 litres. However with this amount of fuel on board and the necessary provisions the submarine’s buoyancy would be reduced in half and it would sit 400 mm lower in the water, which would badly impact on its sea-worthiness on the outward journey. Rather than the normal complement of six torpedoes forward and four aft they decided to carry only the forward torpedoes. They also added two additional engineers which increased the crew from 34 to 36. Other than Möller only the two First Lieutenants Stein and Wacker was told about the secret voyage prior to the rest of the crew being told once the submarine as at sea. To misdirect any enemy agents, it was put about that the submarine was heading south.

After being delayed for two days by poor weather the submarine departed the naval base at Helgoland on 17 September 1916, travelling northward around the British Isles, escorted by the Zeppelin LZ-17 for the first day. Once they reached the Atlantic Ocean on 21 September Rose told the crew their actual destination. Most of the outward voyage was plagued by bad weather with sea conditions deteriorating at one point to Force 9 on the Beaufort Scale.

On 24 September the submarine passed beyond radio contact with Germany. On 28 September the submarine heard a report from a radio station at Sayville on Long Island that the Bremen had been sunk. After deliberating for two days as to whether the report was true or the Bremen was merely late Rose decided to continue with his original orders to Newport, Rhode Island rather than divert to attack shipping at Halifax.

On 7 October 1916, U-53, was sighted off Newport by American submarine D-2 which surfaced and tracked the German vessel as it headed to port. As the two submarines passed Brenton Reef Lightship Rose requested and was given permission to enter port.

Once he had docked Rose paid courtesy visits to Rear Admiral Austin M. Knight, Commandant of the United States Second Naval District, and Rear Admiral Albert Gleaves aboard the cruiser {{USS|Birmingham|CL-2|6}}; and then received courtesy visits from both admirals aboard U-53. Admiral Gleaves brought his wife and daughter to visit U-53. It took the neutral US government about two hours to decide how to handle this surprise visit. When the harbor master started talking about quarantine regulations, Rose returned to sea to avoid being interned.Long, October 1966, pp.89–92

File:S.M. Unterseeboot U53,.jpg

File:Crew ofU-53-Agence Rol.jpeg

U-53 commenced military operations the next morning two miles off the Lightship Nantucket. The US steamship Kansan was stopped by a shot across the bow at 05:35, and then released when examination of her papers revealed no contraband cargo. A large passenger liner was allowed to pass at 06:00 because Rose felt unable to provide for the safety of a large number of passengers. The {{GRT|4321|link=off}} British steamship Strathdene was stopped at 06:53 and torpedoed at 07:43 after the crew had abandoned ship. The {{GRT|4224|link=off}} Norwegian steamship Christian Knutsen with a cargo of diesel oil for London was stopped at 08:03 and torpedoed at 09:53 after the crew had abandoned ship. The {{GRT|3847|link=off}} steamship West Point was stopped at 11:30 and scuttled by explosive charges after the crew had abandoned ship.Long, October 1966, p.93

Seventeen US destroyers were dispatched from Newport to search for survivors in response to the Nantucket lightship's reports of sinkings. The destroyers arrived about 1700 as U-53 stopped the Dutch steamship {{SS|Blommersdijk||2}} bound for the Netherlands with cargo that Rose believed to be contraband bound for Britain which he sank at 19:50. The {{GRT|3449|link=off}} British passenger liner {{SS|Stephano||2}} carrying a cargo of codfish, worth $140,000 was stopped, and the gathering US destroyers took off its crew and passengers before Rose used his last torpedoes to sink it at 22:30. After sinking five ships in 17 days with no loss of life Rose set a homeward course via the Gulf Stream and evaded three British destroyers sent from Canada to intercept him.Long, October 1966, pp.93–94Robinson, pp. 51-53

On 27 October U-53 entered Helgoland harbour to a hero’s welcome.Robinson, pp. 56, 57 The next day the submarine departed for Wilhelmshaven, where upon arrival the crew were greeted by Admiral Scheer and his staff. Each member of the crew was personally awarded by the Admiral with Iron Cross while Rose was later awarded the House of Hohenzollern’s Order of the Knight’s Cross with Swords. That night for the first time in six weeks that the crew slept ashore.

There was a great deal of anger amongst the Allied powers after the visit of U-53 to a US port and the subsequent sinking of Allied shipping. While all of the sinkings were done according to Prize court laws and nobody was killed during them, the attacks instilled fear in the British because of the reach of the German U-boats, and the US because these attacks occurred so close to its shores.

Britain was further outraged that most of the attacks occurred while the submarine was surrounded by US destroyers. After a soothing speech by Sir Edward Grey, these complaints were calmed when he pointed out that the US ships had no legal right to interfere with these attacks and had done all they could to rescue the sailors in the water.Massie 2003 p.690-691 German newspapers celebrated the trip as a great demonstration of the reach of the German Navy and Captain Rose was praised for his actions.

In the summer of 1917 German naval artist Claus Bergen accompanied U-53 on an Atlantic patrol, resulting in a series of well-known paintings.{{cite web |url=http://www.uk-muenchen.de/english/eng_bergen.htm |title=UK München 1926: The English version of Munich Submariners Association: Gallery - Claus Bergen |website= www.uk-muenchen.de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040706221754/http://www.uk-muenchen.de/english/eng_bergen.htm |archive-date=2004-07-06}}

On 3 February 1917 U-53 captured and scuttled SS Housatonic about {{convert|20|nmi|km}} southwest of Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly.{{cite news |title= Captain says U-53 sank Housatonic |newspaper= The New York Times |page= 2 |date= 21 February 1917 |via= Times Machine |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1917/02/21/98240599.pdf |access-date= 5 December 2012}}

At the time the USA was still neutral and reacted cautiously to Housatonic{{'}}s sinking. The New York Times noted the courtesy and propriety with which Rose had applied the rules of war.Carlisle, pp. 43, 46-47 The US Government did not regard Housatonic{{'}}s sinking as a casus belli. Her sinking however contributed to increasing diplomatic tension that eventually led the US to declare war on Germany.

On March 11, 1917 U-53 torpedoed and sank the 6705 ton Cunard Liner {{RMS|Folia}}.

On 16 August 1917{{cite book |last= Gibson |first= R.H. |year= 1931 |title= The German Submarine War 1914–1918 |publisher= Constable & Co. / Periscope Publishing |pages=200 |isbn= 9781904381082 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uqj0bZR_EggC&q=athenia&pg=PA393}} torpedoed and sank the Donaldson liner {{SS|Athenia|1903|2}}{{cite web|title=Athenia 1904 |url= http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsAA.shtml |website=theshipslist.com |access-date=5 October 2017}}{{cite web |title=Donaldson Line SS Athenia 1904 |url= http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/donaldson.shtml |website=theshipslist.com |access-date=5 October 2017}} off Inishtrahull. Coincidentally, two decades later, in 1939, a new {{SS|Athenia|1922|2}} was sunk by the U-boat {{GS|U-30|1936|2}} in the same area.{{cite web |title=Malin metal monsters |url= http://www.divernet.com/wrecks-general/p301629-malin-metal-monsters.html |website= divernet.com |publisher= DIVER December 2012 |access-date=5 October 2017 |archive-date=5 October 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171005201641/http://www.divernet.com/wrecks-general/p301629-malin-metal-monsters.html |url-status=dead}}

File:USS Jacob Jones (DD-61).jpg

On December 6, 1917, Rose torpedoed and sank {{USS|Jacob Jones|DD-61|6}}, the first American destroyer lost in the First World War. The torpedo hit Jacob Jones at {{convert|3000|yd|m}}, the longest successful torpedo shot on record at the time.{{Citation needed|date=June 2008}}

On 8 July 1918 while off the Norwegian coast and two days out from its base at Helgoland U-53 answered a distress call from U-86 which had hit a mine and as a result had lost all of its diesel fuel. Meeting with the damaged submarine U-53 transferred fuel to it and provided further assistance until it was relieved by surface vessels.Robinson, pp. 200, 201

On 10 July 1918 U-53 returned to port having completed its fifteenth mission under Rose.Robinson, p. 201

Rose returned from a months leave on 10 August to be informed that he had been replaced as commander of U-53 by Otto von Schrader.Robinson, p. 203, 204, 205

Under von Schrader U-53 operated primarily within the English Channel after this, attacking Allied and neutral vessels, sinking ten ships of 1,782 tons with U-53 before the armistice on 11 November.Tarrant 1989 p.153

The naval historian Mark Chirnside carried out research which concluded that U-53 fired a torpedo at the liner RMS Olympic on 4 September 1918, in the English Channel. The torpedo struck the ship but failed to explode. The damage caused by the impact was not discovered until the following year.{{cite web|last1=Chirnside|first1=Mark|title=Target Olympic: Feuer! |url= https://markchirnside.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Article-OLY-Target-Olympic-Feuer.pdf |website=markchirnside.co.uk|access-date=1 May 2018|archive-date=6 January 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210106103941/http://www.markchirnside.co.uk/Olympic-torpedoattack-U53-1918.htm |url-status=live}}

U-53 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 1 December 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. She was sold by the British Admiralty to George Cohen on 3 March 1919 for £2,400 (excluding her engines), and was broken up at Swansea.{{cite book |last1=Dodson |first1=Aidan |last2=Cant |first2=Serena |year=2020 |title=Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars |place=Barnsley |publisher=Seaforth |isbn=978-1-5267-4198-1 |page=124}}

{{Reflist|group=Note}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |last= Beesly |first=Patrick |title= Room 40: British Naval Intelligence 1914-1918 |year=1982 |publisher= H Hamilton |location=London |isbn=978-0-241-10864-2}}
• {{cite book |last1= Gröner |first1= Erich |last2= Jung |first2= Dieter |last3= Maass |first3= Martin |translator-last1= Thomas

|translator-first1= Keith |translator-last2= Magowan |translator-first2= Rachel |year= 1991 |title= U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels |volume= 2 |series= German Warships 1815–1945 |location= London |publisher= Conway Maritime Press |isbn= 0-85177-593-4

|ref= CITEREFGröner1991}}

• {{cite book |last= Halpern |first= Paul G. |title= A Naval History of World War I |year= 1995 |publisher= Routledge |location= New York |isbn= 978-1-85728-498-0}}
• {{cite book |last= Koerver |first= Hans Joachim |title= Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol I., The Fleet in Action |year= 2008 |publisher= LIS Reinisch |location= Steinbach |isbn= 978-3-902433-76-3}}
• {{cite book |last= Koerver |first= Hans Joachim |title= Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol II., The Fleet in Being |year= 2009 |publisher= LIS Reinisch |location= Steinbach |isbn= 978-3-902433-77-0}}
• {{cite journal |last= Long |first= Wellington |title= The Cruise of the U-53 |journal= United States Naval Institute Proceedings |volume= 92/10/764 |publisher= United States Naval Institute |date= October 1966}}
• {{cite book |last= Massie |first= Robert |title= Castles of Steel |publisher= Ballantine Books |year= 2003 |isbn= 0-345-40878-0}}
• {{cite book |last1= Robinson |first1= Markus F. |last2= Robinson |first2= Gertrude J. |year= 2018 |title= Der Kapitän: U-Boat Ace Hans Rose |location= Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK |publisher= Amberley |type= Hardcover |language= en |isbn= 978-1-4456-7560-2}}
• {{cite book |last= Roessler |first= Eberhard |title= Die Unterseeboote der Kaiserlichen Marine |year= 1997 |publisher= Bernard & Graefe |location= Bonn |isbn= 978-3-7637-5963-7}}
• {{cite book |last= Schroeder |first= Joachim |title= Die U-Boote des Kaisers |year= 2002 |publisher= Bernard & Graefe |location= Bonn |isbn= 978-3-7637-6235-4}}
• {{cite book |last= Spindler |first= Arno |title= Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten. 5 Vols |year=1932 |edition=1933, 1934, 1941/1964, 1966|publisher= Mittler & Sohn. Vols. 4+5, dealing with 1917+18, are very hard to find: Guildhall Library, London, has them all, also Vol. 1-3 in an English translation: The submarine war against commerce|location=Berlin}}
• {{cite book |last= Tarrant |first= V.E. |title= The U-Boat Offensive 1914-1945 |publisher= Cassell & Company |year= 1989 |isbn= 1-85409-520-X}}

• [http://www.u54.suedholland-ferienhaus.de/html/s_m__u_54.html Photos of cruises of German submarine U-54 in 1916-1918.] Great photo quality, comments in German.
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091130023342/http://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/PY/269/see-the-film-the_enchanted_circle A 44 min. film from 1917 about a cruise of the German submarine U-35.] A German propaganda film without dead or wounded; many details about submarine warfare in World War I.
• {{cite Uboat.net |id=53 |name=U 53 |type=1sub|access-date=9 June 2015}}
• [http://germannavalwarfare.info/indexbr.htm Room 40:] {{Webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181015003000/http://germannavalwarfare.info/indexbr.htm |date=15 October 2018}} original documents, photos and maps about World War I German submarine warfare and British Room 40 Intelligence from The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, UK.
• [http://collections.nmm.ac.uk/collections/objects/12775.html National Maritime Museum webpage] - Portrait of Commander Rose on the deck of U-53 in the collection of the National Maritime Museum
• [https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/sgp/sgpbatches/batch_dlc_belleauwood_ver02/data/sn83030214/print/1916101501/0009.pdf The U=Boat terror Crawls to Our Doorstep. The German Undersea Raider U-53 and Some of the Effects of Her Atlantic Steamer Lane Marauding]. A page from the New York Tribune of 15 October 1916.

{{U-51 class submarines}}

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Category:World War I submarines of Germany

Category:Type U 51 submarines

Category:Ships built in Kiel

Category:1916 ships

Category:U-boats commissioned in 1916