SM U-46 in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

SM U-46

British Troopship
RMS Andania
RMS Andania was a passenger and cargo ship from Great Britain launched 22 March 1913. She was 13,405 tons and built in the Greenock Dockyard Company by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd and completed 13 July 1913.
In World War I the Andania was used to transport the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Royal Dublin Fusiliers to Cape Helles for the landings at Suvla. The landing at Suvla Bay by the British IX Corps was part of the August Offensive during the Battle of Gallipoli.
The Andania measured 158.58 by 19.50 meters (520.3 ft × 64.0 ft) and had twin funnels and masts. The hull was made of steel and the vessel was propelled by a twin propellers configaration, powered by eight quadruple-expansion engines creating a service speed of 15 knots. The Andania held accommodations for 520 second-class and 1,540 third-class passengers. Her sister ships were the Alaunia and Aurania which were almost identical and "catered only for second and third class passengers". The old-style third class dormitories were replaced by four or six-berth cabins.
History.
The Andania made its maiden voyage on 14 July 1913 from Liverpool via Southampton to Quebec and Montreal. In August 1914 it was requisitioned as a troopship and made several trips carrying Canadian troops. For a few weeks in 1915 the Andania was used to accommodate German POWs in the Thames. In the summer of 1915 it was used in the Gallipoli campaign when she was used to transport the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Royal Dublin Fusiliers to Cape Helles for the landings at Suvla.
After transporting more Canadian troops in 1916, it returned to passenger service in 1917 on the Liverpool-New York route. The Andania left Liverpool on 26 January 1918 with 40 passengers and a crew of around 200. On the 27 January the ship was hit amidships by a torpedo from German submarine U-46 captained by Leo Hillebrand two miles north-northeast of Rathlin East (Altacarry Head) lighthouse on Rathlin Island (County Antrim). The ship immediately took a list to starboard and began to sink. Attempts were made to tow the ship but it sank after a few hours. A great deal of the people on board were saved, but Andania's sinking killed seven crew members. The wreck is lying at a depth of between 175 and 189 metres.

SM U-46 was a Type U 43 built at the Shipyard Kaiserliche Werft, Danzig (Werk 24). She was ordered on the 4th of Aug 1914, launched on the 18th of May 1915 and commissioned on the 17th of Dec 1915
Her commanders were:
17 Dec 1915 - 6 Dec 1917 Leo Hillebrand
7 Dec 1916 - 15 Jan 1917 Alfred Saalwächter
16 Jan 1918 - 11 Nov 1918 Leo Hillebrand
U-46 had a career of 11 patrols between the 29th of Mar 1916 and 11 of Nov 1918 she sailed with III Flotilla She claimed 52 ships sunk with a total of 140,314 tons and 1 ship damaged with a total of 7,378 tons.

29 Sep 1916 Ravn 1,260 nw
29 Sep 1916 Sinsen 1,925 nw
30 Sep 1916 Hafnia 962 nw
30 Sep 1916 Hekla 950 nw
4 Oct 1916 Brantingham 2,617 br
6 Oct 1916 Erika 2,430 ru
9 Oct 1916 Astoria 4,262 br
11 Oct 1916 Iolo 3,903 br
16 Dec 1916 Chassie Maersk 1,387 da
16 Dec 1916 Taki Maru 3,208 jp
16 Dec 1916 Gerda 775 da
17 Dec 1916 Bayhall 3,898 br
19 Dec 1916 Falk 948 nw
23 Dec 1916 Marques De Urquijo 2,170 sp
25 Dec 1916 Marie Pierre 166 fr
27 Dec 1916 Aislaby 2,692 br
27 Dec 1916 Goulfar 259 fr
21 Mar 1917 Hindustan 3,692 br
23 Mar 1917 Argo 1,563 pt
24 Mar 1917 Montreal 3,342 fr
1 Apr 1917 Aztec 3,727 am
3 Apr 1917 Hesperus 2,231 ru
5 Apr 1917 Benheather 4,701 br
7 Apr 1917 Fiskaa 1,700 nw
15 May 1917 Grosholm 1,847 nw
17 May 1917 Lewisham 2,810 br
18 May 1917 Llandrindod 3,841 br
18 May 1917 Penhale 3,712 br
20 May 1917 Lady Patricia 1,372 br
22 May 1917 Tansan Maru 2,443 jp
24 May 1917 Jersey City 4,670 br
24 Jul 1917 Brumaire 2,324 br
24 Jul 1917 Zermatt 3,767 br
25 Jul 1917 Peninsula 1,384 br
25 Jul 1917 Purley 4,500 br
27 Jul 1917 Begona No. 4 2,407 br
31 Jul 1917 Shimosa 4,221 br
22 Oct 1917 Zillah 3,788 br
24 Oct 1917 Ilderton 3,125 br
28 Oct 1917 Baron Balfour 3,991 br
4 Nov 1917 Irina 2,210 ru
7 Nov 1917 Obj 1,829 nw
27 Jan 1918 Andania 13,405 br
31 Jan 1918 Towneley 2,476 br
1 Feb 1918 Cavallo 2,086 br
3 Feb 1918 Lutece 1,346 fr
5 Feb 1918 Cresswell 2,829 br
13 Mar 1918 Crayford 1,209 br
18 Mar 1918 Atlantic Sun 2,333 am
30 Mar 1918 Stabil 538 nw
25 May 1918 Rathlin Head (damaged) 7,378 br
16 Sep 1918 Tasman 5,023 br
25 Sep 1918 Gloire a Jesus 60 fr

On the 26th of Nov 1918, U46 surrendered to Japan. She was in Japanese service as the O2 during 1920 and 1921, before being partially dismantled at Kure Navy Yard in April 1921. she wa then rebuilt at Yokosuka Navy Yard 1925 as a testbed for submarine salvage operations carried out by the tender ASAHI. During her transfer from Yokosuka to Kure on 21st of April 1925 she was caught by a storm and lost. On the 5th of Aug 1927 her hulk was spotted by a U.S. merchant, west of Oahu and she was later scuttled.
There was another U 46 in World War Two, launched from its shipyard on 10th of Sep 1938 and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 2nd of Nov 1938.

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.

Want to know more about SM U-46?

There are:1 items tagged SM U-46 available in our Library

These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

The Wartime Memories Project
- SM U-46 during the Great War -

SM U-46

Want to know more about SM U-46?

Those known to have served on
SM U-46
during the Great War 1914-1918.

The Wartime Memories Project - SM U-46 during the Great War -

SM U-46

Want to know more about SM U-46?

Those known to have served on SM U-46during the Great War 1914-1918.

The Wartime Memories Project
- SM U-46 during the Great War -

Those known to have served on
SM U-46
during the Great War 1914-1918.