SM U-53 in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

SM U-53

SM U-53 was a Type U 51 built in the Shipyard Germaniawerft, Kiel (Werk 235). Ordered 23 Aug 1914 the vessel was laid down 17 Mar 1915, launched 1 Feb 1916 and commissioned 22 Apr 1916
Commanders.
22 Apr 1916 - 17 Aug 1918 Hans Rose.
18 Aug 1918 - 29 Nov 1918 Otto von Schrader.
U53 undertook 13 patrols between 31 May 1916 and 11 Nov 1918 with II Flotilla Successes amounted to 87 ships sunk with a total of 224,314 tons. 10 ships damaged with a total of 46,339 tons. 1 warship sunk with a total of 1,050 tons.

11 Jul 1916 Calypso 2,876 br
8 Oct 1916 Blommersdijk 4,850 nl
8 Oct 1916 Christian Knutsen 4,224 nw
8 Oct 1916 Stephano 3,449 br
8 Oct 1916 Strathdene 4,321 br
8 Oct 1916 West Point 3,847 br
22 Jan 1917 Anna 154 fr
22 Jan 1917 Zeta 3,053 nl
28 Jan 1917 Nueva Montana 2,039 sp
29 Jan 1917 Algorta 2,117 sp
31 Jan 1917 Hekla 524 nw
2 Feb 1917 Odin 1,045 nw
3 Feb 1917 Housatonic 3,143 am
4 Feb 1917 Aimee Maria 327 fr
4 Feb 1917 Bangpuhtis 259 ru
5 Feb 1917 Bravalla 1,519 sw
9 Feb 1917 Marian 71 nl
2 Mar 1917 Gazelle 119 br
2 Mar 1917 Utopia 184 br
3 Mar 1917 Theodoros Pangalos 2,838 gr
5 Mar 1917 Federico Confalonieri 4,434 it
9 Mar 1917 Cavour 1,929 it
9 Mar 1917 Lars Fostenes 2,118 nw
10 Mar 1917 St. Feodor (damaged) 126 ru
11 Mar 1917 Folia 6,705 br
11 Mar 1917 Gracia 3,129 sp
12 Mar 1917 Hainaut 4,113 be
14 Mar 1917 Aquila 1,092 nw
18 Apr 1917 Scalpa 1,010 br
18 Apr 1917 Sculptor 3,846 br
19 Apr 1917 Tempus 2,981 br
21 Apr 1917 Pontiac 1,698 br
22 Apr 1917 Neepawah 1,799 ca
23 Apr 1917 Eptapyrgion 4,307 br
24 Apr 1917 Anglesea 4,534 br
24 Apr 1917 Ferndene 3,770 br
25 Apr 1917 Elisabeth (damaged) 217 da
25 Apr 1917 Laura 335 br
26 Apr 1917 Hekla 169 da
27 Jun 1917 Ultonia 10,402 br
8 Jul 1917 Asheim 2,147 nw
8 Jul 1917 Atlantic 1,087 da
10 Jul 1917 Cedric 197 br
10 Jul 1917 Mabel 205 br
10 Jul 1917 Pacific 235 br
10 Jul 1917 Peridot 214 br
10 Jul 1917 Pretoria 283 br
10 Jul 1917 Romantic 197 br
10 Jul 1917 Sea King 185 br
10 Jul 1917 Stoic 200 br
16 Aug 1917 Athenia 8,668 br
21 Aug 1917 Devonian 10,435 br
21 Aug 1917 Roscommon 8,238 br
22 Aug 1917 Verdi 7,120 br
23 Aug 1917 Boniface 3,799 br
26 Aug 1917 Durango 3,008 br
26 Aug 1917 Kenmore 3,919 br
10 Oct 1917 Bostonian 5,736 br
10 Oct 1917 Gowrie 1,031 br
11 Oct 1917 Lewis Luckenbach 3,906 am
15 Oct 1917 San Nazario (damaged) 10,064 br
17 Oct 1917 Manchuria 2,997 br
17 Oct 1917 Polvena 4,750 br
19 Oct 1917 Parkhaven 2,635 nl
20 Nov 1917 Megrez 2,695 nl
20 Nov 1917 Nederland 1,832 nl
23 Nov 1917 Westlands 3,112 br
24 Nov 1917 Dunrobin 3,617 br
1 Dec 1917 Helenus (damaged) 7,555 br
5 Dec 1917 Earlswood (damaged) 2,353 br
6 Dec 1917 Jacob Jones (uss) 1,050 am
9 Dec 1917 Nyanza (damaged) 6,695 br
9 Dec 1917 War Tune 2,045 br
10 Dec 1917 Øiekast 605 nw
4 Feb 1918 Treveal 4,160 br
6 Feb 1918 Holkar 61 br
6 Feb 1918 Marsouin 55 fr
7 Feb 1918 Beaumaris 2,372 br
8 Feb 1918 Basuta 2,876 br
9 Feb 1918 Lydie 2,559 br
11 Feb 1918 Merton Hall 4,327 br
2 Apr 1918 Meaford 1,889 br
7 Apr 1918 Cadillac (damaged) 11,106 br
7 Apr 1918 Knight Templar (damaged) 7,175 br
7 Apr 1918 Port Campbell 6,230 br
20 Jun 1918 Aisne (damaged) 315 br
27 Jun 1918 Keelung 6,672 br
28 Jun 1918 Queen 4,956 br
30 Jun 1918 W.m.l. 145 br
2 Jul 1918 Erme 116 br
6 Jul 1918 Gullfaxi 46 is
28 Aug 1918 Pauline 134 ru
1 Sep 1918 Ami De Dieu 45 fr
1 Sep 1918 Etoile Polaire 51 fr
2 Sep 1918 Hirondelle 38 fr
2 Sep 1918 Nicolazic 42 fr
4 Sep 1918 War Firth 3,112 br
5 Sep 1918 Rio Mondego (damaged) 733 pt

On 1 Dec 1918 U53 Surrendered and was broken up at Swansea in 1922.
There was another U 53 in World War Two. That boat was launched from its shipyard on 6 May 1939 and commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 24 Jun 1939.

24th Nov 1917 SS Dunrobin lost SS Dunrobin was a 3,617grt defensively-armed British Merchant ship. On the 24th November 1917 when on route from Almeria for the Tyne with a cargo of iron ore and grapes she was torpedoed by German submarine U-53 and sunk, 49 miles SW of the Lizard, Cornwall. 31 lives were lost including the Master.

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- SM U-53 during the Great War -

SM U-53

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Those known to have served on
SM U-53
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The Wartime Memories Project - SM U-53 during the Great War -

SM U-53

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Those known to have served on SM U-53during the Great War 1914-1918.

The Wartime Memories Project
- SM U-53 during the Great War -

Those known to have served on
SM U-53
during the Great War 1914-1918.