HMS H6

HMS H6 was a British H-class submarine of the Royal Navy built by Canadian Vickers & Co. during World War I.

HNLMS O 8
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS H6
BuilderCanadian Vickers, Montreal
Laid down1914[1]
Launched12 May 1915[1]
Commissioned10 June 1915[1]
FateSold to the Netherlands on 4 May 1917
Netherlands
NameHNLMS O 8
Acquired4 May 1917[2]
Commissioned7 May 1917[3]
FateScuttled by Dutch forces following German invasion of the Netherlands during Second World War. Later refloated by Germany on 14 May 1940
Nazi Germany
NameUD-1
Commissioned21 November 1940[1]
Decommissioned23 November 1943[1]
FateScuttled in Kiel Harbour following Allied advance on 3 May 1945[1]
General characteristics (as built)
Class and typeH-class submarine
Displacement
  • 364 long tons (370 t) surfaced
  • 434 long tons (441 t) submerged
Length150 ft 3 in (45.80 m)
Beam15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) surfaced
  • 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) submerged
Range
  • 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 130 nautical miles (240 km; 150 mi) at 2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph) submerged
Complement22
Armament
Service record as UD-1[1]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • K.Kapt. Hermann Rigele[4]
  • 21 November 1940 – 3 May 1941
  • Kptlt. Friedrich Schäfer[5]
  • 4 May – 2 November 1941
  • Franz Venier [6]
  • 3 November 1941 – 14 December 1942
  • Kptlt. Wolfgang Ketelsen[7]
  • 15 December 1942 – 17 May 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Weidner[8]
  • 18 May – 28 November 1943
Operations: None
Victories: None

History

She was completed on 10 June 1915 and was commissioned by the Royal Navy the same year. However, her service in the Royal Navy was short. On 19 January 1916, she ran aground near the Dutch island of Schiermonnikoog, after which she was interned by the Royal Netherlands Navy. On 4 May 1917, an agreement was reached to sell H6 to the Netherlands.

Dutch service

The Royal Netherlands Navy renamed H6 to HNLMS O 8 and refitted her, with knowledge gained from the interned German submarine UC-8. After UC-8 was bought from Germany O 8 was equipped with UC-8's Zeiss periscope. During maintenance in October 1921, O 8 partly sank in the harbour at Den Helder.[2] Because only minor damage was sustained, she was repaired and continued in service. In the summer of 1925, O 8 together with the other Dutch vessels HNLMS K XI, HNLMS Jacob van Heemskerck, HNLMS Marten Harpertszoon Tromp, HNLMS Z 3 and HNLMS Z 5 were part of an exercise in the Baltic Sea.

During the German attack on the Netherlands at the start of the Second World War, O 8 was still in Dutch service. At the time she was undergoing maintenance and as a result could not escape during the invasion.[9] Instead it was decided to scuttle her.[10]

German service

After the surrender of the Netherlands, the German forces were able raise O 8 and found her almost fully intact.[11]

Germany took O 8 into service as UD-1 and transferred her from Den Helder to Kiel. In Kiel, she was used as training ship to train crews for the German U-boats. Because of her age, she was decommissioned on 23 November 1943. On 3 May 1945, she was scuttled again in the harbour at Kiel.[12]

References
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Foreign U-boats UD-1". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  2. Jalhay (1982), p. 107.
  3. von Münching (1978), p. 33.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hermann Rigele". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Friedrich Schäfer". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Franz Venier". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfgang Ketelsen". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Friedrich Weidner". Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  9. de Bles, Boven and Homburg (2006), p. 95.
  10. Jalhay (1982), p. 29.
  11. Bezemer, K.W.L.; Zij vochten op de zeven zeeën; Uitgeversmaatschappij W. de Haan N.V.; 1954
  12. Dutchsubmarines.com O 8

Bibliography
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Jalhay, P.C.; Wijn, J.J.A. (1997). Ik nader ongezien! De onderzeeboten van de Koninklijke Marine. Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw. ISBN 9067074624.
  • von Münching, L.L. (1978). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 90-6013-903-8.
  • de Bles, Harry; Boven, Graddy; Homburg, Leon (2006). Onderzeeboten! (in Dutch). Zaltbommel: Aprilis. ISBN 978-90-5994-130-4.
  • Jalhay, P.C. (1982). Nederlandse Onderzeedienst 75 jaar (in Dutch). Bussum: De Boer Maritiem. ISBN 90-228-1864-0.

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