Archaeology Notes

Event ID 853283

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/853283

ND47NE 8003 4833 7972

N58 42.15 W2 48

NLO: Pentland Firth [name centred ND 35 81]

Muckle Skerry [name centred ND 465 783]

Pentland Skerries [name centred ND 470 775]

Scapa Flow [name centred HY 36 00].

Suggested location 'in the vicinity of Scapa Flow'.

G Ridley 1992.

Quality of fix = EDM

Evidence = Vertical Scan

Horizontal Datum = OGB

General water depth = 70

Orientation of keel/wreck = 160/340

Circumstances of Loss Details

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The German submarine U18 was rammed by the trawler DOROTHY GRAY. The vessel surrendered and was scuttled.

Report by Naval Historical Branch.

Source: Warships of World War I [photo]

Surveying Details

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The wreck's postion is given as 58 41 00N, 002 55 00W.

Report by Naval Historical Branch

14 January 1985. The vessel was found at 58 42 09N, 002 48 00W at its position fixed using 3-range trisponder. The site was located on 9 September 1984, but it was not closely examined. It lies in a trough between two sandwaves of a greater height. The side scan sonar indicated a height of 4.5 metres in a general depth of 70 metres. The length is 60 metres, and width 6 metres. The wreck is lying with its keel on an orientation of 160/340 degrees.

Report by BUE Subsea.

Hydrographic Office, 1995.

(Classified as submarine: date of loss cited as 23 November 1914). U-18: this vessel was rammed and sunk by 'Dorothy Gray' and 'Garry' after grounding on Pentland Skerry [Skerries].

Registration: German. 691 tons displacement. Length: 61m. Beam: 6m.

(Location of loss cited as N58 42.15 W2 48.0).

I G Whittaker 1998.

Length: 204ft 6ins (62.3m)

Beam: 20ft (6.1m)

Displacement: 564/691 tons

Propulsion: heavy oil [rather than diesel] engines; two propellers; 1400/1120 hp; 15/9.5 kts

Armament: 4 x 19.7in (500mm) torpedo tubes (2 bow, 2 stern); 1 or nil 2in (51mm) guns according to variations within class. Calibre of torpedo tubes also cited as 17.7ins (450mm)

Complement: 28

This submarine was the second and last unit of the U-17 class, and was built at Danzig Dockyard in 1912 as one of the last German submarines fitted with heavy oil engines. She was rammed by a trawler off Scapa Flow in 1914.

H M Le Fleming 1961; [Jane] 2001.