| Summary : 1920 wreck of German submarine which foundered off the Dodman in a position said to be between the Dodman and Nare Head: she was sunk by gunfire from HMS KENNET after breaking tow while en route from Devonport, last from Harwich, for Falmouth. Constructed of steel in 1917, she was powered by diesel engines and had served in the III Flandern Flotilla during the war, until surrender to the UK in November 1918.
Three sites have to date been charted as the possible resting place of this vessel, none of which have been confirmed as UB 118: 919754 off the Dodman; 832078, also off the Dodman, but erroneously labelled 17583; and 832201, also erroneously labelled UB 113, off the Mew Stone, Devon. The latter two are identifiable as possible candidates for UB 118 through the consonance of their described circumstances of loss (sunk by KENNET in November 1920) and by the fact that UB 113 was a war loss elsewhere, so is not in contention for the identity of these sites.
832201 is no longer regarded as a candidate for UB 118 and is now identified as HMS/m D1, a designated wreck site since April 2021.
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| More information : A German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I, commissioned on 22 January 1918 as SM UB-118. That same year, she surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 21 November 1918, and was allocated to British explosive trials at Falmouth. She began to take water while in tow from Devonport to Falmouth and was sunk by her escort on 21 November 1920. (10)
Wreck Event:
Indexed as U 118 in typescript (1) for (2), but this is in error (3) since U 118 went ashore at Hastings after breaking tow in 1919.
Recorded as UB 118, date of loss 21-NOV-1920.
Submarine UB-118 which arrived at Devonport from Harwich last week, left that port at 8.10am in tow of the tug WOONDA for Falmouth, and sank the same afternoon. The explanation is supposed that valves in the fore compartment gave way and the vessel partly filled. An alarm was signalled and the sloop KENNET, a fishing patrol craft, came to the scene and sank the submarine by gunfire because of the danger to navigation. (2)
Recorded as UB 113. Sank while on tow to Falmouth between Dodman and Nare Head. (4)
Recorded as UB 113. Sunk by gunfire after breaking her tow on 14-NOV-1920. (5)
UB 113: Broke tow, considered to be a danger to navigation and sunk by gunfire from the sloop HMS KENNET. (6)
The attribution to UB 113 is incorrect, firstly because UB 113 was a war lost (untraced after leaving Zeebrugge, 1918), and secondly because the details are sufficiently close to those of UB 118 in location, date, and circumstances of loss to make an identification plausible. The error may be based on a misreading or mistranscription, since a faded or partly obscured 8 may be read as a 3. (4)
832201 is no longer regarded a candidate for UB 118. Investigations made in 2018 identified this as HMS/m D1, a prototype for the British D-class submarine, built in 1909. The combination of two forward torpedo tubes, single stern torpedo tube, two propellers and single rudder are not found on UBIII class and the UCII class submarines. Additionally, the overall dimensions and the shape and position of the conning tower, torpedo tubes and deck fixtures are consistent with the technical plans of HMS/m D1. As of April 2021, the wreck site is designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. (9)
'EXPERIMENTAL U-BOAT LOST.
'A Plymouth message says that on Sunday evening the ex-German submarine UB 118, whcih was in tow of the tug WOONDA, got into difficulties off Didma [sic] Point, Falmouth. Her after compartment gave out, and the vessel submerged. As she was a danger to navigation, she was sunk by gunfire by the auxiliary patrol vessel KENNET. It appears that the submarine was proceeding to a certain port for experimental purposes when the mishap occurred.' (7)
'The ex-German submarine UB 118 which was brought into Dover during the gale last Sunday week and remained in the Admiralty Harbour for several days, was lost off Falmouth on Sunday. Whilst under tow it began to sink owing to the valves in the fore compartment giving way. As it could not be salved and was a danger to navigation, a fishing patrol craft, the KENNET, sank it with gunfire. (8)
Surrendered 20 November 1918. Despite often reported claims that she was surrendered to France, UB 118 remained under British control. She is very likely the U-boat which sank under tow near Falmouth on November 21, 1920 (50 11N 004 46W).
UB118 made four patrols before the end of the war, taking her to the British east coast, St. George's Channel, and the Orkneys. According to German history of UB118, she surrendered to France on 20th November 1918. According to historian and diver Innes McCartney, she appears in records of U-boats in British hands on 19th February 1919, where she was reported as moored at Harwich. Other stories claim UB118 was washed ashore at Hastings on 15th April 1919. 'UB118 was almost certainly the U-boat that was allocated to Falmouth, but was lost on tow on the way there. It is known that on 21st Nov 1920, UB118 was being towed from Devonport to Falmouth when the valves in her fore compartment supposedly failed. She became unmanageable and was finally sunk by the fishery patrol vessel KENNET.' (14)
Historic Position: 50 12.30N; 04 36W. Known Position 2003: 50 11.34N; 0446.36W (14)
A submarine was located circa 5.5 miles from the given sinking position in 1977. Innes McCartney dived this wreck in summer 2002 and was able to confirm the presence of a UBIII-Class submarine in poor condition, possibly partially salvaged. Visibility was poor at the time of inspection. (14)
Built: 1917 (2)(9)
Laid down: 4 April 1917 (13)
Launched: 13 December 1917 (12)
Commissioned: 22 January 1918 (12)
Builder: A G Weser (9)(11)
Where Built: Bremen (9); yard number 291 (11)
Unit: III Flotilla (9); 26 March - 11 November 1918 (11)
Owner: Kaiserliche Marine [all sources]; to UK on surrender November 1918 (9)
Displacement: 512 t (504 long tons) surfaced; 643 t (633 long tons) submerged (11)
Armamanet: 5 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern); 10 torpedoes; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46in) deck gun (11)
Crew: no losses. Usual complement: 3 officers, 31 men (12)
Commander: Kptlt. Hermann Arthur Krauß (22 January-11 November 1918) (13)
Operations: 5 patrols (11); 4 patrols (14)
Victories: 4 merchant ships sunk (17,416 GRT) (11); 5 vessels (24,000 GRT) (14)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss
Additional source cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles:
FP 26-NOV-1921 (Fri) - untraced
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