UKTECH
The conning tower inner and outer hatches are open
PHOTO : RICK AYRTON
Three missing U-boats
The U-93 was launched in December 1916 and the U-95 in January 1917 . On 27th December 1917 , the U-95 departed Ems , Germany and the U-93 departed three days later . U-95 radioed after passing Dover , and then sank the SS Vigrid off the Runnel Stone , Cornwall . The U-95 was reported to have sunk two steamers on the 2nd January 1918 and the U-93 was recorded as active around Penmarch a few days later . Nothing more was heard from either boat after 15th January .
The third missing U-boat , the U-109 was brand new . Launched on 25th September 1917 , she departed on 24th January 1918 . Just two days later , it was claimed that she struck a mine and sank .
The Lizard wreck
In 2004 , a wreck of a U-boat was discovered off the coast of the Lizard Peninsula , Cornwall . The Royal Navy ’ s official attribution was that it was the U-93 ; She had been recorded as being rammed and sunk by the merchant ship SS Braeneil near the Lizard on 7th January 1918 . However , this was later questioned , as the U-93 was identified as active near Penmarch a week later by the crew of a French ship that she sank . Nothing further is heard of her after the 15th January .
In 2006 the wreck was surveyed by a team lead by Innes McCartney ¹, which identified the wreck as being a Type U-93 Class due to shape , size and configuration of the conning tower , and position and number of torpedoes . Although there was
U-95 ’ s imposing forward gun
PHOTO : RICK AYRTON
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