| Unterseeboot 28 (1913) |
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U-28 conducted four patrols, sinking 39 ships totalling 93,782 tons. Der Krieg Zur See: Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten, the official history of the U-boats of World War I , describes U-28's final patrol thusly: :On 19.8.17 ( August 19 , 1917 ) U-28 left Emden for the war on shipping in the Arctic Sea . Officially confirmed newspaper reports state that, on 2.9.17 ( September 2 ) at 1155 a.m., 85 miles NbE½E (north by east, a half east -- 16.875°) from North Cape , in position 72°34N, 27°56E, the U-Boat attacked the armed English steamer ''Olive Branch'', 4649 t., carrying munitions from England for Arkhangelsk . Since the steamer was not sunk by a torpedo hit, U-28 came to close range to finish her with gunfire. The second shell hit the cargo of munitions, which detonated with an enormous explosion, whereby the U-boat was so badly damaged that it sank. Some men of the crew of U-28 were seen swimming, but were not picked up by the ''Olive Branch'''s lifeboats. No survivors. Parenthetical comments added. All hands lost meant 39 dead. A British description of the same event, Under the Black Ensign by R.S. Gwatkin-Williams, states that when the ammunition detonated, a truck carried as deck cargo was blown into the air and fell from a great height on the U-boat, sinking it. While it is not impossible that a doomed but heroic lorry wreaked Vengeance For King And Country , the blast from the explosion probably laid the submarine over far enough to swamp her open hatches. |
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