Action of 18 June 1918
Encyclopedia
The Action of 18 June 1918 was a German Navy
attack on two allied
ships near Bermuda
in the Atlantic Ocean
during World War I
. A German U-boat sank an allied merchant vessel but failed to destroy an American
warship which came to the merchantman's aid.
flagged merchant ship known for her involvement in the First Battle of the Atlantic. On 18 June 1918, while steaming in the Atlantic from France
to Newport News, Virginia
, Dwinsk encountered the German submarine U-151 around 400 mi (347.6 nmi; 643.7 km) from Bermuda.
The submarine surfaced and fired a torpedo into the helpless British steamer which caused severe damage. No distress call is known to have been sent by Dwinsk. The deaths of 22 or more British sailors have been confirmed, others were reported to have minor injuries. The dead either went down with Dwinsk when she sank or were in a lifeboat that went missing after their vessel went down. U-151s action was not over though, instead of fleeing after sinking the Dwinsk, she waited in the vicinity for any allied vessels coming to aid the British lifeboats which did not attempt to abandon the wreckage of their transport. The German U-boat remained for a few hours, using the stranded Britons as bait.
—which just happened to be returning to America from Brest, France
—sighted the wreckage of Dwinsk from over five miles away. What the Americans saw were seven lifeboats that appeared to be empty. The boats appeared to be empty due to the captain
of the Dwinsk; he had ordered the crew to lie down to prevent allied vessels from approaching and being attacked by the Germans. Von Seuben made her approach anyway and began zig-zagging as a measure against torpedo attack.
Sure enough, as Von Seuben closed the British lifeboats, the wake
of one or two torpdoes were spotted coming towards the ship off her bow from abaft the port beam. Quickly the American commander was informed of the situation and ordered his crew to battle stations. Von Steuben fired her first shells in anger
at the incoming torpedo, while another turret fired on U-151s periscope
which was seen at the other end of the torpedo's trail. The shots fired at the torpedo apparently missed their target but Von Steuben was able to maneuver fast enough to keep out of the torpedo's path which missed by just a few yards from the auxiliary Von Steuben. Once over the U-boat's last known position, the Americans dropped over twelve depth charges which shook the submarine severely—according to German accounts—and forced her to flee.
Six of the seven lifeboats were rescued by other allied ships; the seventh boat with about 20 men aboard was never heard from again. rescued two boats on 21 June and picked up the final boat on 28 June. This engagement was Von Steubens only combat action during World War I.
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
attack on two allied
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
ships near Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. A German U-boat sank an allied merchant vessel but failed to destroy an American
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
warship which came to the merchantman's aid.
Action
The was a BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
flagged merchant ship known for her involvement in the First Battle of the Atlantic. On 18 June 1918, while steaming in the Atlantic from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to Newport News, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Dwinsk encountered the German submarine U-151 around 400 mi (347.6 nmi; 643.7 km) from Bermuda.
The submarine surfaced and fired a torpedo into the helpless British steamer which caused severe damage. No distress call is known to have been sent by Dwinsk. The deaths of 22 or more British sailors have been confirmed, others were reported to have minor injuries. The dead either went down with Dwinsk when she sank or were in a lifeboat that went missing after their vessel went down. U-151s action was not over though, instead of fleeing after sinking the Dwinsk, she waited in the vicinity for any allied vessels coming to aid the British lifeboats which did not attempt to abandon the wreckage of their transport. The German U-boat remained for a few hours, using the stranded Britons as bait.
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
—sighted the wreckage of Dwinsk from over five miles away. What the Americans saw were seven lifeboats that appeared to be empty. The boats appeared to be empty due to the captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
of the Dwinsk; he had ordered the crew to lie down to prevent allied vessels from approaching and being attacked by the Germans. Von Seuben made her approach anyway and began zig-zagging as a measure against torpedo attack.
Sure enough, as Von Seuben closed the British lifeboats, the wake
Wake
A wake is the region of recirculating flow immediately behind a moving or stationary solid body, caused by the flow of surrounding fluid around the body.-Fluid dynamics:...
of one or two torpdoes were spotted coming towards the ship off her bow from abaft the port beam. Quickly the American commander was informed of the situation and ordered his crew to battle stations. Von Steuben fired her first shells in anger
Fire in anger
"Fire in anger" is a phrase used in military contexts to describe the use of a projectile weapon to deliberately cause damage or harm to an opponent, as opposed to training exercises or warning shots. For example, Napier of Magdala Battery "never fired a shot in anger"; the battery never engaged in...
at the incoming torpedo, while another turret fired on U-151s periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
which was seen at the other end of the torpedo's trail. The shots fired at the torpedo apparently missed their target but Von Steuben was able to maneuver fast enough to keep out of the torpedo's path which missed by just a few yards from the auxiliary Von Steuben. Once over the U-boat's last known position, the Americans dropped over twelve depth charges which shook the submarine severely—according to German accounts—and forced her to flee.
Aftermath
Von Steubens crew did not rescue any of the Britons that night. It was not until later that the Americans learned that the survivors were lying down in their boats. The American commander did not want to risk his ship by slowing down to investigate the lifeboats. If Von Steuben had stopped to check the lifeboats, she would have been exposed to a torpedo attack.Six of the seven lifeboats were rescued by other allied ships; the seventh boat with about 20 men aboard was never heard from again. rescued two boats on 21 June and picked up the final boat on 28 June. This engagement was Von Steubens only combat action during World War I.