Action of 8 May 1918
Encyclopedia
The Action of 8 May 1918 was a small naval engagement which occurred off Algiers
, North Africa
during World War I
. In the action, an American
armed yacht
and a British
destroyer
encountered the German
U-boat
. Initially, the engagement was thought to be inconclusive, but later on the allied
warships were credited with sinking the German submarine
.
at the end of World War I. Her mission was to conduct unrestricted submarine warfare
operations against allied supply lanes, primarily against Italian
merchantmen
.
Little is known about the disappearance of UB-70 except that she was in operation against an allied supply convoy somewhere near Algiers
, Algeria
. At about 17:00 on 8 May 1918, the American armed yacht —under Richard P. McCullough—and the British destroyer were steaming and protecting a convoy from Bizerte
to Gibraltar
when they encountered UB-70, lining up for a shot at the British merchant ship SS Ingleside.
The Central Powers
submarine fired torpedoes and at least one hit the civil vessel. Ingleside burst into flames and immediately began to sink. The merchant ship was manned by an unknown number of crew, some were killed or wounded, some went down with the ship. The survivors waited for rescue on deck of their sinking ship or in the water. Ingleside went down, and by 17:35 the protecting allied warships spotted the submarine.
According to post-war accounts, either USS Lydonia or HMS Basilisk rammed the U-boat when it began to submerge
and flee. A running battle ensued for fifteen minutes. The allied warships were coordinated and together dropped several well placed depth charges on the fleeing enemy submarine until a slight oil slick began to emerge.
After assuming they had sunk the enemy U-boat, Lydonia and Basilisk proceeded hastily to the wreck of Ingleside. The British and American vessels rescued some survivors and took them to a friendly port, probably Algiers.
At first, the incident was listed as an inconclusive contact, but later, after the war and after authorities realized that UB-70 had not been heard from for months), the American and British vessels received honors for their victory.
The action off Africa became one of the few confirmed sinkings of a German U-boat by an American vessel during their shorter participation in the naval war. UB-70 was also the only vessel known to have been sunk by an American vessel in Mediterranean waters during the conflict.
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
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...
. In the action, 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...
armed yacht
Armed yacht
An armed yacht was a yacht that was armed with weapons and was typically in the service of a navy. Their speed and maneuverability made them useful as patrol vessels. In the United States Navy armed yachts were typically private yachts expropriated for government use in times of war. Armed yachts...
and a British
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
encountered the German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
. Initially, the engagement was thought to be inconclusive, but later on the 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...
warships were credited with sinking the German submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
.
Action
On 16 April, the German U-boat UB-70—under a Kapitänleutnant named Johannes—left her home port in Germany for the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
at the end of World War I. Her mission was to conduct unrestricted submarine warfare
Unrestricted submarine warfare
Unrestricted submarine warfare is a type of naval warfare in which submarines sink merchantmen without warning, as opposed to attacks per prize rules...
operations against allied supply lanes, primarily against Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
merchantmen
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
.
Little is known about the disappearance of UB-70 except that she was in operation against an allied supply convoy somewhere near Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. At about 17:00 on 8 May 1918, the American armed yacht —under Richard P. McCullough—and the British destroyer were steaming and protecting a convoy from Bizerte
Bizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
when they encountered UB-70, lining up for a shot at the British merchant ship SS Ingleside.
The Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
submarine fired torpedoes and at least one hit the civil vessel. Ingleside burst into flames and immediately began to sink. The merchant ship was manned by an unknown number of crew, some were killed or wounded, some went down with the ship. The survivors waited for rescue on deck of their sinking ship or in the water. Ingleside went down, and by 17:35 the protecting allied warships spotted the submarine.
According to post-war accounts, either USS Lydonia or HMS Basilisk rammed the U-boat when it began to submerge
Submerge
Submerge is an Indian dance and clubbing scene founded in 2002 by MTV India VJ Nikhil Chinapa, with DJ Pearl, Chinappa's wife, as a co-founder....
and flee. A running battle ensued for fifteen minutes. The allied warships were coordinated and together dropped several well placed depth charges on the fleeing enemy submarine until a slight oil slick began to emerge.
Aftermath
At first, the incident was listed as an inconclusive contact, but later, after the war and after authorities realized that UB-70 had not been heard from for months), the American and British vessels received honors for their victory.
The action off Africa became one of the few confirmed sinkings of a German U-boat by an American vessel during their shorter participation in the naval war. UB-70 was also the only vessel known to have been sunk by an American vessel in Mediterranean waters during the conflict.
See also
- Action of 15 October 1917Action of 15 October 1917The Action of 15 October 1917 was a naval engagement of World War I between Imperial Germany and the United States off the coast of Mind Head, Ireland.-Action:...
- Action of 17 November 1917Action of 17 November 1917The Action of 17 November 1917 was a naval battle of the First World War. The action was fought between a German U-boat and two United States Navy destroyers in the North Atlantic Ocean.-Action:...
- Action of 21 May 1918Action of 21 May 1918The Action of 21 May 1918 was a naval engagement of World War I fought between an American armed yacht and a German submarine in the Atlantic Ocean off Spain.-Background:...
- Action of 5 September 1918Action of 5 September 1918The Action of 5 September 1918 was a naval battle off the coast of France in the North Atlantic during World War I. The action was fought between a German U-boat and American warships.-Background:...