SM U-19

SM "U-19" was a German Type U 19 U-boat built for the Kaiserliche Marine. Her construction was ordered on November 25, 1910, and her keel was laid down on October 20, 1911, at the Kaiserliche Werft of Danzig. She was launched on October 10, 1912, and commissioned into the Kaiserliche Marine on July 6, 1913.

From August 1, 1914, to March 15, 1916, "U-19" was commanded by Constantin Kolbe. During this period she had the unfortunate distinction of becoming the first U-boat casualty of World War One when she was rammed by HMS "Badger" on 29 October 1914 ["Destroyers", Antony Preston, ISBN 0-600-32955-0, p29] . Her hull was badly damaged, but she survived and was repaired. He was relieved by Raimund Weisbach, who had previously served as torpedo officer on U-20 and had (on Kapitänleutnant Walther Schwieger's orders) launched the torpedo that sank "Lusitania". During his brief command, Weisbach carried out an unusual mission: he delivered the revolutionary Roger Casement and two other agents to Ballyheige Bay in Ireland in hopes that they would foment an uprising that would distract the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from World War I.

Weisbach was relieved on August 11, 1916, by Johannes Spiess, who was relieved in turn on June 1, 1917, by Heinrich Koch. Koch turned the boat over on October 25, 1917, to Hans Albrecht Liebeskind, who commanded for less than a month before being relieved on November 17, 1917, by Johannes Spiess again. On June 1, 1918, Hans Albrecht Liebeskind took over again and commanded "U-19" until the end of the war.

"U-19" conducted 12 patrols, sinking 46 ships totalling 64,816 tons, including "Santa Maria" (5,383 tons) off Lough Swilly on February 25, 1918, "Tiberia" (4,880 tons) off Black Head near Larne on February 26, 1918, and HMS "Calgarian" (17,500 tons) off Rathlin Island on March 1, 1918.

Fate

On November 11, 1918, "U-19" was surrendered to the British, and was broken up at Blyth sometime in 1919 or 1920.

The main gun of "U19" was donated to the people of Bangor, Co. Down and today sits near the War Memorial in the town's Ward Park. It was donated by the Admiralty in recognition of the valorious conduct of Commander The Hon. Edward Bingham whilst on board HMS Nestor while fighting in the Battle of Jutland in July 1916 for which he received the Victoria Cross.

References

External links

*cite web | title= U-boat.net| work= List of all U-Boats – U-19| url=http://www.uboat.net/wwi/boats/index.html?boat=19| accessdate=February 27| accessyear=207