UB 8

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

I was looking at what happened to the UB 8 after it was given to the Bulgarians in May 1916

Up to that point she had sunk just one ship and even the U Boat Net does not mention what happened after

I did see a photo that mentioned she was called Submarine No 18 based at Varna between 1916 to 18 and she was surrendered to the French in Feb 1919 and broken up 1921

How much service was she in the Black Sea during the war and I understand she was used to mine areas in the Black Sea?

S.B

[Gunner 87]

1 hour ago, stevenbecker said:

Mates,

I was looking at what happened to the UB 8 after it was given to the Bulgarians in May 1916

Up to that point she had sunk just one ship and even the U Boat Net does not mention what happened after

I did see a photo that mentioned she was called Submarine No 18 based at Varna between 1916 to 18 and she was surrendered to the French in Feb 1919 and broken up 1921

How much service was she in the Black Sea during the war and I understand she was used to mine areas in the Black Sea?

S.B

Hi S.B.

You may have seen this interesting thread on 'treasurenet' which discusses the identity of a submarine found off the cost of Varna and which mentions UB8 or 'Submarine -18' but if not this is the link... https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/the-mysterious-submarine.677471/

Reading through the comments I noted that one stated "Submarine-18" defended the Bulgarian coast during the First World War, but under the Treaty of Neuilly it was confiscated by the French and taken to Istanbul.......

I thought that might be helpful in determining her service with the Bulgarians.  

regards

Gunner...

 

[aconnolly]

Steve

this link has a bit - its a modelling website and I can't verify the info but hopefully helps

Andrew

https://modelingmadness.com/review/misc/ships/ger/bodilyub8.htm

[stevenbecker]

Thanks men, very nice.

Funny they could not say she was UB 7 or 8 as all books say the UB 7 was lost with all hands

Lütjohann (Lüttjohann) Hans    ObLtzS Marine    Watch officer UB 7 5-15 to U Boat School Crew 4/07 to Commander UB 7 Constantinople Flotilla 4-16 to 9-16 U boat    1915-16    (born 1889 at Holtenau Kiel KIA 27-9-16) shown vermißt* (died) took over from Werner Mined in the Black Sea 15 miles SE of Varna all crew lost (15 dead) 1 ship sunk with a total of 78 GRT awarded EK II & EK I shown in Klaus Wolf's Book 
Always good to lean

S.B

[Michael Lowrey]

The wreck SE of Varna is UB 7. Simon Schnetzke wrote an article in which lays out the reasoning for the attribution and rejecting the Bulgarian navy claim that the wreck was actual Podvodnik No. 18 (former UB 8).

The small UBI and UCI class boats in the Black Sea were fitted with deck guns, typically 37mm Bethlehem-pattern weapons from Ottoman stocks. The wreck has such a gun. Photographic evidence shows though that Podvodnik No. 18 had been retrofitted with a Schneider & Cie 47mm gun, a common Bulgarian navy type. The wreck thus cannot be that of Podvodnik No. 18 and thus must be UB 7.

[stevenbecker]

Michael,

Do you have any details on what Sorties the new Sub No 18 did while in service with the Bulgars

I thought it may have been used to mine a number of ports along the coast of Roumania and Russia.

But I can't find any detail she was used at all, other then the local area?

[Michael Lowrey]

Steve,

UBIs like UB 7 and Podvodnik No. 18/UB 8 were torpedo attack boats, not minelayers. I've seen the information somewhere on what Podvodnik No. 18 did, but I can’t remember where.

[aconnolly]

6 hours ago, Michael Lowrey said:

The wreck SE of Varna is UB 7. Simon Schnetzke wrote an article in which lays out the reasoning for the attribution and rejecting the Bulgarian navy claim that the wreck was actual Podvodnik No. 18 (former UB 8).

The small UBI and UCI class boats in the Black Sea were fitted with deck guns, typically 37mm Bethlehem-pattern weapons from Ottoman stocks. The wreck has such a gun. Photographic evidence shows though that Podvodnik No. 18 had been retrofitted with a Schneider & Cie 47mm gun, a common Bulgarian navy type. The wreck thus cannot be that of Podvodnik No. 18 and thus must be UB 7.

Agree Michael - the wreck is definitely not UB 8.  After the war the Podvodnik No.18 was surrendered to the French and towed to Bizerta where she was scrapped.

[Simon Schnetzke]

UB 8 (No. 18) wasn‘t scrapped at Bizerta. The boat was most probably scrapped at the Haliç.

[stevenbecker]

Thanks mate,

Do you have anything on what she did under Bulgar command?

[Simon Schnetzke]

Hi Steven,

yes, I have a little bit.

 

Anl.. U.ZN.r22/32.geh. Mil. Att. Sofia Sofia, den 27.12.1939.
476/32
Betr.: ehemalig/deutsches" U-B 8":*
Bezug:
Oberkommando der Kriegemarine, M-Att. 622 v.27.11.37.
Ich hatte Gelegenheit, den Admiral Warikletschkoff, den Chef der bulgarischen Kriegsmarine, über das deutsche "U-B.8" am 24.12.37 um Auskunft zu bitten. Er erklärte:
Das ehemalig deutsche U-B 8 unterstand dem Befehle des bulgarischen Kapitänleutnants Nikola Todoroff. Es hat viele Fahrten im Schwarzen Meer ausgeführt, hauptsächlich entlang der rumänischen, türkischen und bulgarischen Küste. Die Versenkung eines feindlichen Kriegs- oder Handelsschiffes ist ihm nicht gelungen, da der Schiffsverkehr im Schwarzen Meer außerordentlich gering war. U-B 8 ist zwei Mal in den Hafen von Konstanza durch Minensperren eingedrungen. Einmal lagen darin das russische Panzerschiff "Rostislav“ und einige Torpedoboote. U-B 8 kam aber nicht zum Torpedoschuß, da eine Quermole vorlag.
In der Gegend des Kap Tusula (südlich Konstanza) hat U-B 8 einen russischen Zerstörer, Typ "Baranoff", mit Torpedo erfolglos beschossen und wurde dann von diesem Zerstörer und rumänischen Fliegern verfolgt und beschossen. Durch Bombenabwurf erhielt U-B 8 ein Leck und konnte sich nur mit größter Mühe in seinen Heimathafen retten.
Veröffentlichungen über U-B 8 liegen weder in deutscher noch in bulgarischer Sprache vor.

 

Best wishes,

Simon
 

[stevenbecker]

Danke

Some one told me she mined a harbour in Romania, but that must be a mistake about her patrol into the harbour of Constanza

Cheers

S.B