Chepstow's WW1 German Submarine Gun

[Bryan Rendell]

Chepstow has a unique War memorial - A German 105mm Submarine Gun.

The Gun was given to Chepstow by King George V after WW1 in recognition of the bravery of William Charles Williams R.N.V.C. at Gallipoli in 1915 when he held the lighters in place until he was killed by enemy fire, for the troops to disembark from the SS River Clyde.

I have researched the gun and have found that it came from a German submarine UB91, which was very active in the Bristol Channel in 1918 - sinking five ships with the loss of over 400 lives.

The submarine surrendered in November 1918 at Harwich and was taken around the Welsh ports of Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Port Talbot and towed to Pembroke Dock, eventually being broke-up in Briton Ferry in 1922.

An unknown Coastguardman is buried at Lamphey Churchyard, Pembroke and other men and women are buried at various cemeteries around the coast of Pembrokeshire from the Hirano Maru.

My researches are nearly complete and I would welcome any information on UB 91 or the sinking of Tampa, Hirano Maru,

SS Hebburn, SS Baldersey - all were sank with torpedoes. SS Reinhart was sank with gunfire from Chepstow's gun.

Bryan Rendell..

E Mail: rendell73@talktalk.net

[Tom Wales]

Chepstow has a unique War memorial - A German 105mm Submarine Gun.

The Gun was given to Chepstow by King George V after WW1 in recognition of the bravery of William Charles Williams R.N.V.C. at Gallipoli in 1915 when he held the lighters in place until he was killed by enemy fire, for the troops to disembark from the SS River Clyde.

I have researched the gun and have found that it came from a German submarine UB91, which was very active in the Bristol Channel in 1918 - sinking five ships with the loss of over 400 lives.

The submarine surrendered in November 1918 at Harwich and was taken around the Welsh ports of Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Port Talbot and towed to Pembroke Dock, eventually being broke-up in Briton Ferry in 1922.

An unknown Coastguardman is buried at Lamphey Churchyard, Pembroke and other men and women are buried at various cemeteries around the coast of Pembrokeshire from the Hirano Maru.

My researches are nearly complete and I would welcome any information on UB 91 or the sinking of Tampa, Hirano Maru,

SS Hebburn, SS Baldersey - all were sank with torpedoes. SS Reinhart was sank with gunfire from Chepstow's gun.

Bryan Rendell..

E Mail: rendell73@talktalk.net

I see you have already found Uboat.net . There is a publication Shipwreck Index of the British Isles which has provided me with useful information about WW1 sinkings including references to source archives and documentation (for example archive references for Kew ). The work is in several regional volumes including one for South Wales (or possibly Bristol Channel) I believe there may be a copy in the Central Library at Cardiff but I would phone them first to be sure.

[Regulus 1]

UB91 came in service on the 11th April 1918 under the command of Kap.lt. Wolf-Hans Hertwig and was part of the II U-Flottille. Active duty from the 27th of June on.

First operation was from 20 July till 15 August. From Helogoland to the Irish northcoast. No successes, arrived on the 15th at Hamburg.

Second operation from 14 September till 15 October. From Heligoland to the Irish sea and the Brisol channel.

25.9 at the south east coast of Ireland off Mine Head the British freighter Hebburn 1915/1938 BRT and the next evening in the Bristol channel the Tampa 1912/1181 BRT who was escorting a convoy. All 118 crewmembers of the ship died.

28.9 The British steamer Baldersby 1913/3613 BRT near the Colding LV.

4.10 in the St George channel sinks the Japanese steamer Hirano Maru 1908/7936 BRT which sank very fastly. There were 320 persons on board, of which 200 passengers and only 28 were saved by the US destroyer Sterret. The Sterret claimed that they could only save so very few bacause the U-boat had done an attack on them also. According to the War Diary of the U-boat UB91 was at persicope depth watching the scene, but there was a heavy sea and by times the U-boat surfaced partially and was remarked by a destroyer who turned to them. UB91 dived at 50 metres and was attacked with depth charges, they suffered some damages and remained for 3 hours at this depth. On return no more succeses and went back to Heligoland. Delivery to the UK on the 21st November 1918.

[Lörscher]

Hello Bryan,

the russian sailing vessel REINHARD wasn't sunk by UB 91 but by U 96 instead !

But don't be afraid ( ), UB 91 did use her gun once:

On 07.08.1918 at 06.45h she had an gunfight with an british Trawler NW of St. Kilda, broke off the action at 07.17h after firing 61 shots because 2 additional Trawlers from St. Kilda joined the fight.

Note on UB 91's successes:

TAMPA was on her way from escort duty to base and no more in sight of convoy H.G. 107 while being torpedoed, but the explosion was heard from the convoy.

All the vessels sunk by UB 91 were sunk with torpedoes using the Magnetic Device !

Oliver

[Bryan Rendell]

Hello Bryan,

the russian sailing vessel REINHARD wasn't sunk by UB 91 but by U 96 instead !

But don't be afraid ( ), UB 91 did use her gun once:

On 07.08.1918 at 06.45h she had an gunfight with an british Trawler NW of St. Kilda, broke off the action at 07.17h after firing 61 shots because 2 additional Trawlers from St. Kilda joined the fight.

Note on UB 91's successes:

TAMPA was on her way from escort duty to base and no more in sight of convoy H.G. 107 while being torpedoed, but the explosion was heard from the convoy.

All the vessels sunk by UB 91 were sunk with torpedoes using the Magnetic Device !

Oliver

[Bryan Rendell]

Thank you very much for your information.

I have a copy of the Captain's log from KEW for UB91 and it states:

4th August 1918 10.21. Sank by gunfire Russian SS REINHART in 5530N 63 W.

4th August 1918 14.20. Depth charged 5533N 79 W.

I'd like to include your information in my research paper which at the moment is 8.5 m.bits.

I could E mail you a copy if you so wish or burn a CD rom and send it to you - Address needed.

Best regards

Bryan Rendell

[Bryan Rendell]

UB91 came in service on the 11th April 1918 under the command of Kap.lt. Wolf-Hans Hertwig and was part of the II U-Flottille. Active duty from the 27th of June on.

First operation was from 20 July till 15 August. From Helogoland to the Irish northcoast. No successes, arrived on the 15th at Hamburg.

Second operation from 14 September till 15 October. From Heligoland to the Irish sea and the Brisol channel.

25.9 at the south east coast of Ireland off Mine Head the British freighter Hebburn 1915/1938 BRT and the next evening in the Bristol channel the Tampa 1912/1181 BRT who was escorting a convoy. All 118 crewmembers of the ship died.

28.9 The British steamer Baldersby 1913/3613 BRT near the Colding LV.

4.10 in the St George channel sinks the Japanese steamer Hirano Maru 1908/7936 BRT which sank very fastly. There were 320 persons on board, of which 200 passengers and only 28 were saved by the US destroyer Sterret. The Sterret claimed that they could only save so very few bacause the U-boat had done an attack on them also. According to the War Diary of the U-boat UB91 was at persicope depth watching the scene, but there was a heavy sea and by times the U-boat surfaced partially and was remarked by a destroyer who turned to them. UB91 dived at 50 metres and was attacked with depth charges, they suffered some damages and remained for 3 hours at this depth. On return no more succeses and went back to Heligoland. Delivery to the UK on the 21st November 1918.

[Bryan Rendell]

Thanks for your information. I already have most of it already, but with your notes I'll be able to fine tune my researches.

My researches go to 8.5 M.bits at the moment. If you would like a copy I would need your E mail address or I could burn a CD rom for you. - Addresses needed.

Thanks

bryan Rendell

[Lörscher]

Bryan,

with "Captain's log" you mean the "history sheets" at TNA ???

Please be aware, that these information is just what the British thought (not necessarily correct, but highly accurate though) !

I had an look into UB 91's war diary some years ago and she didn't report anything worth mentioning for 04th and 05th of August 1918.

Also Spindler (German Official History) attributed U 101 as REINHARD's opponent, he also had checked all the war diaries of the german U-boats and so this attribution should be correct.

Cheers

Oliver

Bryan,

forgot to ask: what's exactly your field of research ?

Oliver

[Lörscher]

Bryan,

REINHARD's opponent was U 96, not U 101, sorry

Oliver

[Bryan Rendell]

Bryan,

REINHARD's opponent was U 96, not U 101, sorry

Oliver

[Bryan Rendell]

Dear Oliver,

Thanks for the information.

I was a History School Teacher until I retired.

My interest in Chepstow's gun started with me being shown some very old photograhs of UB 91 at Newport in 1919.

The photographs were in the possession of a grandson of William Charles Williams V.C. He asked me if I could find out more about the submarine and 50 odd pages later I've discoverd a great deal about the submarine and what she did in such a short time.

Bryan.

My offer is still there for you. if you'd like to E mail me: rendell73@talktalk.net I will send you a copy