U-118, a World War One Submarine Washed Ashore on the Beach at Hastings, England – Design You Trust

U-118, a World War One Submarine Washed Ashore on the Beach at Hastings, England

1

When the people of the town of Hastings awoke one morning to see one of the Kaiser’s U-boats on their beach, it caused some shock. Thousands of visitors flocked to see the beached submarine. The Admiralty allowed the town clerk to charge a fee for people to climb on the deck. Two members of the coastguard were tasked with showing important visitors around inside the submarine.

Thousands of people flocked to the seafront to catch a glimpse of the boat.

2

The visits were curtailed when both men became severely ill, they both died shortly after. It was a mystery what killed the men at the time and so all trips into the sub were stopped, it was later discovered that chlorine gas which had been escaping from SM U-118′s batteries had caused severe abscesses on the lungs and brains of the unfortunate men.

The total sum collected from the fees was almost £300 which was used in an event to welcome the town’s troops returning from the war.

3

SM U-118 was commissioned on 8 May 1918, following construction at the AG Vulcan Stettin shipyard in Hamburg. It was commanded by Herbert Stohwasser and joined the I Flotilla operating in the eastern Atlantic. After about four months without any ships sunk, on 16 September 1918, SM U-118 scored its first hit on another naval vessel.

Its length: 81.5 meters!

4

With the ending of hostilities on 11 November 1918 came the subsequent surrender of the Imperial German Navy, including SM U-118 to France on 23 February 1919. Following the surrender, U-118 was to be transferred to France where it would be broken up for scrap. However, in the early hours of 15 April 1919, while it was being towed through the English Channel towards Scapa Flow, its dragging hawser broke off in a storm. The ship ran aground on the beach at Hastings in Sussex at approximately 12:45am, directly in front of the Queens Hotel.

German submarine U-118 washed ashore on the beach at Hastings, 1919

5

Initially there were attempts to displace the stricken vessel; three tractors tried to refloat the submarine and a French destroyer attempted to break the ship apart using its cannons. These attempts however were unsuccessful and the proximity of the submarine to the public beach and Queens Hotel dissuaded further use of explosive forces.

Under the command of Herbert Strohwasser, U-118 managed to sink two ships while on its one and only patrol before being surrendered on February 1919.

6

This type of U-Boat had a length of 81.5 m, speed: 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) surfaced and 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged, test depth: 75 m (246 ft). Total crew: 36 men.

7

SM U-118 was a type UE II mine laying submarine of the Imperial German Navy and one of 329 submarines serving with that navy during World War I.

8
9
11

Eventually, between October and December 1919, U-118 was broken up and the pieces removed and sold for scrap.

10

Via Rare Historical Photos

If you want more awesome content, subscribe to 'Oh, Design You Trust,' our brand new Facebook page! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

More Inspiring Stories

The Last Days on Californian Beaches Before Covid-19 in Melancholic Photographs by Marina Weishaupt
From Australia With Love – Beauty Photography By Chris Dwyer
Whoop Dee Dooo
HIlarious Photos Of Ice Skaters' Funny Faces At Winter Olympics
Trümmerfrauen: The Women Who Helped Rebuild Germany After World War 2
Out Of This World: Magnificent Entries For The UK Astronomy Photographer Of The Year 2017
Church Forests of Ethiopia: Photographer Captures the Amazing Phenomenon of the Ethiopian Spiritual Community
Surreal Photos Of Abandoned Houses In The Arctic By Norwegian Photographer Britt Marie Bye
Mindblowing Aerial 3D Panoramas By AirPano
Amazing Black and White Photographs Capture Everyday Life in France During the Mid-20th Century
Dreamlike Self-Portrait Photography By JeeYoung Lee
Cool Photos Show What Bedrooms of Teenagers Looked Like in the 1980s
Hilarious Finalists of Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2020
"Anti-Selfies": Artist Lies Facedown In Tourist Spots And Pretends To Be Dead
"Hobbiton": Beautiful Swiss Countryside By Martin Rak
The Passion Of Trees In Pictures By Iranian Photographer Ali Shokri
It's The End Of The World: Artist Steve McGhee Creates Horrific And Tragic Photo Manipulations Of Catastrophes
These Amazing Vivid Photochromes Depict the Princely County of Tyrol in 1890, a Mountainous Region of The Austro-Hungarian Empire
A Lot of Penguins
Impressive Portraits of Grace Jones in the 1970s and 1980s
Dreamlike Photos Of Burning Man By Victor Habchy
Before Smartphones And Computers Kids Had Real Fun
World’s Largest Slug is Bigger, Slimier, and Way Cooler Than You’d Imagine
Cool Snaps Show What Badass Girls Looked Like In The 1940s