SM U-36

SM U-36 was a Type 31 U-boat in the service of the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire, employed in the commerce war in World War I.

Design, construction, and trials
U-36 was laid down on 2 January 1913 at Germaniawerft in Kiel. She was launched on 6 June 1914 and commissioned on 14 November 1914, under the command of Kplt. Ernst Graeff. During February 1915, she carried out acceptance trials at Kiel, and was attached to the 2d Half-Flotilla in the North Sea in March.

Service career
SM U-36's movements and operations were monitored and reported by British Naval Intelligence, better known as "Room 40". Her first war patrol was in Heligoland Bight from 29 to 30 March 1915; she reported no sinkings during this time. On 23 April, she returned to Heligoland Bight, apparently from a North Sea patrol.

She departed on 29 April, bound again for the North Sea, where she sank the 1,966 ton Danish steamer Lilian Drost on 8 May, captured the 1,241 ton Swedish steamer Björn on 10 May as a prize, while capturing and releasing the 654 ton Dutch steamer Niobe the same day.

U-36 returned to her North Sea station on 17 July. Operating off the north and northwest coast of Scotland, she sank three steamers and almost a dozen smaller vessels. On 22 July, the 3,644 ton Russian Rubonia fell victim. That same day, U-36 also attacked a group of fishing vessels west of the Orkney Islands, sinking nine small trawlers and two sailing vessels, while taking one prize. The following day, the 1,505 ton Frenchman Danae was stopped according to prize rules and sunk, and the 3,819 ton Norwegian Fimreite was sunk as well.

On the day she was sunk, U-36 intercepted and captured the American windjammer Pass of Balmaha, bearing a cargo of cotton intended for Russia and en route to Kirkwall to be inspected by British authorities. An ensign from U-36 was left aboard the windjammer to ensure her successful passage to Cuxhaven. The Pass was refitted as a merchant raider and re-christened Seeadler, commanded by Count Felix von Luckner, soon to become famous for her naval exploits in the Atlantic and Pacific.

Fate
U-36 was sunk in the afternoon of 24 July 1915 in combat off the coast of North Rona in the Outer Hebrides with the British Q-ship Prince Charles, commanded by Lieutenant Mark Wardlaw, Royal Navy. The submarine had just stopped and boarded the Danish vessel SS Luise and a boarding party was in the process of dumping her cargo when a lookout sighted an approaching steamer. U 36 sailed towards the disguised Prince Charles and ordered her to stop while firing at her. The Q-ship complied, swinging out her boats. The unsuspecting submarine came within about 600 m of the ship when Prince Charles hoisted the British flag of war and commenced firing. Taken completely by surprise, U-36 took several direct hits and heavy damage, and sank. When Luise moved to pick up the survivors floating in the water, Prince Charles fired into her, believing her to be a German resupply vessel. Forty-five minutes after U-36 sank, the remaining survivors were picked up by the Q-ship. Kplt. Graeff and 15 crewmen were saved, but 18 others were lost. U-36 was the first U-boat sunk by Q-ship, and one of only a handful to fall victim. Lieutenant Wardlaw received a Distinguished Service Order for the action, and two of his crew received Distinguished Service Medals. The merchant crew of the Q-ship was awarded a prize sum of £1,000, to be divided amongst themselves.

Shipping sunk or captured

 * Lilian Drost, 1,966 tons, Danish steamer sunk on 8 May 1915
 * Björn, 1,241 tons, Swedish steamer taken as prize and retained on 10 May 1915
 * Niobe, 654 tons, Dutch steamer taken as prize on 10 May 1915 (later released)
 * Nordlyset, 82 tons, Norwegian sailing vessel sunk on 19 Jul 1915
 * King Athelstan, 159 tons, British trawler stopped and scuttled on 22 Jul 1915
 * Rubonia, 3,644, Russian steamer sunk on 22 Jul 1915
 * Star of Peace, 180 tons, British trawler stopped and sunk on 22 Jul 1915
 * Danae, 1,505 tons, French steamer stopped and sunk on 23 Jul 1915
 * Fimreite, 3,819 tons, Norwegian steamer sunk on 23 Jul 1915
 * Hermione, 210 tons, British trawler stopped and sunk by gunnery on 23 Jul 1915
 * Honoria, 207 tons, British trawler sunk on 23 Jul 1915
 * Sutton, 332 tons, British trawler sunk on 23 Jul 1915
 * Anglia, 107 tons, British trawler sunk on 24 Jul 1915
 * Cassio, 172 tons, British trawler sunk on 24 Jul 1915
 * Pass of Balmaha, 1,571 tons, American windjammer taken as prize on 24 Jul 1915. See above.
 * Roslin, 128 tons, British fishing vessel stopped and sunk on 24 Jul 1915
 * Strathmore, 163 tons, British trawler stopped and sunk on 24 Jul 1915