SM U-83

SM U-83 was a Type U 81 u-boat of the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) during the First World War. She had been commissioned and deployed to operate off the coast of the British Isles and attack coastal shipping as part of the German U-boat campaign.

In a six-month career, U-83 made two combat patrols into the South-Western Approaches during the Atlantic campaign. In these patrols she sank five allied merchant ships for 6,286 tons. On 17 February 1917, she torpedoed the British Q-ship HMS Farnborough off the Irish coast, but was sunk by Farnborough's hidden armaments when she approached too close. There were just 2 survivors, picked up by Farnborough; 35 of her crew perished. Farnborough was commanded by the submarine hunter Gordon Campbell and had on board later Victoria Cross recipients Ronald Niel Stuart and William Williams.