SM U-9

SM U-9 was a German Type U 9 U-boat. She was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy, and engaged in the commerce war (Handelskrieg) during World War I. Her construction was ordered on July 15 1908 and her keel was laid down by Kaiserliche Werft in Danzig. She was launched on February 22 1910 and commissioned on April 18 1910.

Career
On July 16 1914 the crew of U-9 reloaded her torpedo tubes while submerged, the first time any submarine had succeeded in doing so. On August 1 1914, Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen took command. On 22 September, while patrolling the Broad Fourteens, a region of the southern North Sea, U-9 found a squadron of three obsolescent British Cressy-class armoured cruisers (HMS Aboukir (1900), HMS Hogue (1900), and HMS Cressy (1899)), (sardonically nicknamed the "Live Bait Squadron") which had been assigned to prevent German surface vessels from entering the eastern end of the English Channel. She fired all six of her torpedoes, reloading while submerged, and sank all three in less than an hour. 1,459 British sailors died. It was one of the most notable submarine actions of all time. Members of the Admiralty who had considered submarines mere toys no longer expressed that opinion after this event.

On 15 October, U-9 sank the protected cruiser HMS Hawke (1891). On January 12 1915, Johannes Spieß relieved Weddigen, and commanded U-9 until April 19 1916. During this period, she sank 13 ships totalling : 10 small fishing vessels and three British steamers (Don, Queen Wilhelmina and Serbino).

After April 1916, she was withdrawn from front-line duties to be used for training.

U-9 and the raider SMS Emden (1906) were the only ships which Kaiser Wilhelm II awarded an Iron Cross.