The steel submarine U-92 was ordered by the German Imperial Navy from the yard of Kaiserliche Werft, Danzig on 23rd June 1915. She was laid down on 20th August 1916 (Yard No 36) and launched on 12th May 1917. She measured 65.8 metres x 6.2 metres by 3.88 metres and her tonnage was 998 displacement tons submerged and 757 displacement tons on the surface. She was powered on the surface by twin diesel engines each producing 2400 shaft horse power and twin electric motors underwater each producing 1200 shaft horse power giving her a top speed on the surface of 15 knots and 5 knots submerged. She was fitted with four 50 centimetres torpedo tubes (two at the bow and two at the stern), ten to twelve torpedoes, two 10.5 cm SK L/45 deck gun (forward and aft of conning tower). She had a normal complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers). After her trials she was finally commissioned into the German Navy fleet on 22nd October 1917. She was attached to the 3rd Flotilla at Wilhelmshaven and began operational duties early in 1918. During her four successful operational patrols during the first 6 months of 1918 she was credited with sinking 7 Allied vessels and damaging 2 others.
U-92 on surface
On 4th September 1918 she left Wilhelmshaven on her 5th and final patrol. Five days later the U-boat, now commanded by Kapitanleutnant Gunther Elrich, wandered into the Allied mine barrage off the east coast of Stronsay and was lost with all hands.
In 2007 two uncharted wrecks, believed to be submarines, were discovered during a routine sonar survey. In the summer that year a dive team explored the wreck in position 59° 08 318’N, 01° 55,409’W and confirmed the wreck to be a submarine and were able to identify her as U-92 based on the gun positions and ammunition. She lies upright and mainly in tact with both guns in position and ammunition strewn on deck. Although some hull plates have fallen off the inner pressure hull appears in tact and conning tower hatch is closed.
We would like to acknowledge the assistance of the website – Lost in Waters Deep – in the preparation of this article. Link to website – www.lostinwatersdeep.co.uk
