Post by Administrator on Mar 16, 2016 11:10:16 GMT
March 16, 1916
Second Submarine Offensive
Dutch passenger liner Tubantia sank by UB-13
The Dutch passenger ship Tubantia was known as one of the most luxurious liners of the era. It was built at a cost of £300,000 and launched the year before the war began. In August of 1914 the Tubantia was returning from South America with £500,000 in gold headed from banks in London. She was also carrying 150 German reservists, a cargo of grain for Germany and some gold for German banks. She was stopped by the Royal Navy cruiser Highflyer and escorted to Plymouth, where the German reservists were imprisoned and the gold was confiscated… the German gold, of course.
The Tubantia had resumed her regular scheduled voyages from Amsterdam to Buenos Aires and was “nearly empty of passengers” on March 15th. She anchored about four miles from the North Hinder Lightship and waited for daylight so that there would be no misidentification. She was also completely illuminated and was not attempting to hide or be stealthy. She even had her name spelled out in lights between her twin funnels.
At 0230 on March 16th crewmen on board the Tubantia spotted a stream of bubbles from an approaching torpedo, followed by an explosion on the starboard side. The ship began to sink and distress calls were sent out. Three ships, the Breda, Krakstau and La Campine all arrived to rescue all the passenger and crew, a total of 294 people. The ship sank to the bottom and was a total loss.
The Tubantia was the largest neutral ship sank during the war. The incident became a public relations nightmare. The Germans initially said that the Tubantia had been sunk by a British mine, but the British countered that she was sunk by a torpedo. The Germans then said it was a British torpedo that sank the ship. Finally a stray lifeboat of the Tubantia was found and fragments of a bronze torpedo was found imbedded in the wood. Only Germany used bronze in their torpedoes. The torpedo also had a serial number on it, number 2033. This torpedo was assigned to the small German submarine UB-13. Germany presented a forged log of the UB-13 that showed the ship nowhere near the Tubantia and showed that torpedo 2033 had been fired at a British warship on March 6th. The United States minister to the Netherlands, Henry van Dyke, derided the explanation.
To divert the Dutch public anger Germany then began spreading rumors of a British invasion of the Netherlands. Some believed the rumors and the government declared a four day emergency from March 30th to April 2nd. German finally did offer compensation of £300,000, but the offer was rejected by the Dutch. The affair was finally settled in 1922 when £830,000 was awarded to Royal Holland Lloyd.
In 1924 two salvage companies attempted to recover an estimated £2 million in gold on board the Tubantia. The English court awarded the salvage rights to British war hero and pilot Sydney Vincent Sippe. Sippe spent three years and £100,000 trying to reach the Tubantia’s gold coins, but he was never able to reach the ship. Sippe declared it too dangerous for divers to recover it.
Patrick O'Kelley
Second Submarine Offensive
Dutch passenger liner Tubantia sank by UB-13
The Dutch passenger ship Tubantia was known as one of the most luxurious liners of the era. It was built at a cost of £300,000 and launched the year before the war began. In August of 1914 the Tubantia was returning from South America with £500,000 in gold headed from banks in London. She was also carrying 150 German reservists, a cargo of grain for Germany and some gold for German banks. She was stopped by the Royal Navy cruiser Highflyer and escorted to Plymouth, where the German reservists were imprisoned and the gold was confiscated… the German gold, of course.
The Tubantia had resumed her regular scheduled voyages from Amsterdam to Buenos Aires and was “nearly empty of passengers” on March 15th. She anchored about four miles from the North Hinder Lightship and waited for daylight so that there would be no misidentification. She was also completely illuminated and was not attempting to hide or be stealthy. She even had her name spelled out in lights between her twin funnels.
At 0230 on March 16th crewmen on board the Tubantia spotted a stream of bubbles from an approaching torpedo, followed by an explosion on the starboard side. The ship began to sink and distress calls were sent out. Three ships, the Breda, Krakstau and La Campine all arrived to rescue all the passenger and crew, a total of 294 people. The ship sank to the bottom and was a total loss.
The Tubantia was the largest neutral ship sank during the war. The incident became a public relations nightmare. The Germans initially said that the Tubantia had been sunk by a British mine, but the British countered that she was sunk by a torpedo. The Germans then said it was a British torpedo that sank the ship. Finally a stray lifeboat of the Tubantia was found and fragments of a bronze torpedo was found imbedded in the wood. Only Germany used bronze in their torpedoes. The torpedo also had a serial number on it, number 2033. This torpedo was assigned to the small German submarine UB-13. Germany presented a forged log of the UB-13 that showed the ship nowhere near the Tubantia and showed that torpedo 2033 had been fired at a British warship on March 6th. The United States minister to the Netherlands, Henry van Dyke, derided the explanation.
To divert the Dutch public anger Germany then began spreading rumors of a British invasion of the Netherlands. Some believed the rumors and the government declared a four day emergency from March 30th to April 2nd. German finally did offer compensation of £300,000, but the offer was rejected by the Dutch. The affair was finally settled in 1922 when £830,000 was awarded to Royal Holland Lloyd.
In 1924 two salvage companies attempted to recover an estimated £2 million in gold on board the Tubantia. The English court awarded the salvage rights to British war hero and pilot Sydney Vincent Sippe. Sippe spent three years and £100,000 trying to reach the Tubantia’s gold coins, but he was never able to reach the ship. Sippe declared it too dangerous for divers to recover it.
Patrick O'Kelley