The WW1 German attack Submarine UB55 was a very successful Sub with a very successful and lucky Captain in Klt Ralph Wenninger. He had previously commanded 2 other successful Subs UB17 and UC17. In UB55 he had commanded 5 patrols in the Channel and Bay of Biscay sinking 25 ships including a selection of 3 very big (Over 3,000 Ton) ships. His biggest prize was the 8,232 Ton Chattahoochie, which despite being in the centre of a very well escorted convoy, he sank during a 2 hour attack after hitting her with 3 torpedoes.
UB55 sailed on its last patrol on 21 April 1918 and had a crew of 28 plus 7 trainees. However while trying to negotiate the Dover Barrage the Sub encountered a group of Trawlers and Drifters and while attempting to avoid them by diving they got caught in the mined net and had a mine detonate against her stern. She settled on the seabed and started to fill with water.
2 of the crew shot themselves, however once the pressure equalised as the water rose 2 of the hatches were opened and 18 of the crew escaped. Some died of air embolisms and the others drifted down the channel with more dying of exposure. 2 hours later 5 or 6 were pulled alive from the sea including the lucky Captain.
Diving: The sub sits upright on the seabed in 34m with the decks are at 29-30m with the small conning tower rising 2m above this; the wreck has a slight list to port. The stern is blown off and there is a bit of damage to the bow. There is no deck gun however the periscope is extended although bent. The Sub is very proud on a firm seabed and at one point you can see right under her. The outer hull has quite a bit of damage now but she is very intact and an impressive site.
There is a lot of sea life at this site and any mugs on the seabed are not from the Sub but debris off of local fishing boats. The wreck of the Trawler Armed HMT Drumtochty lies very close (75m) to this site
