UB - 123

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III.U-Flootille

(Intern.Subm.Doc.Center)

Built by A,G.Wesser Bremen Shipyard and launched on 2 Mar 1918

2 Patrols- 22 Jun 1918 - 19 Oct 1918

Commanded by

Oberleutnant zur see Robert Ramm

Born 3 Dec 1890-  died 19 Oct 1918

UB - 123

16 July 1918                        S.S.  Anin             1299tons    taken as prize       Denmark

 16 July 1918                        S.S.Constantin      831tons     taken as prize       Denmark

  16 July 1918                        S.S.Kjortholm       1400tons    taken as prize       Denmark 

     03 Oct 1918                         S.S. Eupion           3575tons                                     British      

    10 Oct 1918                         RMS Leinster        2646tons                                     British      

RMS 'Leinster'

UB - 123 under the Command of Oberleutnant Robert Ramm  & U-Boat 100 under the command of Kapitanleutnant von Löe, they both apparently  engaged the Royal Mail Ship 'Leinster' in the Irish Sea  approximately 7 miles ESE of the Kish Light Vessel en-route from Dublin to Holy Head.

 U-100 fired one torpedo and  missed forward of the bow, the other  torpedo tubes failed to fire due to jamming firing tubes  by debris.

*  U -100 Ship's log entry

 Just before 10:00 a.m., while east of the Kish Bank,  passengers aboard the "Leinster' saw a torpedo approach from the port side. It missed the ship,

passing in front of the bow. This was the torpedo U -100 fired and was unable to re-fire due to debris jammed in torpedo tubes.

 UB-123 then, fired another torpedo which damaged the mail room area on the port side causing the 'Leinster' to sink at the bow. Captian W. Birch reversed course to return to port when a second torpedo hit the port side again causing a tremendous explosion which quickly sank the vessel.

The RMS 'Leinster' carried 77 crewmembers and 694 passengers which included postal workers and app. 500 military personnel.

Casualities were reported as 501 perished of which many were military personnel, civilian and postal employees and Captain W. Welch.

Crew of UB 123

Abenthun Johann                          F.T.Gast                                                         19.10.1918                              UB 123
Bahr Helmut                                    Leutnant z.S                      21.12.1894          19.10.1918                              UB 123
Bernhofer J                                     U-Heizer                                                         19.10.1918                              UB 123
Bernstein Richard                          U-Matrose                                                     19.10.1918                              UB 123
Böhle Franz                                     U-Maschinist Anw                                      19.10.1918                              UB 123
Donat Hermann                              U-Maschinist Anw                                      19.10.1918                              UB 123
Drobbe Fritz                                    U-Maschinistenmaat                                   19.10.1918                              UB 123
Elies Alfons                                    U-Maschinist                                                19.10.1918                              UB 123
Engelmann F                                   U-Heizer                                                         19.10.1918                             UB 123
Frick Willy                                      U-Matrose                                                      19.10.1918                             UB 123
Friedrich Jac                                   U-Matrose                                                      19.10.1918                             UB 123
Fuhrmann O                                    U-Obermaschinistenmaat                            19.10.1918                             UB 123
Funke Erich                                     U-Maschinist Anw                                       19.10.1918                             UB 123
Gernandt J                                       U-Maschinist Anw                                       19.10.1918                             UB 123
Hatting Friedrich                            U-Bootsmannsmaat d.Res                           19.10.1918                             UB 123
Hüls Emil                                         U-Heizer                                                          19.10.1918                             UB 123
Hüttenrauch                                   U-Maschinistenmaat                                    19.10.1918                              UB 123
Hösterey Richard                           U-Obermaschinist Anw                               19.10.1918                              UB 123
Jeus Jacob                                      U-Matrose                                                      19.10.1918                              UB 123
Krackow Emil                                 U-Matrose                                                      19.10.1918                              UB 123
Kraatz Karl                                      U-F.T.Maat                                                    19.10.1918                              UB 123
Leverenz Adolf                              U-Heizer                                                          19.10.1918                              UB 123
Meier Hermann                              Marine Ingenieur         16.05.1893                19.10.1918                              UB 123
Oeser Otto                                      U-Matrose                                                      19.10.1918                              UB 123
Osterkamp W                                 U-Matrose                                                      19.10.1918                              UB 123
Pflücker                                           U-Heizer                                                          19.10.1918                              UB 123
Plücker Wilhelm                             U-Heizer                                                          19.10.1918                              UB 123
Reinhardt P                                     U-Maschinistenmaat                                    19.10.1918                              UB 123
Repp August                                  U-Maschinistenmaat                                    19.10.1918                              UB 123
Scheel Willi                                     U-Matrose                                                      19.10.1918                               UB 123
Schermer A                                     U-Matrose                                                      19.10.1918                               UB 123
Schwebke Alf                                  U-Obermatrose                                              19.10.1918                               UB 123

Siegling Walter                               U-Maschinistenmaat                                    19.10.1918                              UB 123
Wyschka Johann                           U-Steuermann                                                19.10.1918                              UB 123

After torpedoing the RMS  'Leinster', U -123 was returning to Zeebrugge and apparently struck a mine barrage that stretched from

Scotland to Norway sinking with all hands; 36 crew members lost.

The bodies of Oberleutnant zur See Robert Ramm and his crew of two officers and thirty three men were never recovered.

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