History Continued
The UB-88 lay moored in the “Trot,” Harwich
Harbor, from the date of her surrender, November 27, 1918,
until March 13, 1919. On the latter date the UB-88, UB-148,
UC-97, U-117, U-140, and the U-111 were allocated to the
United States by the British Admiralty. The first five
named were at Harwich, the U-111 was at Plymouth. On March
11, 1919, six officers and 100 men from the Submarine Base
at New London, Conn., and about thirty other men detailed
from the various U. S. naval stations in the British Isles,
arrived in Harwich to take over these boats. Several
officers were already in Harwich, having been sent there
from the U. S. Naval Headquarters in London.
About fifty percent of the men had had previous submarine
duty, while all the officers were experienced in submarine
work. The problem before us was to learn the boats, train
the crew and sail under our own power for the United States
at the earliest possible date. As these vessels were to be
used in connection with the Victory Loan campaign, it was
desired to hasten their arrival in New York. With the above
problem in mind, we set about to solve the task allotted to
us.
The German submarine is, naturally, a distinctive type.
True, all submarines are built upon the same general
principles, in that they have ballast and trimming tanks,
diving rudders, motors, engines, etc. Still the
arrangements and installation of all this material may be
such as to present to a person who has had experience
operating one type, a vessel in which everything will
appear entirely different. Our previous experience was to
be sure, of great value to us, but on account of the design
of the German submarine it was necessary "to learn" these
boats in every particular. For example: it is a very simple
matter to blow tanks on a U. S. Submarine - but the problem
was, how to blow them on the UB-88. First it was necessary
to learn the operation of the German type of air
compressor. Next to learn the air distribution system to
the different parts of the ship, then the leads to the air
flasks or accumulators, then the leads from the flasks to
the manifolds and from the manifolds to the tanks. This
would put air into the tanks but it was further necessary
to learn the operation of the ballast Kingston and the
ballast vents. Then if you had been successful in following
out the leads and valves, the problem was solved. This
appears, no doubt, simple, and under ordinary conditions it
would be, but the German arrangement of piping has not that
beautiful symmetry found in our boats and a pipe may wind
in and out among its fellows in such a way as to present a
veritable Chinese puzzle. Blue prints and drawings were
luxuries we did not enjoy, for all these had been very
carefully removed.
The cleaning, repairing where necessary, tracing out fuel
oil lines, lubricating oil leads, air lines, water lines,
ventilating pipes, battery leads, lighting circuits, took
up a great deal of time allotted before the moving parts
could be tried. All the name plates, naturally, were in
German. We found that the German phraseology used in
engineering was not the same we had learned in school. The
amount of work necessary was apparent and the conditions
under which we worked can be imagined.
The UB-88 was in a filthy condition. Food had been left
aboard after she had surrendered. The remnants of the last
meals had been thrown in the bilges. The stench from the
galley was unbearable. Rust covered all the piping. The
engines were one mass of corrosion. The torpedoes had been
pulled from the tubes and thrown on the torpedo room deck.
The air flasks and after-bodies were coated with rust and
badly pitted. The storage battery was almost run down, not
having had a charge for over four months. The bilges were
full of oil and water. Many parts of the boat had been
taken by souvenir hunters while she lay moored in Harwich.
The eye-piece on the forward periscope had been broken off
and the reflecting prism and lens removed. The stabilizer
had been taken from the gyro compass, as had also the
azimuth motor. The magnetic compass had disappeared. Out of
the dozen cooking utensils on hand, only one would cook,
the rest had been smashed or the coils burned out. There
were no mess gear, mattresses or blankets. There were no
spare parts for the engines. Parts of the radio set had
been stolen and the rest smashed in with a hammer. The
repeaters for the gyro compass now decorated the homes of
the British as souvenirs of the war.
So many parts of the equipment were out of commission that
it was decided to find out first what would work, then go
after the parts that would not. This system was followed
out. Every thing was tested and report made whether or not
it was in running order. If not, what was wrong, and what
was needed to fix it. In a very short time we had a good
estimate on just what we had to do.
To illustrate our method; The radio set, as stated, had
been demolished. The motor generator was there and would
work, but sending and receiving sets were almost completely
wrecked. By rummaging through about a dozen of the
submarines still remaining in the "Trot," which were going
to be sold for junk, we collected enough material to
complete a sending set. We were unable to find a detector,
however, so that had to be purchased in London, and with
parts of a receiving set "stubbed out" from the U. S. S.
Chester, the radio outfit was complete, but not efficient.
Probably it was the lack of harmony, due to the combination
of English, German and American parts. Who knows? It was
impossible to improve on the set until the arrival of the
U. S. S. Bushnell. She had on board six complete out fits.
By the addition of a quench gap and an audion bulb to what
we already had, the outfit from one of these sets was
connected up and tested. Our reward was a set with a
hundred miles radius, which was sufficient for our needs.
I stated before that the magnetic compass had been removed.
Search was made through all the German submarines lying in
the "Trot" and none could be found. A U. S. Naval Vessel
donated one, but it had been lying idle for so long in one
position without any liquid in the bowl that the magnets
had lost practically all their directive force. There was
not much hope in getting good results from this compass,
but nevertheless it was installed, and after filling the
bowl, an attempt was made at compensation on one heading.
That night before turning in I looked at the compass and it
showed the heading NNW 1/4" W, which was about correct on
magnetic North. I looked at the compass the next morning
with the ship headed in the opposite direction (having
swung with the tide) and it still showed us headed NNW 1/4"
W. All the compensating magnets were removed but true to
her straight forward aim in life, the compass never moved a
fraction of a degree and for aught I know she still heads
NNW 1/4" W. A call was made on the Senior Submarine Officer
at the British Submarine Base, and after a "search" he
supplied us with a compass which had been taken from one of
the German submarines. This was installed but on account of
the binnacle being placed inside the chariot bridge, its
operation was slow and sluggish. A make-shift stand was
then installed between the periscopes on the periscope
sheer. A block of wood placed directly under the center of
the compass and bored with several holes at right angles,
served admirably as a compensating rack and in this
"rig,” we placed our hopes. True the steering wheel
was about ten feet from the compass, but I don't think we
worried much about that at the time.
The German (Anshutz) type of gyro compass was a source of
mystery. The stabilizer had been removed as had also the
azimuth motor. By again visiting several of the boats up
the "Trot," an azimuth motor was found and connected up.
Also on the same trip we were fortunate in getting three
repeaters in good condition. A stabilizer, however, could
not be found. There was no one aboard who knew the interior
construction of this type of gyro and in consequence no one
knew how to operate it. By tracing up the leads from the
compass, we found the motor generator and the power leads
from the switch boards. That much settled, we went after
the compass and by a process of trial and error, it was
finally started, and much to the surprise of everyone, it
worked satisfactorily. A four degree easterly deviation was
removed by balancing the rotors with sealing wax placed in
the compass levels to compensate for the loss of alcohol
from the levels, which had been broken. The compass is
still running perfectly. It has never shown any tendency to
"get off" the Meridian even in the roughest weather.
The drainage system was of course, a vital problem,
although a simple one. Trouble was experienced with the
after trimming line pump and it has never been in good
condition. The adjusting pump, just abaft the central
control room, was working and as it could be connected up
to all the bilges through the manifolds, full confidence
was placed in this pump. If it had broken down completely
the novel situation of bailing out a submarine with buckets
or the use of a handy-billy would have resulted. Nothing
else could have been done.
As the safety of the boat on the trip from England to the
United States was a paramount factor, it was thought
advisable to dock the boats at Harwich before sailing. The
underwater hull and all tanks were minutely examined. New
Kingston gaskets were installed where necessary. The
trustworthiness of our late enemies was never mentioned,
still I do not doubt that it was in everyone's mind during
the period of preparation. However, let credit be given
them where it can, for we found no tampering of any kind.
The boat was in dock two days, during which time very
little opportunity was had for any progressive preparation.
After undocking, however, we again turned to.
The engines were the most important part of the equipment
to prepare for operation. I think that everyone who worked
on the engines did so with the determination to make them
run as well or even better than the Germans had done. It
was this or admit that the German crew was the better of
the two. Look ing at it in that light, the determination to
succeed in the preparation of them was to everyone a matter
which touched the most delicate spot in the human make-up -
Pride.
In beginning to learn the engines and auxiliaries, we were
in the dark, except for our general experience with Diesel
engines and the intimate knowledge of a few types which are
used in our own service. As all engines of this type
operate upon the same principle it was chiefly necessary to
locate the supply, the discharge, if any, and the power of
delivery of the circulating water, the air, and the
lubricating oil. In the case of the fuel oil, the tanks
were first located, then the leads, to the gravity feed
tanks, and then the valves and pumps controlling the
delivery to the engines. At the same time the fuel
compensating system was traced out. The lubricating oil
system was followed out and tested in the same way as was
also the cooling water. In order not to forget the thousand
and one valves with their German names, shipping tags were
placed on each valve and gauge. On these were written the
use of the valve and how to operate it. The explanation of
this procedure is brief and to the point and one would
judge that we were occupied probably one or two days in
this work of tracing out lines and tagging them. But so
complicated and intricate was the German system of piping
and valve arrangement that the time consumed before we were
ready to start the engines was fourteen working days. When
everybody had been properly prepared for our first trials
of the engines, they were jacked over by hand to insure
that everything was clear. The engine clutches were then
thrown in and they were turned over slowly with the motors.
All looked well. A signal was given to the electrician at
the switch board to "speed her up."
Slowly the lubricating oil built up the required pressure
and the discharge pipes into the sight box on the side of
the engine showed abundant supply to the piston heads. The
circulating water pressure started to climb and was soon up
to the required mark on the gauge. The spray air pressure
was slow in building up but finally arrived at the proper
mark. The oil supply was then opened and the cylinder
try-cocks closed, and as the engines had run under the care
of the Germans who had built them and studied their
operation, so they ran then. There was not a hitch, nor had
anything been forgotten. That day we charged batteries for
four hours without stopping the engines, in order to be
assured there would be enough power in the battery to turn
the engines over the next time they were needed.
After the crew had demonstrated their ability to run the
engines, all hands "turned to" to provide the necessities
of life and what few comforts we could gather. The subs up
the "Trot" were ransacked for cooking utensils. We found
plenty; terribly dirty and rusty. These we took, and after
cleaning them and forgetting the condition in which they
were found, the food prepared in them tasted very good.
Plates, knives, forks and spoons, and the thousand and one
things needed in the preparation and serving of food were
purchased in London. Blankets, mattresses, pillows, life
belts, sheets, etc., etc., were obtained from the Naval
Depot, London. The Red Cross, always on the job when
needed, provided us with woolen goods, pajamas, under wear,
candy, chocolate, cigarettes, etc.
Fuel, lubricating oil, provisions and water were taken from
the U. S. S Bushnell and the UB-88 was ready.
April 4 was the date set for sailing.