Submarine · 1917–1918 · Wexford, Ireland
U-104
Only one man of her crew lived through the end of U-104. A Type U 57 submarine from the A.G. Weser yard at Bremen, commissioned in 1917, she made four patrols with the II Flotilla, all under Kapitänleutnant Kurt Bernis. On 25 April 1918, in St George's Channel, a Royal Navy sloop attacked her with depth charges and sank her, leaving a single survivor.
Her wreck, with her guns, is recorded by the national wreck inventory and by the INFOMAR seabed survey.
- Type
- SubmarineGerman
- Year built
- 1917
- Lost
- 1918
- Length
- 67.6 m6.3 m beam
- Depth
- 54.8 m
- Location
- Wexford, IrelandCeltic Sea
4 of 6 facts above are cited in Sources below.
Deeper than 130 of the 153 wrecks on the map with a recorded depth.
History and LossLost 1918 · Wexford, Ireland.
She left her base around 10 April 1918 on patrol and was damaged by depth charges from the US destroyer Cushing. While her crew were repairing the pressure hull, the British sloop Jessamine came upon her in St George's Channel on the night before 25 April; further depth charges forced her to the surface too badly damaged to stay afloat.
Men tried to leave through the forward hatch, but only one, machinist's mate Karl Eschenberg, was picked up by the British.
Built 1917; 1 years in service. Lost 1918.
Regulations and Restrictions
Protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).
Sea-Surface Temperature by Month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface temp | 9.8° | 9° | 8.7° | 9.4° | 11.1° | 13.1° | 14.8° | 15.3° | 15.3° | 14.4° | 12.9° | 11.1° |
Additional Details9 further fields held for this wreck and not shown above.
- Nationality
- German
- Flag
- Germany
- Loss date
- 1918
- Latitude
- 52.01° N
- Longitude
- 6.45° W
- Water body
- Celtic Sea
- War grave
- Not recorded
- Protected
- No
- Permit required
- No
Sources and VerificationEvery cited fact on this page traces to a published source.
- Geological Survey Ireland / Marine Institute (INFOMAR)gsi.geodata.gov.ie · Official record6 facts
- National Monuments Service — Wreck Inventory of Irelandservices-eu1.arcgis.com · Official record5 facts
- NOAA / NASA JPL MUR SST v4.1coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov · Institution or archive1 fact
- Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · Background reading6 facts
Background reading is listed for context and is not counted as a citation for the facts above.
- INFOMAR Shipwrecks © Geological Survey Ireland and Marine Institute. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- JPL MUR MEaSUREs Project. GHRSST Level 4 MUR Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature Analysis (v4.1). PO.DAAC. https://doi.org/10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04
- © Government of Ireland. National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
A further 4 fields were derived from the wreck’s recorded position rather than taken from a source.
Licences and credits for the open data used on this site are on the Attribution page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the U-104?
U-104 is the wreck of a submarine, off Wexford, Ireland, at 54.8 metres. U-104 was lost in 1918.
How deep is the U-104?
U-104 lies at approximately 54.8 metres, Celtic Sea, Wexford.
How did the U-104 sink?
The cause of the loss of U-104 is not recorded in the sources held; the loss is dated 1918.
Is the U-104 protected?
Yes. U-104 is protected: protected wreck (over 100 years old) under the National Monuments Acts (National Monuments Service).