Source: Erik Larson. Dead Wake - The Last Crossing of the Lusitania (2015)
On 5 May 1915, Cunard finally provided the Lusitania’s cargo manifest to customs, which included minor munitions, such as aluminum and bronze powder, shrapnel shells, and 170 tons of Remington rifle ammunition. During the morning of 5 May 1915, Schwieger ordered a left turn so U-20 could move towards Liverpool, at which point he spotted a three-masted schooner. Schwieger ordered the deck cannon to be readied,, and then ordered the ship’s captain and four crew members to abandon the ship, as well as to bring the cargo manifest over to U-20 (the schooner carried 99 tons of rocks).
The schooner was a stubborn ship to sink, and 12 shells were needed to sink the ship. Several hours later, U-20 found another target, a 3000 ton ship, but the bronze torpedo missed, and fearing that the ship might be armed, Schweiger ordered U-20 to skedaddle. Schwieger’s log entry expressed his amazement that the large ship could have gone from “0 to 60” so fast to escape the torpedo. Fog once again surrounded the area, and six days into its mission, U-20 had only sunk a wooden ship carrying rocks.
The schooner was a stubborn ship to sink, and 12 shells were needed to sink the ship. Several hours later, U-20 found another target, a 3000 ton ship, but the bronze torpedo missed, and fearing that the ship might be armed, Schweiger ordered U-20 to skedaddle. Schwieger’s log entry expressed his amazement that the large ship could have gone from “0 to 60” so fast to escape the torpedo. Fog once again surrounded the area, and six days into its mission, U-20 had only sunk a wooden ship carrying rocks.
R40 received various reports from different sources that showed that U-20 was very active off the Irish Coast at the Old Head of Kinsale. The Admiralty knew that the Lusitania was going to go through that stretch of water, but didn’t notify Turner of U-20. R40’s main focus was on the Orion, and once the four destroyer escorts saw the Orion to the ocean past the war zone, none of the four were re-tasked with escorting the oncoming Lusitania, which meant that the ship had to make it to Liverpool on its own.
Also, the Lusitania never received the notice that the northern sea route was open and safer, even though the ship carried valuable munitions cargo. Churchill had sent a letter to the English Board of Trade earlier in 1915 basically saying that it would be a good thing if the Germans sank neutral shipping, which would increase the pressure on the US to enter the war on the side of Britain. Churchill was quoted as saying, “For our part, we want the traffic - the more the better, and if some of it gets into trouble, better still”.
6 May 1915: Very early in the morning, Turner ordered all the regular lifeboats “turned out”, meaning they needed to be on their davits ready to be lowered as a precaution before the ship entered the war zone. It was very noisily and clumsily done, and the passengers that witnessed the process were not impressed in the least with the crew’s seamanship.
Also, the Lusitania never received the notice that the northern sea route was open and safer, even though the ship carried valuable munitions cargo. Churchill had sent a letter to the English Board of Trade earlier in 1915 basically saying that it would be a good thing if the Germans sank neutral shipping, which would increase the pressure on the US to enter the war on the side of Britain. Churchill was quoted as saying, “For our part, we want the traffic - the more the better, and if some of it gets into trouble, better still”.
6 May 1915: Very early in the morning, Turner ordered all the regular lifeboats “turned out”, meaning they needed to be on their davits ready to be lowered as a precaution before the ship entered the war zone. It was very noisily and clumsily done, and the passengers that witnessed the process were not impressed in the least with the crew’s seamanship.
6 May 1915: In the morning, U-20 was off the coast of Ireland in St. George’s Channel, which was between Ireland and Wales. From that location, U-20 was still 16 hours away from its assigned patrol zone near Liverpool. U-20 started to pursue a steamer on the surface which could only go 8 - 10 knots, and U-20 caught up after two hours. After using deck cannon to hit the bridge of the ship, the steamer lowered lifeboats and Shwieger fired a bronze torpedo into the hull from 500 meters, after which the ship sagged, but didn’t sink. The ship was finally identified as a 5000 ton British freighter, and after firing more deck cannon, the ship finally sank in the narrowest part of St. George’s Channel.
Ten minutes later, a 10,000 ton steamer was moving towards U-20, which was a true prize of a target. Schwieger ordered a quick dive, but he soon calculated that the ship was too fast, and that he would never get a good angle for a torpedo attack (the ship was the Arabic, a White Star passenger ship). An hour later, U-20 spotted another target. Schwieger got set for the attack, choosing a G6 torpedo, ordering the depth at 3 meters. The G6 was fired from 300 meters away, and the torpedo struck; the ship took on water, but it stayed afloat as the crew fled in lifeboats. The ship was the Centurion, a 6000 ton British freighter, and after a second torpedo strike, the ship sank.
After all that activity, Schwieger ordered U-20 out to open sea in order to surface and recharge the batteries, and once again fog settled in. Schwieger had a problem, in that his fuel was surprisingly low for it being relatively early in the mission, since he was still a day away from his assigned patrol zone.
Ten minutes later, a 10,000 ton steamer was moving towards U-20, which was a true prize of a target. Schwieger ordered a quick dive, but he soon calculated that the ship was too fast, and that he would never get a good angle for a torpedo attack (the ship was the Arabic, a White Star passenger ship). An hour later, U-20 spotted another target. Schwieger got set for the attack, choosing a G6 torpedo, ordering the depth at 3 meters. The G6 was fired from 300 meters away, and the torpedo struck; the ship took on water, but it stayed afloat as the crew fled in lifeboats. The ship was the Centurion, a 6000 ton British freighter, and after a second torpedo strike, the ship sank.
After all that activity, Schwieger ordered U-20 out to open sea in order to surface and recharge the batteries, and once again fog settled in. Schwieger had a problem, in that his fuel was surprisingly low for it being relatively early in the mission, since he was still a day away from his assigned patrol zone.
6 May 1915: During the afternoon, Turner and an entourage toured the ship to mak sure the regular lifeboats were swung out on the davits, and that all portholes were closed. The Lusitania was around 400 miles from Ireland. Meanwhile, Schwieger decided, given his low level of fuel, that U-20 would not head to its assigned patrol zone near Liverpool. Schwieger spent a full page in his log explaining why, mentioning the main reason, weather - especially fog, but also the barometer readings, and the strangely calm water which meant that both would have staying power. The poor visibility made it almost impossible to target sinkable ships or to avoid enemy patrol ships and destroyers.
Schwieger assumed that any troop transports leaving Liverpool would do so at night, with destroyer escorts, which meant the only way to spot those ships was to remain on the surface. U-20 only had 3 torpedoes left, and 2 had to be kept in tow for the return to port, and then there was the the fuel problem. Schwieger knew that if he pressed his luck on the fuel, he’d have to return to port on the shorter-but-far-more-dangerous southern route instead of returning via the northern tip of Scotland.
Schwieger decided to target ships at the entrance to the Bristol Channel. U-20 had plenty of shells for the deck cannon, and Schwieger planned on patrolling in that location until he had 60% fuel remaining. However, fog once again foiled his plans, and the U-20 went out to sea for the evening and submerged, away from ocean traffic. Schwieger wanted to surface the next morning to charge his batteries and go hunting.
Schwieger assumed that any troop transports leaving Liverpool would do so at night, with destroyer escorts, which meant the only way to spot those ships was to remain on the surface. U-20 only had 3 torpedoes left, and 2 had to be kept in tow for the return to port, and then there was the the fuel problem. Schwieger knew that if he pressed his luck on the fuel, he’d have to return to port on the shorter-but-far-more-dangerous southern route instead of returning via the northern tip of Scotland.
Schwieger decided to target ships at the entrance to the Bristol Channel. U-20 had plenty of shells for the deck cannon, and Schwieger planned on patrolling in that location until he had 60% fuel remaining. However, fog once again foiled his plans, and the U-20 went out to sea for the evening and submerged, away from ocean traffic. Schwieger wanted to surface the next morning to charge his batteries and go hunting.
6 May 1915, 7:58 pm on the Lusitania: Turner received a message from Queenstown that U-Boats were active off the southern coast of Ireland. At about the same time, the Lusitania received a coded message from the Admiralty, which was sent to all merchant ships, ordering those ships heading to Liverpool (on Turner’s route) to stay in mid-channel, and to race past harbors. However, that message contained no clues about how many U-Boats there were, or where they were operating.
Soon after reading those messages, Turner addressed 1st Class passengers, informing and assuring them that the Lusitania would have destroyer escorts to Liverpool. Among other orders, Turner ordered that the ship’s running lights be turned off, and all portholes and curtains closed. The lifejackets for the passengers were the new “Boddy” lifejackets, which some passengers wanted to try on, with Turner’s permission, and Turner agreed.
7 May 1915, 5 am: Schwieger and U-20 had as peaceful a night as possible under the circumstances. After U-20 surfaced, the weather conditions reinforced Schwieger’s decision to not head to Liverpool. Schwieger set a new course for home port - as far as he was concerned, his patrol mission was over.
Addendum:The Lusitania Approaches U-20 . . .
Soon after reading those messages, Turner addressed 1st Class passengers, informing and assuring them that the Lusitania would have destroyer escorts to Liverpool. Among other orders, Turner ordered that the ship’s running lights be turned off, and all portholes and curtains closed. The lifejackets for the passengers were the new “Boddy” lifejackets, which some passengers wanted to try on, with Turner’s permission, and Turner agreed.
7 May 1915, 5 am: Schwieger and U-20 had as peaceful a night as possible under the circumstances. After U-20 surfaced, the weather conditions reinforced Schwieger’s decision to not head to Liverpool. Schwieger set a new course for home port - as far as he was concerned, his patrol mission was over.
Addendum:The Lusitania Approaches U-20 . . .