Operational History
SM U-15 was commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy on 6 October under the command of Linienschiffsleutnant Friedrich Schlosser. On 28 November, Linienschiffsleutnant Friedrich Fähndrich was assigned to the first of two stints in command of the boat. On 18 December, Fähndrich and U-15 attacked and sank two Albanian sailing vessels near Lezhë. The Erzen, of 25 GRT, and the Figlio Preligiona, of 80 GRT, were both sunk at position 41°47′N 19°31′E / 41.783°N 19.517°E / 41.783; 19.517.
After being relieved by Linienschiffsleutnant Franz Rzemenowsky von Trautenegg from late March to early May 1916, Fähndrich resumed command on 10 May. One week later, on 17 May, U-15 torpedoed and sank the 2,237 GRT Italian steamer Stura in the Adriatic some 18 nautical miles (33 km) east of Brindisi.
The following month, Fähndrich and the crew of U-15 scored their second double kill when they sank the Italian auxiliary cruiser Cittá di Messina (3,495 GRT) and the French destroyer Fourche (745 GRT). While about 20 nautical miles (37 km) east of Otranto on 23 June, U-15 torpedoed and sank Cittá di Messina. The escorting destroyer Fourche began a depth charge attack on U-15 and assumed success when an oil slick appeared on the surface. After the captain of Fourche turned his attentions to the rescue Cittá di Messina's survivors, U-15 launched a single torpedo that struck Fourche amidships and sank her.
On 25 October, U-15, back under the command of von Trautenegg, sank the 2,207 GRT Italian steamer Polcevera, a sister ship to Stura (sunk by U-15 in May). Polcevera was the last ship sunk by U-15.
From October 1916 to the end of the fighting in November 1918, U-15's activities are unknown. U-15 was at Pola at the end of the war when Austria-Hungary handed her over to Italy. U-15 was scrapped at Pola by 1920.
Read more about this topic: SM U-15 (Austria-Hungary)
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