SM U-30 (Germany)
Introduction '''SM ''U-30''''' was one of 329 U-boat submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She engaged in commerce warfare as part of the First Battle of the Atlantic. ''U-30'' is significant for the torpedoing of the US tanker ''Gulflight'' on 1 May 1915  west of Scilly.
Torpedoing of ''Gulflight'' The particular mission when ''Gulflight '' was attacked commenced 24 April 1915.On 28 April ''U-30'' intercepted the  collier ''Mobile'' which she sank by gunfire after allowing the crew to escape. On 29 April she similarly sank the 3,220 GRT ''Cherbury''. 30 April she ordered the steamer ''Fulgent'' to halt, but when the ship failed to do so fired a shot into the ship's bridge, which killed the captain and quartermaster. The ship stopped and the rest of the crew were allowed to escape before the ship was sunk by explosive charges placed inside. That afternoon, the 3,102 GRT ''Svorno'' was stopped and sunk. On 1 May the grain carrier ''Edale'' and French ship ''Europe'' were sunk. A Dutch ship was stopped and, as a neutral, permitted to continue at a point some  north west of the Scilly Isles, but the submarine was spotted at this point by a steam drifter, ''Clara Alice'' which reported her position to a naval patrol.The patrol ships  and  started to hunt for the submarine, but succeeded only in intercepting the US-flagged ''Gulflight'', which they took under escort. The escort proved something of a disadvantage to ''Gulflight'' because she was obliged to slow down for the patrol and then, under international law, as a ship escorted by armed vessels became a legitimate target for attack. ''U-30'' spotted the convoy and fired one torpedo at ''Gulflight'', before noticing that she was flying an American flag. The submarine then broke off the attack in accordance with her instructions not to attack neutral vessels. ''Gulflight'' survived the attack, although two members of the crew drowned while evacuating the ship and the master ''Captain'' Gunter died later that night from a heart attack. The ship was towed to Crow Bay and later repaired. News of the event would be overshadowed a few days later by the sinking of   but the incident, together with the attack on ''Lusitania'' and another ship, ''Cushing'', formed the basis of a formal complaint from the US government to Germany. Although the United States remained officially neutral in the ongoing hostilities, it reached agreement with the German government that further attacks by submarine would be strictly in accordance with "cruiser Rules" as defined by international law.
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageFate20 February 1915''Cambank''3,112Sunk20 February 1915''Downshire''337Sunk28 April 1915''Mobile''1,905Sunk29 April 1915''Cherbury''3,220Sunk30 April 1915''Fulgent''2,008Sunk30 April 1915''Svorono''3,102Sunk1 May 1915''Edale''3,110Sunk1 May 1915''Europe''1,887Sunk1 May 1915''Gulflight''5,189Damaged3 May 1915''Minterne''3,018Sunk26 October 1916''Lysland''1,745Sunk1 November 1916''Brierley Hill''1,168Sunk11 April 1917''Saxo''711Sunk11 April 1917''Nancy''1,325Sunk11 April 1917''Star''818Sunk11 April 1917''Sylfiden''796Sunk12 April 1917''Kolaastind''2,368Sunk13 April 1917''Bokn''336Sunk13 April 1917''Frixos''2,471Sunk13 April 1917''Gama''107Sunk13 April 1917''Glenlora''805Sunk13 April 1917''Zara''1,331Sunk14 April 1917''Fjeldli''954Sunk15 April 1917''Paris''1,634Sunk16 May 1917''Middlesex''7,265Sunk23 May 1917''Freden''166Sunk16 July 1917''Cyrus''293Sunk28 July 1917''Atlas''2,068Sunk
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