Hi there,

I am interested in the sinking of the KILDALE (ON 118858) on 12th April 1917 by U32. I had read in "The Times History of the War" (Vol XIII, P59) that the U32 fired two torpedoes at the vessel while submerged and then surfaced and commenced firing on the crew in their life-boats using cannon and rifles. The U boat was forced to dive by approaching British patrol vessels thus averting more casualties. As I had not heard of this from any other source I dismissed it as possible anti-German propaganda.

However I have recently obtained the crew list for the voyage from the National Archives and here Captain Milner clearly states that seaman Alfred Boyd, 22 from South Shields, was "killed in life-boat by shell fire from enemy submarine" and that eight other crew members were "wounded in life-boats by shell fire from enemy submarine", including the 1st Mate and Boatswain.

I am wondering how common it was for U boats to fire on survivors and was this something that Kurt Hartwig had done on other occasions?

Thanks