S-Boats in the Kriegsmarine 1935 - 1945

Loss of "S 102"

On 06.06.1942 Oblt.z.S. Werner Töniges "S 102" together with "S 72" (Oblt.z.S. Walter Schneider) reported his boat ready for action (KB = kreigsbereit) at Constanta. They had formed the second group, which had arrived at the Black Sea after the transfer by towing from Hamburg to Dresden, the landtransport to Ingolstadt and the putting the boats back together at Linz and the transfer by towing to Constanta.

On 14.08.1942 he turned over command of the boat to Lt.z.S. Günther Lutherer.

"S 102" in the Black Sea - Picture: Archives Künzel

"S 102" replenishing Torpedoes at Iwan Baba - Pictures: Archives Künzel

"S 102" at the Pier at Constanta - Picture: Archives Künzel

During the night 07./08.07. 1943 the 1. SFltl with  "S 28", "S 40", "S 42", "S 46", "S 47", "S 72", and "S 102" operated against a convoy which had been reported in the Azov Sea, but they came too late. On the way back "S 40" collided with "R 33" and was damaged severely. Since both could not proceed faster than seven knots, "S 102" and "S 28" sailed ahead, "S 42" and "S 45" screened the averaged boats. 

"S 102" (Lt.z.S. Lutherer) on 08.07.1943 at 04.28 run onto a mine in the Straits of Kerč and had to be given up after an hour in spite of the trials ot "S 28" (Oblt.z.S. Künzel) to tow her home first alongside and finally at a long tow  rope. She sank at 05.30 in position 45^o04,5' N, 036^o42,5' E. Eight men of her crew were killed in action. The survivors were rescued by  "S 28".

 In 2016 we got four pictures, which Russian divers had taken at the wreck of "S 102".

Wreck of "S 102" - Pictures: A. Makarow

The  Email enclosed to which the pictures were sent, pointed out that a 40mm-Bofors-gun had been laying next to the wreck until it was salvaged by some divers.

On the site http://www.esys.org/news/sos.html Tim Schwabedissen wrote 2016:

Wreck of German Schnellboot discovered off the Crim
(28.07.16) Off the coast of Crim Russian divers discovered the wreck of a German E-Boat "S-102" at a waterdepth of 12 meters on the bottom of the Black Sea. The 12-man-crew sank together with her. Of the wreck the Flak-gun and several objects were retrieved. 

It had been discovered by sport-divers and shall be investigated thoroughly until end of Jully. "S-102" was a fast attackboat of the Second Worldwar which achieved a speed of up to 80 km/h. 

Remark of WEB-Master: "S 102" had a complement of 23 men. Eight men were killed by the exploding mine, the other men were rescued by "S 28".