They were the deadly weapon Germany deployed during World War One.
But nearly a century later, all that remains of the former submarine that wreaked havoc on Britain's defences is a crumbling, rusted wreck.
This is the wreckage of a German World War One U-boat which has been marooned on mudflats off the Kent coast for nearly a century.
Normally the tip of the boat can be seen surrounded by waves; but low tides following storm surges means that the husk can be seen more fully than usual.
A World War One U-boat, believed UB-122, on mudflats near Humblebee Creek near the Isle of Grain
The U-boats of the Imperial German Navy very nearly won World War One for Germany
All that is left of the once deadly weapon is a crumbling rusted wreck of the submarine
The wreckage can still be seen beached in a remote area of mudflats on the banks of the River Medway in Hoo
Experts say it is the only German submarine, which has lain in the River Medway in Kent since 1921, that is visible in UK waters today.
They believe it is a UB-122 - one of more than 100 U-boats surrendered to the British at the end of the war.
Today the wreckage can still be seen beached in a remote area of mudflats on the banks of the River Medway in Hoo, Kent.
Mark Dunkley, of English Heritage, said: 'While the remains of the submarine believed to be UB-122 in the Medway is not a new discovery, it still serves as a poignant reminder of those who gave their lives at sea during World War One.
'Just over 100 German U-boats were surrendered to the British at the end of the war.
'Some were sent to join the French Navy and some had their engines removed to be re-used in cement works at Halstead in Kent before being scrapped.
'For some reason this U-boat was never fully scrapped and has remained in the River Medway since 1921.
'People can go and see it there at low water, but be warned because the mud is very deep and very gloopy. I've got stuck before.
The submarine is thought to be a UB-I22 submarine and would have carried 10 torpedoes and were usually armed with a deck gun
They carried a crew of 34 and had a cruising range of 7,200-9,000 miles. Between 1916 and 1918, 96 were built
The U-boats of the Imperial German Navy very nearly won the Great War for Germany after the country heavily invested in the vessels
'There are no plans to move it. It's not under any threat. It will just stay exactly where it is.
'It is the only complete U-boat that can be seen in British tidal waters, though there are many submerged off shore that were lost during the war.'
After the war the German UB-122 was initially stripped of its internal metal engines to be used for scrap metal.
Mr Dunkley said: 'We know that the engines from UB-122 in Halling, in Kent, they were reused to power a cement factory.
'That's typical; all precious metals, like bronze for example, were re-used to power Britain's post war economy.
'After they were cut out then comes the element of mystery because it's likely UB-122 was moved to be broken up for material.
'It is very likely it was towed down the Medway River and it is really likely that something happened to cause the cable towing it to snap and the submarine was blown to the north bank of the Medway.
The Germans used the submarines to inflict heavy losses on merchant shipping in the Great War.
In July a vast ocean graveyard of British and German vessels sunk during the First World War was discovered by a team of explorers.
A total of 41 German U-boats, as well as three English submarines, have been unearthed at depths of up to 50 feet close to England’s southern and eastern coasts by a team led by underwater archaeologist Mark Dunkley.
Several U-boats with the German Imperial Navy are still officially considered missing to this day. Lists provide details on which of the U-boats the German naval forces had lost by the time the war ended in November 1918, but the fate of many is still shrouded in mystery.
THE DEADLY HISTORY OF GERMANY'S U-BOATS THAT TERRORISED BRITISH SHORES
The U-boat skippers would target British vessels
On 5th September 1914, the U-boat SM U 21, which was considered unpromising initially, sank the British light cruiser HMS Pathfinder.
In February 1915 the sea around the British isles were declared a war zone by Germany and the battle of the U-boats began.
A neutral flag offered no protection against the ruthless U-boat captains, who were ordered to be absolutely sure a ship was neutral before sparing it.
Submarines did not have a hopeful start in their history. The first submarine built in Germany was called the Brandtaucher, which sank during its first test dive.
But bigger and more successful submarines were developed, and equipped with deadly weapons which made them a crucial addition to Germany's arsenal of weapons.
At the start of World War I, Germany had twenty-nine U-boats; in the first ten weeks, five British cruisers had been lost to them.
On 5 September 1914, HMS Pathfinder was sunk by SM U-21, the first ship to have been sunk by a submarine using a self-propelled torpedo.
U-boats caused so much destruction that at one point during World War Two the British government thought that Britain would have to contemplate surrendering.
Following the end of World War One, Germany was technically not allowed to have submarines or submarine crews - but continued to invest money, time and man power into building more as they prepared for World War Two.
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