SM U-47 (Germany)

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-47
Ordered4 August 1914
Builder Kaiserliche Werft Danzig
Yard number25
Launched16 August 1915
Commissioned28 February 1916
FateScuttled on 28 October 1918
General characteristics [1]
Class & type Type U-43 submarine
Displacement
  • 725  t (714 long tons) surfaced
  • 940 t (930 long tons) submerged
Length65.00 m (213 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught3.74 m (12 ft 3 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,000  PS (1,471  kW; 1,973  shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 15.2 knots (28.2 km/h; 17.5 mph) surfaced
  • 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,400  nmi (21,100 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 51 nmi (94 km; 59 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement36
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 8 May – 27 December 1916
  • Pola / Mittelmeer Flotilla
  • 27 December 1916 – 28 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Metzger [3]
  • 28 February 1916 – 27 August 1917
  • Kptlt. Johannes Feldkirchner [4]
  • 28 August – 29 October 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Gerke [5]
  • 30 October 1917 – 10 March 1918
  • Kptlt. Wilhelm Canaris [6]
  • 14 January – 14 June 1918
  • Kptlt. Adolf Franz [7]
  • 11–31 March 1918
  • Kptlt. Erich Gerth [8]
  • 15 June – 11 September 1918
  • Kptlt. Carl Bünte [9]
  • 12 September – 28 October 1918
Operations: 2 patrols
Victories:
  • 14 merchant ships sunk
    (23,932  GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (9,351  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (149  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (1,046  GRT)

SM U-47 was a Type U-43 submarine of the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine.). She engaged in commerce raiding during the First World War.

Contents

Career

U-47 entered service in early 1916, serving initially with the III Flotilla, and from 27 December 1916 with the Pola Flotilla. Her captain between 14 January and 14 June 1918 was Wilhelm Canaris.

She carried out two war patrols and succeeded in sinking 14 ships for a total of 23,932  gross register tons  (GRT). In addition to this she damaged three ships for 9,500  GRT and captured another ship as a prize. Engine troubles meant she could not be used from June 1918, and was finally scuttled at Pula on 28 October 1918 during the evacuation.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [10]
15 August 1916PrestoFlag of Sweden.svg Sweden 1,046Captured as prize
30 August 1916 Wellamo Flag of Finland.svg Finland 1,050Sunk
16 November 1916 Dolfijn Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 140Sunk
16 November 1916 Parnass Flag of Norway.svg Norway 646Sunk
1 December 1916 Kediri Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 3,781Sunk
4 December 1916BeiraFlag of Portugal (official).svg Portugal 463Attack with no results
4 December 1916IboFlag of Portugal (official).svg Portugal 492Attack with no results
7 December 1916 Spyros Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Greece 3,357Sunk
13 December 1916 Salamis Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Greece 3,638Sunk
19 December 1916 Sno Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,823Sunk
8 May 1917Madeleine IIICivil and Naval Ensign of France.svg  French Navy 149Damaged
11 May 1917 Hindoo Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 4,915Damaged
13 May 1917 L’Indipendente F. Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg Kingdom of Italy 182Sunk
15 May 1917 Pancras Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 4,436Damaged
17 May 1917 Eirini Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Greece 2,662Sunk
18 May 1917 Frances M. Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States 1,228Sunk
22 May 1917 Lapa Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil 1,366Sunk
24 May 1917 Barbara Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States 838Sunk
25 May 1917 Magnus Manson Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States 1,751Sunk
3 June 1917 Vulcanus Flag of France.svg France 1,470Sunk

References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. Rössler 1981, pp. 328–329.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Metzger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johannes Feldkirchner". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Gerke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Canaris". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Adolf Franz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Gerth". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Carl Bünte". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  10. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 47". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

Bibliography