SM U-59

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History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-59
Ordered6 October 1914
Builder AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number214
Laid down13 July 1915
Launched20 June 1916
Commissioned7 September 1916
FateSunk 14 May 1917
General characteristics [1]
Class and type Type U 57 submarine
Displacement
  • 786 t (774 long tons) surfaced
  • 956 t (941 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) (oa)
  • 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.05 m (26 ft 5 in)
Draught3.79 m (12 ft 5 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 1,800  PS (1,324  kW; 1,775  shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 14.7 knots (27.2 km/h; 16.9 mph) surfaced
  • 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h; 9.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,730  nmi (14,320 km; 8,900 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 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:
  • II Flotilla
  • 20 November 1916 – 14 May 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Freiherr Wilhelm von Fircks [2]
  • 7 September 1916 – 14 May 1917
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories:
  • 14 merchant ships sunk
    (28,050  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (6,526  GRT)

SM U-59 [Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-59 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. She struck a German mine and broke into two parts at Horns Reef ( 55°33′N7°15′E / 55.550°N 7.250°E / 55.550; 7.250 ) at about midnight on 14 May 1917. She lost 33 of her crew; there were 4 survivors. The wreck of U-59 was located in 2002. [3]

Contents

The SM U-59 deck gun is on display at the Strandingsmuseum St. George Thorsminde.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [4]
7 December 1916 August Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 341Sunk
8 December 1916 Harry Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 81Sunk
13 January 1917 Solvang Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,970Sunk
16 January 1917 Brenn Flag of France.svg  France 2,189Sunk
19 January 1917 Gaea Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,002Sunk
23 January 1917 Sardinia Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,500Sunk
19 March 1917 Charlois Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 2,786Sunk
20 March 1917 Gurre Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 2,866Sunk
21 March 1917 Najade Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,752Sunk
31 March 1917 Valacia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,526Damaged
2 April 1917 Snespurven Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,409Sunk
5 April 1917 Canadian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,309Sunk
6 April 1917 Amiral L’hermite Flag of France.svg  France 156Sunk
6 April 1917 Roland Flag of France.svg  France 135Sunk
9 April 1917 Fremad I Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,554Sunk

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References

Notes

  1. ↑ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. ↑ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

  1. ↑ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Wilhelm von Fircks". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 59". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 59". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

Bibliography

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