SM U-61

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-61
Ordered6 October 1914
Builder AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number216
Laid down22 June 1915
Launched22 July 1916
Commissioned2 December 1916
FateSunk in a depth charge attack by PC51 at coordinates 51°48′N05°32′W / 51.800°N 5.533°W / 51.800; -5.533 on 26 March 1918. 36 dead (all hands lost). [1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type Type U 57 submarine
Displacement
  • 768 t (756 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 × 2,400  PS (1,765  kW; 2,367  shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) surfaced
  • 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h; 9.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,400  nmi (21,100 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 49 nmi (91 km; 56 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
  • 15 February 1917 – 26 March 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Victor Dieckmann [3]
  • 2 December 1916 – 26 March 1918
Operations: 9 patrols
Victories:
  • 32 merchant ships sunk
    (83,291  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (1,273  GRT)
  • 6 merchant ships damaged
    (21,054  GRT)
  • 1 warship damaged
    (1,020 tons)
  • 2 auxiliary warships damaged
    (3,424  GRT)

SM U-61 was a German Type U 57 U-boat commissioned and deployed to operate off the coast of the British Isles and attack coastal shipping as part of the U-boat Campaign during World War I.

Contents

In a 15-month career spanning nine war patrols, U-61 plagued allied shipping in the Atlantic Ocean during the German war on Allied trade ( Handelskrieg ). She sank 33 Allied ships, totalling 84,564  gross register tons  (GRT). She also damaged six merchant ships of 21,054  GRT, two auxiliary warships of 3,424  GRT and one warship of 1,020 tons (the US Navy destroyer USS Cassin before fleeing the fight). She went missing some time after March 23, 1918.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [4]
2 March 1917 Edvard Grieg Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 989Sunk
3 March 1917 Rosborg Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1,877Sunk
9 March 1917 Spartan Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,287Sunk
10 March 1917 Angola Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 4,297Sunk
13 March 1917 Luciline Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,765Damaged
13 March 1917 Northwaite Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,626Sunk
13 March 1917 HMS Warner Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,273Sunk
17 April 1917 Aburi Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,730Sunk
18 April 1917 Castilian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,923Sunk
21 April 1917 Skjold Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,592Sunk
21 April 1917 Telena Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,778Sunk
23 April 1917 Calluna Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1,405Sunk
23 April 1917 Lena Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,463Sunk
24 April 1917 Metropolis Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,811Sunk
24 April 1917 Thirlby Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,009Damaged
30 April 1917 Jarstein Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 198Sunk
9 June 1917 Ada Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 2,370Sunk
9 June 1917 Dana Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1,590Sunk
10 June 1917 Betty Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 2,683Sunk
10 June 1917 Ribera Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,511Sunk
14 June 1917 Widwud Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 299Damaged
16 June 1917 Fallodon Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,012Damaged
17 June 1917 Raloo Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,012Sunk
19 June 1917 Batoum Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,054Sunk
20 June 1917 Nitonian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,381Damaged
28 July 1917 Comanchee Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,588Damaged
2 August 1917 Libia Flag of France.svg  France 2,416Sunk
4 August 1917 Countess Of Mar Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,234Sunk
5 August 1917 Sauternes Flag of France.svg  France 902Sunk
5 August 1917 Campo Libre BandMercante1785.svg  Spain 50Sunk
6 August 1917 Campana Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 3,675Sunk
6 August 1917 Jeanne Et Genevieve Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg  French Navy 695Damaged
7 August 1917 Trento Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 3,276Sunk
29 September 1917 Elmsgarth Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,503Sunk
11 October 1917 Rhodesia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,313Sunk
16 October 1917 USS Cassin Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 1,020Damaged
27 December 1917 USS Santee Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 2,729Damaged
3 January 1918 Birchwood Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,756Sunk
5 January 1918 Rose Marie Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,220Sunk
6 January 1918 Halberdier Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,049Sunk
6 January 1918 Spenser Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,186Sunk
23 March 1918 Etonian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,515Sunk

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References

Notes

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

Citations

  1. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 61". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Victor Dieckmann (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 61". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

Bibliography

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