SM U-62

Last updated
Battle damage to the deck of German submarine U62 - Oct 31 1917.jpg
Battle damage to the deck of German submarine U62 - Oct 31 1917
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameU-62
Ordered6 October 1914
Builder AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number217
Laid down22 June 1915
Launched2 August 1916
Commissioned30 December 1916
Fate22 November - Surrendered. Broken up at Bo'ness in 1919-20
General characteristics [1]
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 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Ernst Hashagen [2]
  • 30 December 1916 – 24 December 1917
  • Kptlt. Otto Wiebalck [3]
  • 25 December 1917 – 9 March 1918
  • Kptlt. Ernst Hashagen [4]
  • 10 March – 11 November 1918
Operations: 9 patrols
Victories:
  • 45 merchant ships sunk
    (109,117  GRT)
  • 2 warships sunk
    (10,767 tons) [5]
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (12,927  GRT)
  • 5 merchant ships damaged
    (16,483  GRT)

SM U-62 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-62 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Contents

On 8 March 1917, SM U-62 sank the coal freighter Storstad, the ship that had rammed and sunk the RMS Empress of Ireland ocean liner in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in modern history.

On 7 August 1918, she torpedoed the French armoured cruiser Dupetit-Thouars, which sank with the loss of 13 of her crew.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [6]
8 March 1917 Storstad Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 6,028Sunk
8 March 1917 Vega Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 452Sunk
10 March 1917 Marie Flag of France.svg  France 127Sunk
11 March 1917 Thrift Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 40Sunk
12 March 1917 Algonquin Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 1,806Sunk
12 March 1917 Collingwood Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,042Sunk
12 March 1917 Jules Gommes Flag of France.svg  France 2,595Sunk
13 March 1917 Dag Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 250Sunk
14 March 1917 Rose Lea Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,830Sunk
23 March 1917 Tres Fratres Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 297Sunk
27 April 1917 Dunmore Head Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,293Sunk
27 April 1917 Inveramsay Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,438Sunk
30 April 1917 Fortunata Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 3,348Sunk
30 April 1917 HMS Tulip Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,250Sunk
3 May 1917 Frederick Knight Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,604Sunk
4 May 1917 Jörgen Olsen Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 310Damaged
7 May 1917 Polamhall Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,010Sunk
10 May 1917 Berangere Flag of France.svg  France 2,851Sunk
10 May 1917 Gazelle Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 288Sunk
13 June 1917 Candace Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 395Sunk
13 June 1917 Sylvia Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 148Sunk
16 June 1917 Kornsø Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 115Sunk
20 June 1917 Bengore Head Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,490Sunk
21 June 1917 Lord Roberts Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,166Sunk
24 June 1917 South Wales Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,668Sunk
25 June 1917 Guildhall Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,609Sunk
26 June 1917 Gorsemore Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,079Damaged
26 June 1917 Cattaro Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,908Sunk
26 June 1917 Manistee Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,869Sunk
10 August 1917 Orion I Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 322Sunk
15 August 1917 Albertha Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 170Sunk
24 August 1917 Henriette Flag of France.svg  France 2,005Sunk
30 August 1917 Eastern Prince Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,885Sunk
30 August 1917 Grelhame Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,740Sunk
30 August 1917 Noya Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,282Sunk
13 October 1917 Woodburn Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,360Damaged
17 October 1917 Adams Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,223Sunk
18 October 1917 Madura Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,484Sunk
19 October 1917 J. L. Luckenbach Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 4,920Damaged
19 October 1917 HMS Orama Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 12,927Sunk
11 December 1917 Oldfield Grange Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,653Sunk
14 December 1917 Hare Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 774Sunk
15 December 1917 Formby Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,282Sunk
17 December 1917 Coningbeg Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,279Sunk
16 May 1918 Heron Bridge Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,422Sunk
16 May 1918 Llancarvan Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,749Sunk
24 May 1918 Ruth Hickman Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 417Sunk
27 May 1918 Merionethshire Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,308Sunk
28 May 1918 Cairnross Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,016Sunk
30 May 1918 Ausonia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,153Sunk
7 August 1918 Dupetit-Thouars Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg  French Navy 9,517Sunk
7 August 1918 Lorna Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,286Sunk
8 August 1918 Westward Ho Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 5,814Damaged

Related Research Articles

SM <i>U-28</i> (Germany)

SM U-28 was a Type U 27 U-boat that served in the First World War. It conducted 5 patrols, sinking 40 ships totalling 90,126 GRT.

SM <i>U-110</i>

SM U-110 was a Type U 93 U-boat of the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was ordered on 5 May 1916 and launched on 28 July 1917. She was commissioned on 25 September 1917 as SM U-110. and assigned to IV Flotilla of the High Seas Fleet, based on the German North Sea coast.

SM UB-12 was a German Type UB I submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The submarine disappeared in August 1918.

SM UC-4 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat had been ordered by November 1914 and was launched on 6 June 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 10 June 1915 as SM UC-4. Mines laid by UC-4 in her 73 patrols were credited with sinking 36 ships. UC-4 was scuttled off the coast of Flanders during the German evacuation on 5 October 1918.

SM UB-21 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 26 September 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 20 February 1916 as SM UB-21. The submarine sank 33 ships in 26 patrols for a total of 36,764 gross register tons (GRT). Surrendered to Britain in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany, UB-21 was sunk as a target by HMS Terror in the Solent on 30 September 1920; the wreck was sold in 1970 and most had been cleared by 1998, although some remnants survive.

SM UB-23 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 9 October 1915. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 13 March 1916 as SM UB-23. The submarine sank 51 ships in 21 patrols for a total of 33,880 gross register tons (GRT). On 26 July 1917, UB-23 was badly damaged by a depth charge attack by HMS PC-60 off the Lizard; she put in at Corunna, Spain, on 29 July 1917 and was interned. On 22 January 1919 she was surrendered to France in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany, and she was broken up in Cherbourg in July 1921.

SM UC-17 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was ordered on 29 August 1915 and launched on 29 February 1916. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 21 July 1916 as SM UC-17.

SM UC-71 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 12 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 28 November 1916 as SM UC-71. In 19 patrols UC-71 was credited with sinking 63 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-71 sank on 20 February 1919 in the North Sea while on her way to be surrendered. Discovery a century later of her wreck with all hatches open suggested she had been deliberately scuttled by her own crew.

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

SM <i>U-57</i> German Submarine

SM U-57 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-57 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM <i>U-58</i>

SM U-58 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-58 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-60 was a German Type UB III submarine of the Imperial German Navy in the First World War. She took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM U-63 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-63 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM <i>U-65</i> (Germany)

SM U-65 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-65 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM <i>U-73</i> Submarine of the Imperial German Navy

SM U-73 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She engaged in the commerce war as part of the First Battle of the Atlantic. U-73 has the distinction of being responsible for planting the underwater mine that later led to the sinking of the largest ship sunk during World War I, the 48,158 tons hospital ship Britannic.

SM <i>U-14</i> (Germany)

SM U-14 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.

SM <i>U-22</i> (Germany)

SM U-22 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-22 was engaged in commerce war as part of the naval warfare, during the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM <i>U-24</i> German submarine of World War I

SM U-24 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was engaged in commerce warfare during the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM <i>U-52</i>

SM U-52 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-52 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

SM <i>UB-64</i> German submarine

SM UB-64 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 August 1917 as SM UB-64.

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. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst Hashagen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Wiebalck". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst Hashagen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 62". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 62". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 17 December 2014.

Bibliography