SM UB-123

Last updated
UB 148 at sea 2.jpeg
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-123.
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUB-123
Ordered6 / 8 February 1917 [1]
Builder AG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number296
Laid down13 July 1917 [2]
Launched2 March 1918 [3]
Commissioned6 April 1918 [3]
FateSunk 19 October 1918 [3]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 512  t (504 long tons) surfaced
  • 643 t (633 long tons) submerged
Length55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,280  nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men [3]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 22 June – 19 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Robert Ramm [4]
  • 6 April – 19 October 1918
Operations: 2 patrols
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship sunk
    (2,646  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (4,095  GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships taken as prize
    (3,530  GRT)

SM UB-123 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German : Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 6 April 1918 as SM UB-123. [Note 1]

Contents

She torpedoed and sunk Leinster, a vessel operated by the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company on 10 October 1918, shortly after the new parliamentary based German Government under Max von Baden had asked U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to negotiate an armistice.

Leinster went down just outside Dublin Bay. Over 500 people perished in the sinking – the greatest single loss of life in the Irish Sea.

UB-123 struck a mine at the North Sea Mine Barrage on 19 October 1918, all 36 crew members died in the event. [3]

Construction

She was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 2 March 1918. UB-123 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Robert Ramm. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-123 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-123 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi). UB-123 had a displacement of 512  t (504 long tons) while surfaced and 643 t (633 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) when surfaced and 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [5]
16 July 1918 Anine Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1,299Captured as prize
16 July 1918 Constantin Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 831Captured as prize
16 July 1918 Hjortholm Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 1,400Captured as prize
10 October 1918 Leinster Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,646Sunk
16 October 1918 Caloria Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 4,095Damaged

Related Research Articles

SM <i>UB-132</i>

SM UB-132 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 25 July 1918 as SM UB-132.

SM <i>UB-56</i> German submarine

SM UB-56 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 19 July 1917 as SM UB-56.

SM <i>UB-58</i>

SM UB-58 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 10 August 1917 as SM UB-58.

SM <i>UB-59</i>

SM UB-59 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 25 August 1917 as SM UB-59.

SM <i>UB-78</i>

SM UB-78 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 20 October 1917 as SM UB-78. Mined off Dover on 19 April 1918 all 35 crew lost.

SM <i>UB-80</i> German WW1 submarine

SM UB-80 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 8 September 1917 as SM UB-80.

SM <i>UB-82</i>

SM UB-82 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 8 September 1917 as SM UB-82.

SM <i>UB-83</i>

SM UB-83 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 15 October 1917 as SM UB-83.

SM <i>UB-87</i>

SM UB-87 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 27 December 1917 as SM UB-87.

SM <i>UB-104</i>

SM UB-104 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 15 March 1918 as SM UB-104.

SM <i>UB-120</i> World War I German U-Boat

SM UB-120 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 23 March 1918 as SM UB-120.

SM <i>UB-124</i>

SM UB-124 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 22 April 1918 as SM UB-124.

SM <i>UB-125</i>

SM UB-125 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 18 May 1918 as SM UB-125.

SM <i>UB-126</i>

SM UB-126 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 20 April 1918 as SM UB-126.

SM <i>UB-127</i> German Type UB III submarine

SM UB-127 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 1 June 1918 as SM UB-127.

SM <i>UB-129</i>

SM UB-129 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 11 June 1918 as SM UB-129.

SM <i>UB-142</i>

SM UB-142 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 31 August 1918 as SM UB-142.

SM <i>UB-143</i>

SM UB-143 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 3 October 1918 as SM UB-143.

SM <i>UB-148</i>

SM UB-148 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat built for the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 19 September 1918 as UB-148. UB-148 was surrendered to the United States in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany on 1 December 1918 and later sunk as target by USS Sicard.

SM <i>UB-149</i>

SM UB-149 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat built for the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 October 1918 as UB-149. UB-149 was surrendered to Britain in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany on 22 November 1918 and broken up at Swansea in 1922.

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. Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 123". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gröner, Jung & Maass 1991, pp. 25–30.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Robert Ramm". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 123". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.

Bibliography