SM UB-37

Last updated
SM UB 45.jpg
SM UB-45 a U-boat similar to UB-37
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUB-37
Ordered22 July 1915 [1]
Builder Blohm & Voss, Hamburg [1]
Cost1,152,000 German Papiermark [2]
Yard number261 [3]
Launched28 December 1915 [3]
Completed10 June 1916 [3]
Commissioned17 June 1916 [2]
FateSunk 14 January 1917 [2]
General characteristics [2]
Class & type Type UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 274  t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) surfaced
  • 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,030  nmi (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes42-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 5 July 1916 – 14 January 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Valentiner [4]
  • 17 May - 6 November 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Paul Günther [5]
  • 7 November 1916 – 14 January 1917
Operations: 10 patrols
Victories:
  • 31 merchant ships sunk
    (20,504  GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (431  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (1,191  GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (400  GRT)

SM UB-37 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German : Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 28 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 June 1916 as SM UB-37. [Note 1]

Contents

The submarine sank 31 ships in ten patrols, [6] and was itself sunk by British Q ship HMS Penshurst in the English Channel on 14 January 1917. [2]

The wreck of UB-37 was identified by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 1999.

Design

A Type UB II submarine, UB-37 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft). [2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,030 nautical miles (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-37 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time. [2]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [7]
21 July 1916SamsøFlag of Denmark.svg Denmark 388Damaged
22 July 1916 Bams Flag of Norway.svg Norway 308Sunk
22 July 1916 Ida Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden 302Sunk
22 July 1916 Juno Flag of Norway.svg Norway 355Sunk
22 July 1916 Preference Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden 222Sunk
22 July 1916 Subra Flag of Norway.svg Norway 580Sunk
9 August 1916 Danevang Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark 1,247Sunk
11 August 1916 Rufus Flag of Norway.svg Norway 202Sunk
13 August 1916 Fremad Flag of Norway.svg Norway 104Sunk
13 August 1916 Pepita Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden 261Sunk
13 August 1916 Respit Flag of Norway.svg Norway 473Sunk
10 September 1916ZeemeeuvFlag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 400Captured as prize
23 September 1916 Dresden Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 807Sunk
23 September 1916 Pearl Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 613Sunk
24 September 1916 Oceanien Flag of France.svg France 60Sunk
25 September 1916 Afrique Flag of France.svg France 1,743Sunk
24 October 1916 Twig Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 128Sunk
13 November 1916 Our Boys Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 63Sunk
13 November 1916 Superb Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 50Sunk
28 November 1916 Diligence Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 42Sunk
28 November 1916 Amphitrite Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 44Sunk
28 November 1916 Catena Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 36Sunk
28 November 1916 Provident Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 38Sunk
28 November 1916 Sea Lark Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 42Sunk
28 November 1916LynxCivil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 43Damaged
30 November 1916 Concord Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 51Sunk
1 December 1916 Erich Lindøe Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,097Sunk
4 December 1916 Fofo Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Greece 2,615Sunk
6 December 1916 Halfdan Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark 1,305Sunk
7 December 1916 Marguerite Dollfus Flag of France.svg France 1,948Sunk
5 January 1917 Asta Flag of Norway.svg Norway 573Sunk
7 January 1917 Hansi Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,142Sunk
10 January 1917 Tuborg Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark 2,056Sunk
14 January 1917 Norma Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark 1,997Sunk
14 January 1917 HMS Penshurst Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,191Damaged

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

References

  1. 1 2 Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. 1 2 3 Rössler 1979, p. 65.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Valentiner (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Paul Günther". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  6. Bendert 2000, p. 196.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 37". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.

Bibliography

50°7′N1°47′E / 50.117°N 1.783°E / 50.117; 1.783