SM UB-54

Last updated
UB 148 at sea 2.jpeg
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-54.
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUB-54
Ordered20 May 1916 [1]
Builder AG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number266
Laid down5 September 1916 [2]
Launched18 April 1917 [3]
Commissioned12 June 1917 [3]
FateSunk 11 March 1918 [3]
General characteristics [3]
Class & type Type UB III submarine
TypeCoastal submarine
Displacement
  • 516  t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 646 t (636 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
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,020  nmi (16,710 km; 10,380 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
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 8 August 1917 - 31 March 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Egon von Werner
  • 12 June 1917 – 7 February 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Hecht
  • 8 February – 31 March 1918
Operations: 6 patrols
Victories:
  • 13 merchant ships sunk
    (6,184  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (1,016  GRT)

SM UB-54 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 Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 12 June 1917 as SM UB-54. [nb 1]

Contents

The submarine conducted 6 patrols and sank 14 ships during the war for a total loss of 7,200  gross register tons  (GRT).

She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-54 was apparently sunk on 11 March 1918 at 53°15′N0°45′E / 53.250°N 0.750°E / 53.250; 0.750 by British destroyers HMS Sturgeon, Thruster, and Retriever using depth charges, all hands were lost. [3]

Construction

UB-54 was ordered 20 May 1916. She was built by AG Weser, Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 18 April 1917. UB-54 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Egon von Werner.Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-54 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-54 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi). UB-54 had a displacement of 516  t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 646 t (636 long tons; 712 short tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 1] Fate [4]
20 August 1917 HMS Vala Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,016Sunk
25 August 1917 Frigga Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,046Sunk
13 December 1917 Chili Flag of France.svg France 1,318Sunk
20 December 1917 Noris Flag of Norway.svg Norway 583Sunk
21 December 1917 Orne Flag of France.svg France 928Sunk
23 December 1917 Ragna Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1,747Sunk
27 January 1918 Nr. 14 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 26Sunk
29 January 1918 De Julia Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 13Sunk
29 January 1918 De Twee Marcels Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 13Sunk
29 January 1918 H. Debra Huysseme Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 46Sunk
29 January 1918 Jean Mathilde Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 12Sunk
29 January 1918 Le Jeune Arthur Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 25Sunk
29 January 1918 Marie Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 16Sunk
30 January 1918 Ferryhill Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 411Sunk

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.

References

Notes

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

Citations

  1. Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 54". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-54". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 December 2014.

Bibliography