SM UB-55

Last updated
UB 148 at sea 2.jpeg
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-55.
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUB-55
Ordered20 May 1916 [1]
Builder AG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number267
Laid down5 September 1916 [2]
Launched9 May 1917 [3]
Commissioned1 July 1917 [3]
FateSunk 22 April 1918 at 50°59′N01°20′E / 50.983°N 1.333°E / 50.983; 1.333 by mines, 30 dead [3]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type German Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 516  t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 646 t (636 long tons; 712 short 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 [3]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 30 August 1917 – 22 April 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Ralph Wenninger
  • 1 July 1917 – 22 April 1918
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories:
  • 20 merchant ships sunk
    (26,485  GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (113  GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (12,809  GRT)

SM UB-55 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 1 July 1917 as SM UB-55. [Note 1]

Contents

She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-55 was sunk at 05:05 on 22 April 1918 at 51°01′N01°20′E / 51.017°N 1.333°E / 51.017; 1.333 after striking a mine, 30 crew members lost their lives in the event. [3]

Construction

She was built by AG Weser, Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 9 May 1917. UB-55 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Kptlt. Ralph Wenninger. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-55 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-55 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-55 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 2] Fate [4]
5 November 1917 Clan Cumming Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,808Damaged
7 December 1917 Proba Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 105Sunk
8 December 1917 Corinto Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 999Sunk
11 December 1917 Argus Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 100Sunk
11 December 1917 Ligeiro Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 25Sunk
11 December 1917 A Portuguesa Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 107Sunk
11 December 1917 Vigneira Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 25Sunk
16 December 1917 Foylemore Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,831Sunk
25 January 1918 Eastlands Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,113Sunk
26 January 1918 Manhattan Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,001Damaged
29 January 1918 Addax Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 40Sunk
29 January 1918 General Leman Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 57Sunk
29 January 1918 Ibex Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 42Sunk
29 January 1918 Perriton Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 90Sunk
29 January 1918 Perseverance Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 51Sunk
30 January 1918 HMS Wellholme Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 113Sunk
14 March 1918 A. A. Raven Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 2,459Sunk
21 March 1918 Begonia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,070Sunk
23 March 1918 Chattahoochee Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 8,007Sunk
23 March 1918 Madame Midas Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,203Sunk
23 March 1918 Mar Baltico Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2,023Sunk
23 March 1918 Venborg Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,065Sunk
24 March 1918 Fileur Flag of France.svg  France 73Sunk

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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 55". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-55". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 December 2014.

Bibliography

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