SM UB-56

Last updated
UB 148 at sea 2.jpeg
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-56.
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUB-56
Ordered20 May 1916 [1]
Builder AG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number268
Laid down5 September 1916 [2]
Launched6 June 1917 [3]
Commissioned19 July 1917 [3]
FateSunk 19 December 1917 at 50°58′N01°21′E / 50.967°N 1.350°E / 50.967; 1.350 by a mine, 37 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 I Flotilla
  • 10 September – 19 December 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Valentier [4]
  • 19 July – 19 December 1917
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories: 4 merchant ships sunk
(5,387  GRT)

SM UB-56 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 19 July 1917 as SM UB-56. [Note 1]

Contents

She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-56 was sunk at 23:41 on 19 December 1917 at 50°58′N01°21′E / 50.967°N 1.350°E / 50.967; 1.350 after striking a mine, 37 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 6 June 1917. UB-56 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-56 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-56 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-56 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 [5]
13 November 1917 Atlas Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 989Sunk
13 November 1917 Axwell Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,442Sunk
17 November 1917 Lalen Mendi Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2,183Sunk
21 November 1917 Maine Flag of France.svg  France 773Sunk

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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 56". 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. "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 3 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 56". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 February 2015.

Bibliography