SM UC-1

Last updated
German UC-1 class submarine.jpg
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUC-1
OrderedNovember 1914 [1]
Builder AG Vulcan, Hamburg [2]
Yard number45 [1]
Launched26 April 1915 [1]
Commissioned5 July 1915 [1]
FateMissing since 18 July 1917 [1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type Type UC I submarine
Displacement
  • 168  t (165 long tons), surfaced
  • 183 t (180 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
Draft3.04 m (10 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 6.20 knots (11.48 km/h; 7.13 mph), surfaced
  • 5.22 knots (9.67 km/h; 6.01 mph), submerged
Range
  • 780  nmi (1,440 km; 900 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement14
Armament
  • 6 × 100 cm (39 in) mine tubes
  • 12 × UC 120 mines
  • 1 × 8 mm (0.31 in) machine gun
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 25 June 1915 – 19 July 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Egon von Werner [4]
  • 7 May 1915 – 13 April 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Kurt Ramien [5]
  • 14 April – 31 August 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Heinrich Küstner [6]
  • 1 September – 3 November 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Hugo Thielmann [7]
  • 4 November – 16 December 1916
  • Lt.z.S. Oskar Steckelberg [8]
  • 17 December 1916 – 7 January 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hugo Thielmann
  • 8 January 1917 – 17 March 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Walter Warzecha [9]
  • 18 March – 1 June 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Christian Mildenstein [10]
  • 2 June – 19 July 1917
Operations: 80 patrols
Victories:
  • 24 merchant ships sunk
    (53,249  GRT)
  • 5 warships sunk
    (3,067 tons)
  • 12 auxiliary warships sunk
    (2,620  GRT)
  • 9 merchant ships damaged
    (52,899  GRT)

SM UC-1 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German : Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat had been ordered by November 1914 and was launched on 26 April 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 July 1915 as SM UC-1. [Note 1] Mines laid by UC-1 in her 80 patrols were credited with sinking 41 ships. UC-1 disappeared after 18 July 1917. [1] UC-1 was sunk on 24 July 1917 by F2B Felixstowe flying boat. Standard practice was to fly along the U boat and drop 2 250lb bombs astride it, hoping to cause leaks and give time for a destroyer to collect the submariners and sink it. On this occasion, by fluke, one bomb went through the conning tower and blew the base out of UC1. MFG Mill was awarded the DFC for this but he refused to wear it because of the total loss of life <london Gazette> <MFG Mill Diaries>

Contents

Design

A Type UC I submarine, UC-1 had a displacement of 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 183 tonnes (180 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 33.99 m (111 ft 6 in), a beam of 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.04 m (10 ft). The submarine was powered by one Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 90 metric horsepower (66 kW; 89 shp), an electric motor producing 175 metric horsepower (129 kW; 173 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft). [3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 6.20 knots (11.48 km/h; 7.13 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.22 knots (9.67 km/h; 6.01 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 780 nautical miles (1,440 km; 900 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UC-1 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, twelve UC 120 mines, and one 8 millimetres (0.31 in) machine gun. She was built by AG Vulcan Stettin and her complement was fourteen crew members. [3]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [11]
30 June 1915 HMS Lightning Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 320Sunk
14 July 1915 Rym Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,073Sunk
15 July 1915 HMT Agamemnon II Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 225Sunk
30 July 1915 Prince Albert Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1,820Sunk
31 July 1915 Galicia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,922Damaged
8 August 1915 HMT Ben Ardna Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 197Sunk
14 August 1915 Highland Corrie Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,583Damaged
9 September 1915 Balakani Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,696Sunk
22 October 1915 HMT Scott Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 288Sunk
9 November 1915 Irene Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 543Sunk
27 November 1915 Klar Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 518Sunk
3 December 1915 HMT Etoile Polaire Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 278Sunk
16 December 1915 Levenpool Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,844Damaged
24 December 1915 HMT Carilon Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 226Sunk
24 December 1915 Embla Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,172Sunk
2 January 1916 Glocliffe Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,211Damaged
18 January 1916 Rijndam Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 12,527Damaged
19 January 1916 Leoville Flag of France.svg  France 775Sunk
28 January 1916 Perth Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,522Damaged
30 January 1916 Maasdijk Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3,557Sunk
11 February 1916 Alabama Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 891Sunk
25 March 1916 Duiveland Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1,297Sunk
27 March 1916 Empress of Midland Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,224Sunk
4 April 1916 Bendew Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,681Sunk
12 April 1916 Colombia Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 5,644Damaged
20 April 1916 Lodewijk Van Nassau Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3,350Sunk
2 May 1916 Fridland Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 4,960Damaged
26 May 1916 El Argentino Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,809Sunk
18 June 1916 Mendibil-mendi Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 4,501Sunk
26 June 1916 Astrologer Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 912Sunk
26 June 1916 HMT Tugela Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 233Sunk
28 June 1916 Mercurius Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 129Sunk
30 June 1916 HMT Whooper Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 302Sunk
16 July 1916 Alto Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,266Sunk
16 July 1916 Mopsa Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 885Sunk
30 July 1916 Claudia Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,144Sunk
11 August 1916 F. Stobart Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 801Sunk
23 August 1916 HMT Birch Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 215Sunk
27 August 1916 HMD Ocean Plough Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 99Sunk
31 August 1916 HMD Tuberose Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 67Sunk
1 September 1916 Dronning Maud Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,102Sunk
4 September 1916 HMT Jessie Nutten Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 187Sunk
6 October 1916 Lanterna Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,685Sunk
8 November 1916 HMS Zulu Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 1,027Sunk
28 December 1916 Torpilleur 317 Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg  French Navy 100Sunk
1 January 1917 Sussex Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,686Damaged
15 January 1917 Port Nicholson Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,418Sunk
11 May 1917 HMT Bracklyn Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 303Sunk
24 June 1917 HMS Kempton Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 810Sunk
24 June 1917 HMS Redcar Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 810Sunk

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

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 1". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  2. ↑ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. 1 2 3 Gröner 1991, pp. 30–31.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Egon von Werner (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Ramien (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Küstner". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hugo Thielmann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  8. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Oskar Steckelberg". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Warzecha (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  10. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Christian Mildenstein". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  11. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 1". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.

Bibliography

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