SM UC-20

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUC-20
Ordered29 August 1915 [1]
Builder Blohm & Voss, Hamburg [2]
Yard number270 [1]
Launched1 April 1916 [1]
Commissioned7 September 1916 [1]
FateSurrendered, 16 January 1919; broken up, 1919 – 20 [1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type German Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 417 t (410 long tons), surfaced
  • 493 t (485 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph), surfaced
  • 7.0 knots (13.0 km/h; 8.1 mph), submerged
Range
  • 9,430  nmi (17,460 km; 10,850 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph), surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph), submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes35-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Pola / Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer I Flotilla
  • 11 December 1916 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Franz Becker [4]
  • 8 September 1916 – 8 May 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Adalbert von der Lühe [5]
  • 9 May – 12 December 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Kümpel [6]
  • 13 December 1917 – 10 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Heinrich Kukat [7]
  • 1 April – 18 June 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Hermann Rohne [8]
  • 19 June – 29 November 1918
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories:
  • 21 merchant ships sunk
    (20,927  GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (11,554  GRT)

SM UC-20 [Note 1] was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German : Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 1 April 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 7 September 1916 as SM UC-20. In 13 patrols UC-20 was credited with sinking 21 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-20 was surrendered on 16 January 1919 and broken up at Preston in 1919–20. [1]

Contents

Design

Like all pre-UC-25 German Type UC II submarines, UC-20 had a displacement of 417 tonnes (410 long tons) when at the surface and 493 tonnes (485 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 49.35 m (161 ft 11 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.65 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 250 metric horsepower (180 kW; 250 shp) (a total of 500 metric horsepower (370 kW; 490 shp)), two electric motors producing 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 35 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft). [3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph) and a submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,430 nautical miles (17,460 km; 10,850 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-20 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members. [3]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [9]
19 October 1916 Frits Emil Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 194Sunk
17 November 1916 Emilia Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 1,159Sunk
10 April 1917 Abd Razik Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 25Sunk
11 April 1917 Candia Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 1,045Sunk
14 April 1917 Cinque Ottobre Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 39Sunk
14 April 1917 Progresso Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 31Sunk
15 April 1917 Alessio Cocco Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 29Sunk
18 May 1917 Millicent Knight Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,563Sunk
25 May 1917 Argentina Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 97Sunk
25 May 1917 Ida Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 46Sunk
26 May 1917 Unione Salvatore Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 57Sunk
26 May 1917 Abd es Salem Flag of France.svg  France 25Sunk
26 May 1917 Dandolo Flag of France.svg  France 50Sunk
26 May 1917 Manoubia Flag of France.svg  France 50Sunk
26 May 1917 Messaouda Flag of France.svg  France 50Sunk
26 May 1917 San Francesco Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 47Sunk
27 May 1917 Boldwell Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,118Sunk
26 August 1917 Maurizio P. Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 558Sunk
4 January 1918 Regina Elena Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 7,940Sunk
13 April 1918 Giove Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 5,037Damaged
28 April 1918 Verdun Flag of France.svg  France 2,769Sunk
4 May 1918 Mergellina Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 354Damaged
4 June 1918 Strombus Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,163Damaged
12 June 1918 Poincare Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 35Sunk

Related Research Articles

SM <i>UC-1</i>

SM UC-1 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy 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. Mines laid by UC-1 in her 80 patrols were credited with sinking 41 ships. UC-1 disappeared after 18 July 1917. 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>

SM UC-4 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat had been ordered by November 1914 and was launched on 6 June 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 10 June 1915 as SM UC-4. Mines laid by UC-4 in her 73 patrols were credited with sinking 36 ships. UC-4 was scuttled off the coast of Flanders during the German evacuation on 5 October 1918.

SM UC-6 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat had been ordered by November 1914 and was launched on 20 June 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 24 June 1915 as SM UC-6. Mines laid by UC-6 in her 89 patrols were credited with sinking 55 ships.

SM UC-11 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 23 November 1914, laid down on 26 January 1915, and was launched on 11 April 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 23 April 1915 as SM UC-11. Mines laid by UC-11 in her 83 patrols were credited with sinking 27 ships. UC-11 was mined and sunk on 26 June 1918. A crew member was Rudolf Finkler from Oberlinxweiler, Kreis St. Wendel, Germany. According to his death record the boat went down in the North Sea near Harwich, abt. 2.5 nautical miles north east of Funk Feuerschiff on position 51°55′N1°41′E.

SM UC-14 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 23 November 1914, laid down on 28 January 1915, and was launched on 13 May 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 June 1915 as SM UC-14. Mines laid by UC-14 in her 38 patrols were credited with sinking 16 ships, one of which was the Italian pre-dreadnought battleship Regina Margherita, which at 13,427 tonnes displacement was one of the largest ships sunk by U-boats during the war. UC-14 was mined and sunk on 3 October 1917.

SM UC-17 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was ordered on 29 August 1915 and launched on 29 February 1916. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 21 July 1916 as SM UC-17.

SM UC-22 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 1 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 30 June 1916 as SM UC-22. In 15 patrols UC-22 was credited with sinking 23 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-22 was surrendered to France on 3 February 1919 and was broken up at Landerneau in July 1921.

SM UC-23 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 29 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 July 1916 as SM UC-23. In 17 patrols UC-23 was credited with sinking 46 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-23 was surrendered at Sevastopol on 25 November 1918 and broken up at Bizerta in August 1921.

SM UC-25 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 10 June 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 28 June 1916 as SM UC-25. In 13 patrols UC-25 was credited with sinking 21 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. From March to September 1918, she was commanded by Karl Dönitz, later grand admiral in charge of all U-boats in World War II. UC-25 was scuttled at Pola on 28 October 1918 on the surrender of Austria-Hungary.

SM UC-31 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 7 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 2 September 1916 as SM UC-31. In 13 patrols UC-31 was credited with sinking 38 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-31 was surrendered on 26 November 1918 and broken up at Canning Town in 1922.

SM UC-37 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 5 June 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 October 1916 as SM UC-37. In 13 patrols UC-37 was credited with sinking 66 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-37 was surrendered at Sevastopol on 25 November 1918 and broken up at Bizerta in August 1921.

SM UC-40 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 5 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 1 October 1916 as SM UC-40. In 17 patrols UC-40 was credited with sinking 30 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-40 was being taken to surrender but foundered in the North Sea en route on 21 January 1919.

SM UC-45 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 20 October 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 November 1916 as SM UC-45. In five patrols UC-45 was credited with sinking 12 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-45 sank in a diving accident on 17 September 1917 in the North Sea. The German salvage vessel Vulkan raised the wreck and UC-45 re-entered service on 24 October 1918. She was surrendered on 24 November 1918 and broken up at Preston in 1919–20.

SM UC-52 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 23 January 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 March 1917 as SM UC-52. In seven patrols UC-52 was credited with sinking 18 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. She notably sank the Italian troopship Verona, killing 880 soldiers. UC-52 was surrendered on 16 January 1919 and broken up at Morecambe.

SM UC-65 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 8 July 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 7 November 1916 as SM UC-65. In eleven patrols UC-65 was credited with sinking 106 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-65 was torpedoed and sunk by HMS C15 on 3 November 1917.

SM UC-70 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 7 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 20 November 1916 as SM UC-70. In ten patrols UC-70 was credited with sinking 33 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. On 28 August 1918, UC-70 was spotted lying submerged on the sea bottom and attacked by a Blackburn Kangaroo patrol aircraft of No. 246 Squadron RAF and then was then sunk by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Ouse. The wreck is a Protected Wreck managed by Historic England.

SM UC-71 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 12 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 28 November 1916 as SM UC-71. In 19 patrols UC-71 was credited with sinking 63 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-71 sank on 20 February 1919 in the North Sea while on her way to be surrendered.

SM UC-73 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 26 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 24 December 1916 as SM UC-73. In ten patrols UC-73 was credited with sinking 16 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-73 was surrendered on 6 January 1919 and broken up at Brighton Ferry in 1919 – 20.

SM UC-74 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 19 October 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 26 November 1916 as SM UC-74. In ten patrols UC-74 was credited with sinking 37 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-74 was interned at Barcelona on 21 November 1918 when she ran out of fuel. The U-boat was surrendered to France on 26 March 1919 and was broken up at Toulon in July 1921.

SM UC-79 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy during World War I.

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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 20". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  2. ↑ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. 1 2 3 Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Franz Becker (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Adalbert von der Lühe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Kümpel". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Kukat (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hermann Rohne". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 20". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 February 2015.

Bibliography

  • Bendert, Harald (2001). Die UC-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine 1914-1918. Minenkrieg mit U-Booten (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN   3-8132-0758-7.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   0-85177-593-4.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC   12119866.
  • Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC   20338385.
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