SM UC-34

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUC-34
Ordered20 November 1915 [1]
Builder Blohm & Voss, Hamburg [2]
Yard number275 [1]
Launched6 May 1916 [1]
Commissioned25 September 1916 [1]
Fate Scuttled at Pola, 30 October 1918 [1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type German Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 427 t (420 long tons), surfaced
  • 509 t (501 long tons), submerged
Length
Draught3.65 m (12 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph), surfaced
  • 6.8 knots (12.6 km/h; 7.8 mph), submerged
Range
  • 10,180  nmi (18,850 km; 11,710 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 54 nmi (100 km; 62 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 [1]
Part of:
  • Pola / Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer II Flotilla
  • 8 January 1917 – 30 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Robert Sprenger
  • 26 September 1916 – 15 July 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Horst Obermüller
  • 16 July 1917 – 14 July 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Schüler
  • 15 July – 30 October 1918
Operations: 9 patrols
Victories:
  • 17 merchant ships sunk
    (51,527  GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (785 tons)
  • 3 auxiliary warships sunk
    (13,808  GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (14,001  GRT)

SM UC-34 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 20 November 1915 and was launched on 6 May 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 25 September 1916 as SM UC-34. [Note 1] In nine patrols UC-34 was credited with sinking 21 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid.

Contents

On 30 December 1917 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Horst Obermüller, UC-34 torpedoed the British troop ship HMT Aragon off the Port of Alexandria. [4] [5] Aragon's escort, the destroyer HMS Attack, rescued 300 to 400 survivors but then UC-34 torpedoed and sank her was well. Of 2,500 personnel who had been aboard Aragon, 610 were killed. [4] [5]

UC-34 was scuttled at Pola on 28 October 1918 on the surrender of Austria-Hungary. [1]

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-34 had a displacement of 427 tonnes (420 long tons) when at the surface and 509 tonnes (501 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.35 m (165 ft 2 in) o/a, 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 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 590 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 6.8 knots (12.6 km/h; 7.8 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 54 nautical miles (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 10,180 nautical miles (18,850 km; 11,710 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-34 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.

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage [Note 2] Fate [6]
27 December 1916 Maud Flag of France.svg  France 176Sunk
28 December 1916 Seedonis Flag of Russia.svg  Russian Empire 284Sunk
6 April 1917 Rahmanich Flag of Egypt (1882-1922).svg  Egypt 100Sunk
6 April 1917 Spithead Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,697Sunk
8 April 1917 Geilan Bahri Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 19Sunk
10 April 1917 Fotis Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 3,526Damaged
11 April 1917 Imperial Transport Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,648Sunk
4 May 1917 Cameleon Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg  French Navy 179Sunk
31 May 1917 Ozarda Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,791Damaged
2 June 1917 Cameronian Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,861Sunk
7 June 1917 Liliana Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy 70Sunk
30 June 1917 Caledonien Flag of France.svg  France 4,140Sunk
13 September 1917 Bengali Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,684Damaged
25 October 1917 Euston Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,841Sunk
12 November 1917 Barbary Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,185Sunk
30 December 1917 HMT Aragon Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 9,588Sunk
30 December 1917 HMS Attack Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 785Sunk
31 December 1917 HMS Osmanieh Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 4,041Sunk
8 April 1918 Bengali Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,684Sunk
9 April 1918 Vasconia Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,052Sunk
1 August 1918 Columbia Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 5,570Sunk
6 August 1918 Clan Macneil Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,939Sunk
10 August 1918 Patra Flag of France.svg  France 45Sunk
10 August 1918 Tatarrax Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,216Sunk

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.

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SM <i>UC-21</i> German Type UC II minelaying submarine

SM UC-21 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 April 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 12 September 1916 as SM UC-21.

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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.

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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-59 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, laid down on 25 March 1916, and was launched on 28 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 12 May 1917 as SM UC-59. In nine patrols UC-59 was credited with sinking eight ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-59 was surrendered on 21 November 1918 and broken up at Bo'ness in 1919 – 20.

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.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 34". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ↑ Tarrant 1989, p. 173
  3. 1 2 Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. 1 2 Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Aragon". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Last Song on Doomed Ship". The Northern Star . Lismore, New South Wales . Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 34". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2014.

References

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