SM UC-4

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUC-4
OrderedNovember 1914 [1]
Builder AG Vulcan, Hamburg [2]
Yard number48 [1]
Launched6 June 1915 [1]
Commissioned10 June 1915 [1]
Fate Scuttled off Flanders, 5 October 1918 [1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type German 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:
  • Baltic Flotilla
  • 11 July 1915 – 4 February 1916
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 4 February – 19 March 1916
  • Baltic Flotilla
  • 19 March – 30 September 1916
  • Flandern / Flandern I Flotilla
  • 30 September 1916 – 2 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl Vesper [4]
  • 10 June – 28 December 1915
  • Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Moecke [5]
  • 29 December 1915 – 19 March 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Max Hamm [6]
  • 20 March – 15 August 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Ulrich Pilzecker [7]
  • 16 August – 14 September 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Gustav Buch [8]
  • 15 September – 20 October 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Howaldt [9]
  • 21 October – 26 November 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Georg Reimarus [10]
  • 27 November 1916 – 11 May 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Oskar Steckelberg [11]
  • 12 – 20 May 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Georg Reimarus
  • 21 – 29 May 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Hecht [12]
  • 30 May – 12 September 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Walter Schmitz [13]
  • 13 September 1917 – 19 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Kurt Loch [14]
  • 20 January – 26 February 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Ernst Berlin [15]
  • 27 February – 21 April 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Eberhard Schmidt [16]
  • 22 April – 2 October 1918
Operations: 73 patrols
Victories:
  • 21 merchant ships sunk
    (33,518  GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (6,136 tons)
  • 14 auxiliary warships sunk
    (5,134  GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (9,441  GRT)

SM UC-4 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 6 June 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 10 June 1915 as SM UC-4. [Note 1] 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. [1]

Contents

Design

A German Type UC I submarine, UC-4 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-4 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 [17]
15 August 1915 Ladoga Naval Ensign of Russia.svg  Imperial Russian Navy 6,136Sunk
16 August 1915 Linnea (n-1) Naval Ensign of Russia.svg  Imperial Russian Navy 739Sunk
12 February 1916 Aduatiek Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 2,221Sunk
12 February 1916 Cedarwood Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 654Sunk
13 February 1916 Tergestea Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,308Sunk
29 February 1916 Den of Ogil Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,689Damaged
27 October 1916 Bygdo Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,345Sunk
28 October 1916 Sparta Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 480Sunk
9 November 1916 Sunniside Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 447Sunk
25 November 1916 HMT Burnley Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 275Sunk
3 December 1916 HMT Remarko Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 245Sunk
5 December 1916 HMT Tervani Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 457Sunk
7 January 1917 HMT Donside Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 182Sunk
18 January 1917 Dagmar Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 758Sunk
20 January 1917 HMT New Comet Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 177Sunk
13 February 1917 HMT Sisters Melville Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 260Sunk
23 February 1917 Grenadier Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,004Sunk
11 March 1917 Kwasind Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,211Sunk
12 March 1917 Ambient Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,517Sunk
12 March 1917 Pontypridd Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,556Sunk
3 June 1917 Giralda Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 46Sunk
4 July 1917 Chrysolite Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 57Sunk
7 July 1917 HMT Kelvin Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 322Sunk
20 July 1917 HMS Queen of the North Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 594Sunk
5 September 1917 HMT Eros Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 286Sunk
20 October 1917 HMT Vitality Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 202Sunk
11 November 1917 Lapwing Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,192Sunk
13 November 1917 Axminster Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,905Sunk
23 December 1917 Grantley Hall Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,008Sunk
25 February 1918 Rubio Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,395Sunk
26 February 1918 Berwen Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,752Damaged
5 March 1918 Coalgas Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,257Sunk
5 March 1918 Estrella Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,740Sunk
5 March 1918 Tusnastabb Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,136Sunk
12 April 1918 Lonhelen Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,281Sunk
20 April 1918 HMT Numitor Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 242Sunk
25 April 1918 HMS St. Seiriol Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 928Sunk
26 June 1918 HMT Achilles II Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 225Sunk

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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 4". 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: Karl Vesper (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Friedrich Moecke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Max Hamm". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ulrich Pilzecker". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  8. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Gustav Buch". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Howaldt (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  10. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Georg Reimarus". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  11. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Oskar Steckelberg". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  12. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Hecht". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  13. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Schmitz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  14. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Loch". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  15. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst Berlin". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  16. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Eberhard Schmidt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  17. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 4". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 December 2014.

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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