SM UC-48

Last updated
History
War Ensign of Germany 1903-1918.svg German Empire
NameUC-48
Ordered20 November 1915 [1]
Builder AG Weser, Bremen [2]
Yard number258 [1]
Laid down1 February 1916 [1]
Launched27 September 1916 [1]
Commissioned6 November 1916 [1]
FateInterned at Ferrol, Spain, 23 March 1918 [1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 420 t (410 long tons), surfaced
  • 502 t (494 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.67 m (12 ft 0 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph), surfaced
  • 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph), submerged
Range
  • 7,280  nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 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
Notes30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern / Flandern II Flotilla
  • 3 February 1917 – 23 March 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Kurt Ramien [4]
  • 6 November 1916 – 20 October 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmut Lorenz [5]
  • 21 October 1917 – 23 March 1918
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories:
  • 33 merchant ships sunk
    (66,874  GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    (968  GRT)
  • 6 merchant ships damaged
    (23,821  GRT)

SM UC-48 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, laid down on 1 February 1916, and was launched on 27 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 6 November 1916 as SM UC-48. [Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-48 was credited with sinking 35 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-48 was severely damaged by a depth charge attack by HMS Loyal on 20 March 1918 that ruptured the fuel tanks. Unable to return to Zeebrugge, the boat was steered to Ferrol, Spain, where she and her crew were interned for the rest of the war. The Spanish authorities removed UC-48's propellers to prevent any attempts at leaving port. [1]

Contents

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-48 had a displacement of 420 tonnes (410 long tons) when at the surface and 502 tonnes (494 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 51.85 m (170 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in). 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 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft). [3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 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 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-48 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 [6]
16 March 1917 Pencaer Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 59Sunk
16 March 1917 William Martyn Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 104Sunk
17 March 1917 Antony Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,466Sunk
17 March 1917 Guard Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 38Sunk
21 March 1917 Rio Sorocaba Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,307Sunk
22 March 1917 Chorley Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,828Sunk
22 March 1917 Providence Government Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,970Sunk
23 March 1917 J. B. August Kessler Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 5,104Damaged
25 March 1917 HMT Evangel Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy 197Sunk
27 April 1917 Amelia & Jane Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 62Damaged
1 May 1917 Raymond Ester Flag of France.svg  France 20Sunk
2 May 1917 United Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 61Sunk
2 May 1917 Warnow Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,593Sunk
5 May 1917 Feltria Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,254Sunk
5 May 1917 Greta Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 297Sunk
7 May 1917 Kinross Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,120Sunk
9 June 1917 Amphitrite Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 179Sunk
10 June 1917 Solhaug Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,217Sunk
13 June 1917 Ernestine Flag of France.svg  France 160Sunk
15 June 1917 Eugene Et Eugenie Flag of France.svg  France 46Sunk
16 June 1917 John D. Archbold Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 8,374Sunk
17 June 1917 Anjou Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg  French Navy 771Sunk
17 June 1917 Antonios M. Mavrogordatos Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 3,771Sunk
18 June 1917 Tyne Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,909Sunk
15 July 1917 Florence Creadick Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 732Damaged
15 July 1917 Westmeath Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,179Damaged
16 July 1917 Henry R. James Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,146Sunk
18 August 1917 Dunkerquois Flag of France.svg  France 2,087Sunk
19 August 1917 Monksgarth Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,928Sunk
19 August 1917 Ytterøy Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,112Sunk
16 September 1917 Sandsend Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,814Sunk
17 September 1917 Our Bairns Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 50Sunk
17 September 1917 Ronald Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 38Sunk
19 September 1917 Etal Manor Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,875Sunk
21 September 1917 Kouang-Si Flag of France.svg  France 6,472Damaged
14 October 1917 Barbro Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,356Sunk
14 October 1917 Castro Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 1,994Sunk
15 October 1917 Hovde Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,196Sunk
22 October 1917 Aizcorri Mendi Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2,272Damaged
17 November 1917 Modemi Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,481Sunk
30 January 1918 Ange Gardien Flag of France.svg  France 24Sunk

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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 7 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 48". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ↑ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. 1 2 3 Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ↑ 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 25 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Helmut Lorenz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 48". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 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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