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SM UB-32

Coordinates: 51°45′N 2°5′E / 51.750°N 2.083°E / 51.750; 2.083
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For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-32.
"UB-32" redirects here. For the Soviet rocket launcher, see UB-32 (rocket pod).
SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-32
History
German Empire
NameUB-32
Ordered22 July 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Cost1,152,000 German Papiermark[2]
Yard number256[1]
Launched4 December 1915[1]
Completed10 April 1916[1]
Commissioned11 April 1916[2]
Fate
  • Lost after 17 September 1917;
  • Possibly sunk on 22 September 1917[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 274 t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) surfaced
  • 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,030 nmi (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes42-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Baltic Flotilla
  • 25 May 1916 – 24 February 1917
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 24 February – 22 September 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Ludwig Karl Sahl[3]
  • 11 April – 4 December 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl Ruprecht[4]
  • 5 December 1916 – 24 February 1917
  • Kptlt. Max Viebeg[5]
  • 25 February – 5 August 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Benno von Ditfurth[6]
  • 6 August – 22 September 1917
Operations: 16 patrols
Victories:
  • 22 merchant ships sunk
    (42,893 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (10,743 GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships damaged
    (9,190 GRT)

SM UB-32 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 4 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 April 1916 as SM UB-32.[Note 1]

The submarine sank 22 ships in 16 patrols. She was last heard from on 17 September 1917 and may have been bombed and sunk by Royal Naval Air Service aircraft in the English Channel on 22 September 1917.[2] The wreck was found in the 1980s but only identified as UB-32 in 2021.

Design

A Type UB II submarine, UB-32 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,030 nautical miles (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-32 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.[2]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[7]
13 March 1917 Comrades  United Kingdom 58 Sunk
13 March 1917 De Tien Kinders  Belgium 44 Sunk
13 March 1917 Gold Seeker  United Kingdom 62 Sunk
30 March 1917 HMS Penshurst  Royal Navy 1,191 Damaged
31 March 1917 Boaz  United Kingdom 111 Sunk
31 March 1917 Gippeswic  United Kingdom 116 Sunk
31 March 1917 HMHS Gloucester Castle  Royal Navy 7,999 Damaged
31 March 1917 Queen Louise  United Kingdom 4,879 Damaged
1 April 1917 Endymion  United Kingdom 73 Sunk
4 April 1917 Parana  Brazil 4,461 Sunk
5 April 1917 Ernest Legouve  France 2,246 Sunk
24 April 1917 Marie Blanche  France 359 Sunk
25 April 1917 Ballarat  United Kingdom 11,120 Sunk
27 April 1917 Alfalfa  United Kingdom 2,993 Sunk
27 April 1917 Beemah  United Kingdom 4,750 Sunk
28 April 1917 Pursue  United Kingdom 37 Sunk
29 April 1917 Ellen Harrison  United Kingdom 103 Sunk
29 April 1917 Mermaid  United Kingdom 76 Sunk
30 April 1917 Portbail  France 378 Sunk
8 June 1917 Vinaes  Norway 1,107 Sunk
11 June 1917 Mar Cor  Kingdom of Italy 3,257 Sunk
12 June 1917 South Point  United Kingdom 4,258 Sunk
14 June 1917 Vigoureuse  France 152 Sunk
5 July 1917 Havbris  Norway 677 Sunk
6 July 1917 Wabasha  United Kingdom 5,864 Damaged
26 August 1917 Feltre  Kingdom of Italy 6,455 Sunk

Wreck and identification as UB-32

In the 1980s a shipwreck was discovered by the Flemish Hydrographic Service some 50 kilometer from the Belgian shore and was put on the map as B140/225. In 2009 some extensive dives were made and it became clear that it was the remains of a U-boat. The wreck is at a maximum depth of 41 meters and it lies on its port side. The remains extend over a length of about 35 meters, with a width of 5 meters. The highest point is the tower, which rises about 6 meters above the ground. The submarine is intact from the stern to about 2 meters in front of the turret. The bow has been completely destroyed, apparently by a heavy impact, and it appears to have been squashed from above, with the hull split in two lengthwise. At 20 meters from the bow lie two large iron fragments on the port side, pieces of the pressure hull of the submarine, probably from the 2 forward depth rudders. The 2 periscopes have been retracted and it is striking that the heads of the periscopes, with the lid, eyepiece and glass, have cracked open. The tail of the U-boat was partly covered with lost nets and ropes. After they were partially removed, the bronze starboard propeller of the submarine was found on which was the inscription: "B & V, 1150 mm, 660, Projiz Flache 8416, Mangan Bronze, STB Schiffsschr. 6, UB.32". After some digging, the port propeller could also be found. The fact that the submarine has two propellers makes it clear that it is a submarine of type UB-II.[8]

The damage which is clearly visible on the wreckage confirms that the UB-32 sank by a heavy impact from above. The fact that two hatches were closed and that both periscopes were retracted may indicate that the UB-32 was submerged when hit or diving. The bow with the accommodation for the crew, the torpedo hold and the battery compartments, has been completely disassembled. That damage cannot be due to a mine explosion. Mines usually lead to a blown bow or stern, a crack in the hull or a severe dent on the underside of the hull. With this wreck it is clear that an impact from on top of the submarine has led to the 'squeezed' appearance of the wreck. The top deck seems to have split in half. Relatively large fragments have also been found at a distance from the wreck, such as the sheet-iron pieces of the front depth rudders. All of this points to a major explosion, possibly followed by a second, internal explosion. The force that was developed was so great that it caused the fragments to fling and the two periscope heads to explode. Such a violent explosion can be caused by a depth bomb or aircraft bomb or the impact of a torpedo. This seems to somewhat corroborate the British claims that the submarine was sunk from above by a plane.[8]

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.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ludwig Karl Sahl". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Ruprecht". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Max Viebeg (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Benno von Ditfurth". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 32". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  8. ^ a b De Roy, Luc (10 November 2021). "Opmerkelijke vondst in de Noordzee: wrak blijkt Duitse duikboot UB-32 uit WO I te zijn". vrtnws.be (in Dutch).

Bibliography

51°45′N 2°5′E / 51.750°N 2.083°E / 51.750; 2.083

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