SM UC-75
History | |
---|---|
German Empire | |
Name | UC-75 |
Ordered | 12 January 1916[1] |
Builder | AG Vulcan, Hamburg[2] |
Yard number | 80[1] |
Launched | 6 November 1916[1] |
Commissioned | 6 December 1916[1] |
Fate | Rammed and sunk by HMS Fairy, 31 May 1918[1] |
General characteristics [3] | |
Class and type | Type UC II submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Draught | 3.65 m (12 ft) |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
Complement | 26 |
Armament |
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Notes | 30-second diving time |
Service record[1] | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: |
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Operations: | 13 patrol |
Victories: |
SM UC-75 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 12 January 1916 and was launched on 6 November 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 6 December 1916 as SM UC-75.[Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-75 was credited with sinking 59 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-75 rammed and sunk by HMS Fairy on 31 May 1918[1] with 17 dead and 14 survivors. HMS Fairy had sustained heavy damage and sank a short time later.
Design
[edit]A Type UC II submarine, UC-75 had a displacement of 410 tonnes (400 long tons) when at the surface and 493 tonnes (485 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.45 m (165 ft 6 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 290–300 metric horsepower (210–220 kW; 290–300 shp) (a total of 580–600 metric horsepower (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 30 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,660 to 10,230 nautical miles (16,040 to 18,950 km; 9,970 to 11,770 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-75 was fitted with six 100-centimetre (39 in) mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50-centimetre (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
[edit]Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[5] |
---|---|---|---|---|
25 March 1917 | Industria | United Kingdom | 133 | Sunk |
25 March 1917 | Marshall | Norway | 1,123 | Sunk |
25 March 1917 | Median | United Kingdom | 214 | Sunk |
25 March 1917 | Rosslyn | United Kingdom | 113 | Sunk |
28 March 1917 | Expedient | United Kingdom | 145 | Sunk |
29 March 1917 | Schaldis | Belgium | 1,241 | Sunk |
1 May 1917 | Alide | Russian Empire | 175 | Sunk |
3 May 1917 | Carberry King | United Kingdom | 31 | Sunk |
3 May 1917 | Eleanor | United Kingdom | 31 | Sunk |
3 May 1917 | Fastnet | United Kingdom | 31 | Sunk |
3 May 1917 | Hibernia | United Kingdom | 21 | Sunk |
3 May 1917 | Lucky Lass | United Kingdom | 10 | Sunk |
3 May 1917 | North Star | United Kingdom | 15 | Sunk |
3 May 1917 | Sir Edward Birkbeck | United Kingdom | 23 | Sunk |
4 May 1917 | Marie | France | 133 | Sunk |
5 May 1917 | HMS Lavender | Royal Navy | 1,200 | Sunk |
6 May 1917 | President | France | 354 | Sunk |
15 May 1917 | Polymnia | United Kingdom | 2,426 | Sunk |
7 June 1917 | Wilhelm | United Kingdom | 187 | Sunk |
11 June 1917 | Anglian | United Kingdom | 5,532 | Sunk |
12 June 1917 | HMS Prize | Royal Navy | 199 | Damaged |
18 June 1917 | Kathlamba | United Kingdom | 6,382 | Damaged |
19 June 1917 | Kelso | United Kingdom | 1,292 | Sunk |
20 June 1917 | Benita | United Kingdom | 130 | Sunk |
20 June 1917 | Bidartaise | France | 123 | Sunk |
29 July 1917 | Saint Marcouf | France | 1,117 | Sunk |
1 August 1917 | Karina | United Kingdom | 4,222 | Sunk |
3 August 1917 | Beechpark | United Kingdom | 4,763 | Sunk |
3 August 1917 | HMS Mary B. Mitchell | Royal Navy | 227 | Damaged |
25 August 1917 | Cymrian | United Kingdom | 1,014 | Sunk |
29 August 1917 | Cooroy | United Kingdom | 2,470 | Sunk |
29 August 1917 | Lynburn | United Kingdom | 587 | Sunk |
28 September 1917 | William Middleton | United Kingdom | 2,543 | Damaged |
9 October 1917 | Main | United Kingdom | 715 | Sunk |
12 October 1917 | W. M. Barkley | United Kingdom | 569 | Sunk |
13 October 1917 | Eskmere | United Kingdom | 2,293 | Sunk |
19 October 1917 | Hazelwood | United Kingdom | 3,120 | Sunk |
3 November 1917 | HMD Deliverer | Royal Navy | 79 | Sunk |
3 November 1917 | Atlantian | United Kingdom | 9,399 | Damaged |
4 November 1917 | Longwy | France | 2,315 | Sunk |
8 November 1917 | The Marquis | United Kingdom | 373 | Sunk |
1 December 1917 | Euphorbia | United Kingdom | 3,109 | Sunk |
1 December 1917 | Rydal Hall | United Kingdom | 3,314 | Sunk |
4 December 1917 | Milton | United Kingdom | 3,267 | Damaged |
7 December 1917 | Earl Of Elgin | United Kingdom | 4,448 | Sunk |
28 December 1917 | Alfred H. Read | United Kingdom | 457 | Sunk |
28 December 1917 | Chirripo | United Kingdom | 4,050 | Sunk |
3 January 1918 | Asborg | Norway | 2,750 | Sunk |
4 January 1918 | Day Spring | United Kingdom | 39 | Sunk |
4 January 1918 | Gratitude | United Kingdom | 40 | Sunk |
4 January 1918 | Varuna | United Kingdom | 40 | Sunk |
5 January 1918 | Iolanthe | United Kingdom | 3,081 | Sunk |
6 January 1918 | Arca | United Kingdom | 4,839 | Damaged |
7 January 1918 | Gascony | United Kingdom | 3,133 | Sunk |
7 January 1918 | Leon | France | 2,401 | Sunk |
5 March 1918 | Edouard Marie | Belgium | 32 | Sunk |
9 March 1918 | Marguerite | United Kingdom | 10 | Sunk |
10 March 1918 | Sunrise | United Kingdom | 56 | Sunk |
10 March 1918 | Wave | United Kingdom | 47 | Sunk |
13 March 1918 | Arno Mendi | Spain | 2,827 | Sunk |
14 March 1918 | Tweed | United Kingdom | 1,777 | Sunk |
17 March 1918 | Eliza Anne | United Kingdom | 36 | Sunk |
18 March 1918 | Navigator | United Kingdom | 3,803 | Damaged |
28 March 1918 | Dryden | United Kingdom | 5,839 | Damaged |
16 April 1918 | Hungerford | United Kingdom | 5,811 | Sunk |
19 April 1918 | War Helmet | United Kingdom | 8,184 | Sunk |
12 May 1918 | Benlawers | United Kingdom | 3,949 | Damaged |
29 May 1918 | HMT Dirk | Royal Navy | 181 | Sunk |
31 May 1918 | HMS Fairy | Royal Navy | 355 | Sunk |
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 75". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
- ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
- ^ Oberleutnant zur See Walter Eduard Alexander Schmitz died March 1919 as a POW in Skipton (GB) and was buried at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery (Plot 14, Row 9, Grave 259).
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 75". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
Bibliography
[edit]- 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.