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SM UB-123

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UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-123.
History
German Empire
NameUB-123
Ordered6/8 February 1917[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number296
Launched2 March 1918[2]
Commissioned6 April 1918[2]
FateSunk 19 October 1918.[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeGerman Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 512 t (504 long tons) surfaced
  • 643 t (633 long tons) submerged
Length55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[2]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 22 June – 19 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Robert Ramm[3]
  • 6 April – 19 October 1918
Operations: 2 patrols
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship sunk (2,646 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged (4,095 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships captured as prizes (3,530 GRT)

SM UB-123 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (Template:Lang-de) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 6 April 1918 as SM UB-123.[Note 1]

She torpedoed and sunk Leinster a vessel operated by the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company on 10 October 1918, shortly after the new German Government had asked President Wilson to negotiate an armistice. Leinster went down just outside Dublin Bay. Over 500 people perished in the sinking — the greatest single loss of life in the Irish Sea.

UB-123 struck a mine at the North Sea Mine Barrage on 19 October 1918, all 36 crew members died in the event.[2]

Construction

She was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 2 March 1918. UB-123 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Robert Ramm. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-123 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-123 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi). UB-123 had a displacement of 512 t (504 long tons) while surfaced and 643 t (633 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) when surfaced and 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[4]
16 July 1918 Anine  Denmark 1,299 Captured as a prize
16 July 1918 Constantin  Denmark 831 Captured as a prize
16 July 1918 Hjortholm  Denmark 1,400 Captured as a prize
10 October 1918 Leinster  United Kingdom 2,646 Sunk
16 October 1918 Caloria  United States 4,095 Damaged

References

Notes

  1. ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (Template:Lang-en) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

  1. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Robert Ramm". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 123". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.

Bibliography