SM UB-21
SM UB-21[Note 1] 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 30 April 1915 and launched on 26 September 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 20 February 1916 as SM UB-21. The submarine sank 33 ships in 26 patrols for a total of 36,764 gross register tons (GRT).[7] Surrendered to Britain in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany, UB-21 sank in 1920 in the eastern Solent while en route to be broken up .
SM UB-45, a u-boat similar to UB-21 | |
History | |
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Name: | UB-21 |
Ordered: | 30 April 1915[1] |
Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[1] |
Yard number: | 251[1] |
Launched: | 26 September 1915[1] |
Completed: | 18 February 1916[1] |
Commissioned: | 20 February 1916 |
Fate: | sunk 1920 |
General characteristics [2] | |
Class and type: | German Type UB II submarine |
Displacement: |
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Length: |
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Beam: |
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Draught: | 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in) |
Propulsion: |
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Speed: |
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Range: |
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Test depth: | 50 m (160 ft) |
Complement: | 2 officers, 21 men |
Armament: |
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Notes: | 45-second diving time |
Service record | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: | |
Operations: | 26 patrols |
Victories: |
Design
A German Type UB II submarine, UB-21 had a displacement of 263 tonnes (259 long tons) when at the surface and 292 tonnes (287 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.13 m (118 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in). The submarine was powered by two Körting six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engines producing a total of 280 metric horsepower (280 shp; 210 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 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 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 6,650 nautical miles (12,320 km; 7,650 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-21 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 5 cm (2.0 in) SK L/40 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 45-second dive time.[2]
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[8] |
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5 May 1916 | Harald | 275 | Sunk | |
20 October 1916 | Lekna | 204 | Sunk | |
20 October 1916 | Randi | 467 | Sunk | |
20 October 1916 | Svartvik | 322 | Sunk | |
21 October 1916 | Fritzöe | 641 | Captured as a prize | |
21 October 1916 | Grönhaug | 667 | Sunk | |
22 October 1916 | London | 184 | Sunk | |
22 October 1916 | Thor | 372 | Sunk | |
3 November 1916 | Pluto | 1,148 | Captured as a prize | |
16 February 1917 | Lady Ann | 1,016 | Sunk | |
17 February 1917 | Excel | 157 | Sunk | |
22 February 1917 | John Miles | 687 | Sunk | |
29 March 1917 | Bywell | 1,522 | Sunk | |
31 March 1917 | Norden | 776 | Captured as a prize | |
29 April 1917 | Victoria | 1,620 | Sunk | |
2 May 1917 | Rikard Noordrak | 1,123 | Sunk | |
5 May 1917 | Edith Cavell | 20 | Sunk | |
6 May 1917 | Harold | 1,679 | Sunk | |
8 May 1917 | Batavier II | 157 | Captured as a prize | |
6 June 1917 | S.N.A. 2 | 2,294 | Sunk | |
7 June 1917 | Sir Francis | 1,991 | Sunk | |
21 July 1917 | Trelyon | 3,099 | Sunk | |
22 July 1917 | Glow | 1,141 | Sunk | |
23 July 1917 | Vanland | 1,285 | Sunk | |
24 August 1917 | Springhill | 1,507 | Sunk | |
18 October 1917 | Amsteldam | 1,233 | Sunk | |
19 October 1917 | Gemma | 1,385 | Sunk | |
23 November 1917 | Ocean | 1,442 | Sunk | |
29 December 1917 | Inverness | 3,734 | Damaged | |
29 December 1917 | Patria | 838 | Sunk | |
30 December 1917 | Hercules | 1,295 | Sunk | |
25 March 1918 | Hercules | 1,095 | Sunk | |
8 May 1918 | Constantia | 772 | Sunk | |
10 May 1918 | Anboto Mendi | 2,114 | Sunk | |
11 May 1918 | Gothia | 1,826 | Sunk | |
12 May 1918 | Haslingden | 1,934 | Sunk | |
4 July 1918 | Mentor | 539 | Sunk | |
26 September 1918 | Paul | 659 | Sunk |
References
Notes
- "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- Tonnages are in gross register tons
Citations
- Rössler 1979, p. 64.
- Gröner 1991, pp. 23-25.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst Hashagen (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Franz Walther". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Scheffler". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Bruno Mahn". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- Bendert 2000, p. 195.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-21". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
Bibliography
- Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 – 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)