SM UB-27
SM UB-27 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 10 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 23 February 1916 as SM UB-27.[Note 1] UB-27 sank 11 ships in 17 patrols for a total of 18,091 gross register tons (GRT).[6]
![]() SM UB-45, a u-boat similar to UB-27 | |
History | |
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Name: | UB-27 |
Ordered: | 30 April 1915[1] |
Builder: | AG Weser, Bremen[1] |
Cost: | 1,291,000 German Papiermark |
Yard number: | 241[1] |
Launched: | 10 February 1916[1] |
Commissioned: | 23 February 1916 |
Fate: | sunk by British warship on 29 July 1917 |
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: | 3.66 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: | 2 officers, 21 men |
Armament: |
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Notes: | 30-second diving time |
Service record | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: | |
Operations: | 17 patrols |
Victories: |
Design
A German Type UB II submarine, UB-27 had a displacement of 265 tonnes (261 long tons) when at the surface and 291 tonnes (286 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 3.66 m (12 ft 0 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 8.90 knots (16.48 km/h; 10.24 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.72 knots (10.59 km/h; 6.58 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 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km; 8,300 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-26 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 thirty-second dive time.[2]
Service history
On 29 April 1916 in the North Sea about 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) south-east of Souter Point near Whitburn, County Durham, UB-27 opened with her deck gun fire at SS Wandle, an 889 GRT "flat-iron" collier of the Wandsworth, Wimbledon and Epsom District Gas Company.[7] The collier engaged the submarine and survived.[7] Afterwards in Britain it was believed Wandle had sunk UB-27 and the master, G.E.A. Mastin, and his crew were celebrated.[8][9]
UB-27 disappeared after 22 July 1917. HMS Halcyon reported ramming and depth charging a U-boat on 29 July 1917. A postwar German study concluded that it was possible that Halcyon sank UB-27 at 52°47′N 2°24′E.
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[10] |
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28 April 1916 | Blessing | ![]() |
19 | Sunk |
28 April 1916 | Christian | ![]() |
227 | Damaged |
29 April 1916 | Teal | ![]() |
766 | Sunk |
29 April 1916 | Wandle | ![]() |
889 | Damaged |
30 April 1916 | Mod | ![]() |
664 | Sunk |
1 May 1916 | Rio Branco | ![]() |
2,258 | Sunk |
2 May 1916 | Mars | ![]() |
581 | Sunk |
2 May 1916 | Memento | ![]() |
654 | Sunk |
2 May 1916 | Superb | ![]() |
770 | Sunk |
24 August 1916 | Duke of Albany | ![]() |
1,997 | Sunk |
27 August 1916 | Skjaereg | ![]() |
1,019 | Captured as a prize |
7 October 1916 | Jupiter | ![]() |
2,124 | Damaged |
8 October 1916 | Magnus | ![]() |
154 | Sunk |
12 March 1917 | Thode Fagelund | ![]() |
4,352 | Sunk |
14 March 1917 | Davanger | ![]() |
5,876 | Sunk |
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.
- Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
References
- Rössler 1979, p. 54.
- Gröner 1991, pp. 23-25.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Victor Dieckmann (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: Hans Georg Lübbe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Heinz von Stein zu Lausnitz". 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 during WWI: Wandle". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
- "Wandsworth and District Gas Company". Access to Archives. The National Archives. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
- Central Office of Information; for Ministry of Transport (1947). British Coaster: The Official Story. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 53–54.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 27". 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)