SM UB-37

SM UB-37 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 28 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 June 1916 as SM UB-37.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-37.
SM UB-45 a u-boat similar to UB-37
History
German Empire
Name: UB-37
Ordered: 22 July 1915[1]
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Cost: 1,152,000 German Papiermark[2]
Yard number: 261[3]
Launched: 28 December 1915[3]
Completed: 10 June 1916[3]
Commissioned: 17 June 1916[2]
Fate: sunk by British Q ship 14 January 1917[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UB II submarine
Displacement:
  • 274 t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length:
  • 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in) o/a
  • 27.90 m (91 ft 6 in) pressure hull
Beam:
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught: 3.69 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 depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 2 officers, 21 men
Armament:
Notes: 42-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Valentiner[4]
  • 17 May - 6 November 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Paul Günther[5]
  • 7 November 1916 – 14 January 1917
Operations: 10 patrols
Victories:
  • 31 merchant ships sunk (20,504 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged (1,622 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as a prize (400 GRT)

The submarine sank 31 ships in ten patrols.[6] UB-37 was sunk by British Q ship HMS Penshurst in the English Channel on 14 January 1917.[2]

The wreck of UB-37 was identified by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 1999.

Design

A German Type UB II submarine, UB-37 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-37 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]
21 July 1916 Samsø  Denmark 388 Damaged
22 July 1916 Bams  Norway 308 Sunk
22 July 1916 Ida  Sweden 302 Sunk
22 July 1916 Juno  Norway 355 Sunk
22 July 1916 Preference  Sweden 222 Sunk
22 July 1916 Subra  Norway 580 Sunk
9 August 1916 Danevang  Denmark 1,247 Sunk
11 August 1916 Rufus  Norway 202 Sunk
13 August 1916 Fremad  Norway 104 Sunk
13 August 1916 Pepita  Sweden 261 Sunk
13 August 1916 Respit  Norway 473 Sunk
10 September 1916 Zeemeeuv  Netherlands 400 Captured as a prize
23 September 1916 Dresden  United Kingdom 807 Sunk
23 September 1916 Pearl  United Kingdom 613 Sunk
24 September 1916 Oceanien  France 60 Sunk
25 September 1916 Afrique  France 1,743 Sunk
24 October 1916 Twig  United Kingdom 128 Sunk
13 November 1916 Our Boys  United Kingdom 63 Sunk
13 November 1916 Superb  United Kingdom 50 Sunk
28 November 1916 Diligence  United Kingdom 42 Sunk
28 November 1916 Amphitrite  United Kingdom 44 Sunk
28 November 1916 Catena  United Kingdom 36 Sunk
28 November 1916 Provident  United Kingdom 38 Sunk
28 November 1916 Sea Lark  United Kingdom 42 Sunk
28 November 1916 Lynx  United Kingdom 43 Damaged
30 November 1916 Concord  United Kingdom 51 Sunk
1 December 1916 Erich Lindøe  Norway 1,097 Sunk
4 December 1916 Fofo  Greece 2,615 Sunk
6 December 1916 Halfdan  Denmark 1,305 Sunk
7 December 1916 Marguerite Dollfus  France 1,948 Sunk
5 January 1917 Asta  Norway 573 Sunk
7 January 1917 Hansi  Norway 1,142 Sunk
10 January 1917 Tuborg  Denmark 2,056 Sunk
14 January 1917 Norma  Denmark 1,997 Sunk
14 January 1917 HMS Penshurst  Royal Navy 1,191 Damaged

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.
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References
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 23-25.
  3. Rössler 1979, p. 65.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Valentiner (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Paul Günther". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  6. Bendert 2000, p. 196.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 37". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 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)

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