SM UB-56

SM UB-56 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 19 July 1917 as SM UB-56.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-56.
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-56.
History
German Empire
Name: UB-56
Ordered: 20 May 1916[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
Cost: 3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number: 268
Launched: 6 June 1917[2]
Commissioned: 19 July 1917[2]
Fate: sunk 19 December 1917 at 50°58′N 01°21′E by a mine, 37 dead[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UB III submarine
Displacement:
  • 516 t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 646 t (636 long tons; 712 short tons) submerged
Length: 55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam: 5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught: 3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 9,020 nmi (16,710 km; 10,380 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 depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 3 officers, 31 men[2]
Armament:
Service record as UB-56
Part of:
  • German Imperial Navy
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 10 September – 19 December 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Valentier[3]
  • 19 July – 19 December 1917
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories: 4 merchant ships sunk (5,387 GRT)

She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-56 was sunk at 23:41 on 19 December 1917 at 50°58′N 01°21′E after striking a mine, 37 crew members lost their lives in the event.[2]

Construction
Main article: German Type UB III submarine

She was built by AG Weser, Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 6 June 1917. UB-56 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-56 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-56 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi). UB-56 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 646 t (636 long tons; 712 short tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[4]
13 November 1917 Atlas  United Kingdom 989 Sunk
13 November 1917 Axwell  United Kingdom 1,442 Sunk
17 November 1917 Lalen Mendi  Spain 2,183 Sunk
21 November 1917 Maine  France 773 Sunk
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References

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. Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 25-30.
  3. 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 3 February 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 56". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 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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