SM UC-13

SM UC-13 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered for production on 23 November 1914, laid down on 28 January 1915, and was launched on 11 May 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 May 1915 as SM UC-13.[Note 1] Mines laid by UC-13 in her three patrols were credited with sinking 3 ships.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-13.
History
German Empire
Name: UC-13
Ordered: 23 November 1914[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number: 227[2]
Laid down: 28 January 1915[2]
Launched: 11 May 1915[1]
Commissioned: 15 May 1915[2]
Fate: ran aground, 29 November 1915[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UC I submarine
Displacement:
  • 168 t (165 long tons) surfaced
  • 182 t (179 long tons) submerged
Length:
  • 33.99 m (111 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 29.62 m (97 ft 2 in) pressure hull
Beam: 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
Draught: 3.06 m (10 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:
  • 1 × propeller shaft
  • 1 × 6-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engine, 80 PS (59 kW; 79 bhp)
  • 1 × electric motor, 175 PS (129 kW; 173 shp)
Speed:
  • 6.49 knots (12.02 km/h; 7.47 mph) surfaced
  • 5.67 knots (10.50 km/h; 6.52 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 910 nmi (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (164 ft)
Complement: 1officer, 13 men
Armament:
  • 6 × 100 cm (39 in) mine tubes
  • 12 × UC 120 mines
  • 1 × 8 mm (0.31 in) machine gun
Service record
Part of:
  • Constantinople Flotilla
  • 15 June – 29 November 1915
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Johannes Kirchner[3]
  • 15 May – 29 November 1915
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories:
  • 3 merchant ships sunk (387 GRT)
  • 1 warship damaged (1,280 tons)

Design

A German Type UC I submarine, UC-13 had a displacement of 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 182 tonnes (179 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 33.99 m (111 ft 6 in), a beam of 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.06 m (10 ft 0 in). The submarine was powered by one Benz six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 80 metric horsepower (59 kW; 79 shp), an electric motor producing 175 metric horsepower (129 kW; 173 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 6.49 knots (12.02 km/h; 7.47 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.67 knots (10.50 km/h; 6.52 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 910 nautical miles (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UC-13 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, twelve UC 120 mines, and one 8 millimetres (0.31 in) machine gun. She was built by AG Weser Bremen and her complement was fourteen crew members.[2]

Fate

UC-13 departed Constantinople on 12 November 1915 to operate in the Black Sea. On 29 November, while navigating using dead reckoning due to the adverse weather, she ran aground 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) east of the Bosphorous, near to the Melen River. The crew subsequently scuttled UC-13 using demolition charges before being picked up by Turkish vessels.[4]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[5]
26 August 1915 Sahina Noria  Italy 37 Sunk
22 November 1915 Ukraina  Russia 150 Sunk
22 November 1915 Rostov  Imperial Russian Navy 1,280 Damaged
23 November 1915 Marusja Raja  Russia 200 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. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 13". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 30-31.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johannes Kirchner". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  4. Messimer, Dwight R. (2002). Verschollen : World War I U-boat losses. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-475-3. OCLC 231973419.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC-13". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.

Bibliography
  • Bendert, Harald (2001). Die UC-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine 1914-1918. Minenkrieg mit U-Booten (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0758-7.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.
  • Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC 12119866.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  • Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC 20338385.

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