SM UC-37
SM UC-37 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 5 June 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 October 1916 as SM UC-37.[Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-37 was credited with sinking 66 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-37 was surrendered at Sevastopol on 25 November 1918 and broken up at Bizerta in August 1921.[1]
History | |
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Class and type: | German Type UC II submarine |
Name: | UC-37 |
Ordered: | 20 November 1915[1] |
Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[2] |
Yard number: | 278[1] |
Launched: | 5 June 1916[1] |
Commissioned: | 17 October 1916[1] |
Fate: | surrendered, November 1918; broken up, 1920[1] |
General characteristics [3] | |
Class and type: | Type UC II submarine |
Displacement: |
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Length: |
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Beam: |
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Draught: | 3.65 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: | 26 |
Armament: |
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Notes: | 35-second diving time |
Service record | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: | |
Operations: | 13 patrols |
Victories: |
Design
A German Type UC II submarine, UC-37 had a displacement of 427 tonnes (420 long tons) when at the surface and 509 tonnes (501 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.35 m (165 ft 2 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.65 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 590 shp)), two electric motors producing 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 35 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.6 knots (12.2 km/h; 7.6 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 54 nautical miles (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 10,180 nautical miles (18,850 km; 11,710 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-37 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.[3]
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[7] |
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1 January 1917 | Britannic | 2,289 | Sunk | |
2 January 1917 | Aristotelis C. Ioannou | 2,868 | Sunk | |
2 January 1917 | Dimitrios Goulandris | 3,744 | Sunk | |
2 January 1917 | Notre Dame Du Verger | 227 | Sunk | |
3 January 1917 | Capricieuse | 156 | Sunk | |
3 January 1917 | Fama | 2,417 | Sunk | |
4 January 1917 | Liberte | 166 | Sunk | |
4 January 1917 | Luigi Ciampa | 3,988 | Sunk | |
4 January 1917 | Seemel | 209 | Sunk | |
4 January 1917 | Wragby | 3,641 | Sunk | |
5 January 1917 | Combermere | 1,718 | Sunk | |
26 February 1917 | Gerolamo Ulloa | 4,283 | Damaged | |
26 February 1917 | Victoria | 1,388 | Sunk | |
3 March 1917 | Craigendoran | 2,789 | Sunk | |
5 March 1917 | Salvatore | 119 | Sunk | |
27 March 1917 | Nr. 62 | 200 | Sunk | |
31 March 1917 | Galatee | 3,062 | Damaged | |
3 April 1917 | Ernest Simons | 5,555 | Sunk | |
3 April 1917 | Saint Simon | 3,419 | Sunk | |
4 April 1917 | San Giovanni Battiste | 46 | Sunk | |
14 April 1917 | Gange | 6,886 | Sunk | |
16 April 1917 | Sagres | 2,986 | Sunk | |
21 April 1917 | Warrior | 3,674 | Sunk | |
28 April 1917 | Niobe | 66 | Sunk | |
29 April 1917 | Giuseppe Maria | 99 | Sunk | |
30 April 1917 | Colbert | 5,394 | Sunk | |
2 May 1917 | Camerata | 3,723 | Damaged | |
5 May 1917 | Dina Di Lozenzo | 127 | Sunk | |
5 May 1917 | Harmattan | 4,792 | Sunk | |
15 June 1917 | Assunzione | 3,770 | Sunk | |
8 August 1917 | Breton | 3,739 | Sunk | |
11 October 1917 | Unidentified Sailing Vessel | 14 | Sunk | |
31 October 1917 | Evangelistria | 17 | Sunk | |
1 November 1917 | Marigo | 24 | Sunk | |
3 November 1917 | A.S. 160 | 20 | Sunk | |
3 November 1917 | Essichia | 30 | Sunk | |
5 November 1917 | Caterina | 30 | Sunk | |
23 December 1917 | Dunedin | 4,796 | Damaged | |
12 February 1918 | Aghios Nicolaos | 20 | Sunk | |
14 February 1918 | Ventmoor | 3,456 | Sunk | |
15 February 1918 | San Rito | 3,310 | Sunk | |
17 March 1918 | Waihemo | 4,283 | Sunk | |
21 March 1918 | Termini | 1,523 | Sunk | |
25 March 1918 | Warturm | 4,965 | Damaged | |
26 March 1918 | Unidentified Sailing Vessel | 31 | Sunk | |
26 March 1918 | Unidentified sailing vessel | 15 | Sunk | |
26 March 1918 | Unidentified Sailing Vessel | 15 | Sunk | |
29 March 1918 | Porto Santo | 2,801 | Sunk | |
8 July 1918 | San Nicola | 50 | Sunk | |
14 July 1918 | Hagios Zion | 4 | Sunk | |
15 July 1918 | Unidentified Sailing Vessel | 2 | Sunk | |
15 July 1918 | Unidentified Sailing Vessel | 14 | Sunk | |
17 July 1918 | Unidentified Sailing vessel | 35 | Sunk | |
19 August 1918 | Marie Suzanne | 3,106 | Sunk | |
19 August 1918 | Unidentified Sailing Vessel | 58 | Sunk | |
19 August 1918 | NN155a | 30 | Sunk | |
19 August 1918 | S919a | 80 | Sunk | |
19 August 1918 | SS165 | 65 | Sunk | |
19 August 1918 | V108a | 60 | Sunk | |
19 August 1918 | V135 | 20 | Sunk | |
19 August 1918 | V62a | 30 | Sunk | |
24 August 1918 | AS19 | 35 | Sunk | |
24 August 1918 | S275 | 35 | Sunk | |
24 August 1918 | A59a | 35 | Sunk | |
26 August 1918 | Evangtelistria | 20 | Sunk | |
27 August 1918 | Unidentified Sailing Vessel | 31 | Sunk | |
27 August 1918 | C57a | 14 | Sunk | |
28 August 1918 | V214a | 12 | Sunk | |
28 August 1918 | S804qu | 53 | Sunk | |
29 August 1918 | A56a | 31 | Sunk | |
29 August 1918 | 121B | 124 | Sunk | |
30 August 1918 | HMS Endymion | 7,350 | Damaged |
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.
- Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 37". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- Tarrant, p. 173.
- Gröner 1991, pp. 31-32.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Launburg (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Willy List". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Kümpel". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 37". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 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.