SM UC-46

SM UC-46 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, laid down on 1 February 1916, and was launched on 8 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 September 1916 as SM UC-46.[Note 1] In four patrols UC-46 was credited with sinking 10 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-46 was rammed and sunk southeast of Goodwin Sands by the British destroyer Liberty on 8 February 1917.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-46.

History
German Empire
Class and type: German Type UC II submarine
Name: UC-46
Ordered: 20 November 1915[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number: 256[1]
Laid down: 1 February 1916[1]
Launched: 8 August 1916[1]
Commissioned: 15 September 1916[1]
Fate: rammed by HMS Liberty southeast of Goodwin Sands, 8 February 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type: Type UC II submarine
Displacement:
  • 420 t (410 long tons), surfaced
  • 502 t (494 long tons), submerged
Length:
  • 51.85 m (170 ft 1 in) o/a
  • 39.70 m (130 ft 3 in) pressure hull
Beam:
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught: 3.67 m (12 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph), surfaced
  • 6.74 knots (12.48 km/h; 7.76 mph), submerged
Range:
  • 7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 54 nmi (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 26
Armament:
Notes: 30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 29 November 1916 – 8 February 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Friedrich Moecke[4]
  • 15 September 1916 – 8 February 1917
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories:
  • 9 merchant ships sunk (10,346 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged (18,836 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk (275 tons)

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-46 had a displacement of 420 tonnes (410 long tons) when at the surface and 502 tonnes (494 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 51.85 m (170 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in). 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 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.7 to 7.4 knots (12.4 to 13.7 km/h; 7.7 to 8.5 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 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-46 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[5]
21 December 1916 Modig  Norway 1,704 Sunk
23 December 1916 William Middleton  United Kingdom 2,543 Damaged
24 December 1916 Paul Paix  United Kingdom 4,196 Damaged
26 December 1916 Agnes  United Kingdom 99 Sunk
26 December 1916 Neptune  Belgium 199 Sunk
26 December 1916 Saint Louis  France 184 Sunk
30 December 1916 Sappho  Greece 2,087 Sunk
1 January 1917 Goosebridge  Sweden 1,886 Sunk
1 February 1917 Gamma  Netherlands 2,115 Sunk
2 February 1917 Isle of Arran  United Kingdom 1,918 Sunk
4 February 1917 Marthe  France 154 Sunk
5 February 1917 Argyllshire  United Kingdom 12,097 Damaged
6 February 1917 HMT Longset  Royal Navy 275 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 46". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 31-32.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Friedrich Moecke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 46". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 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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