SM UC-49

SM UC-49 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 7 November 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 2 December 1916 as SM UC-49.[Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-49 was credited with sinking 24 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-49 was sunk by depth charges from British destroyer Opossum off Start Point on 8 August 1918.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-49.

History
German Empire
Name: UC-49
Ordered: 12 January 1916[1]
Builder: Germaniawerft, Kiel[2]
Yard number: 265[1]
Launched: 7 November 1916[1]
Commissioned: 2 December 1916[1]
Fate: depth charged by HMS Opossum, 8 August 1918[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type: German Type UC II submarine
Displacement:
  • 434 t (427 long tons), surfaced
  • 511 t (503 long tons), submerged
Length:
  • 52.69 m (172 ft 10 in) o/a
  • 40.96 m (134 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Beam:
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught: 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × propeller shafts
  • 2 × 6-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engines, 580–600 PS (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp)
  • 2 × electric motors, 620 PS (460 kW; 610 shp)
Speed:
  • 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph), surfaced
  • 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range:
  • 8,820–9,450 nmi (16,330–17,500 km; 10,150–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 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:
  • I Flotilla
  • 1 March 1917 – 22 May 1918
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 22 May – 8 August 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Karl Petri[4]
  • 2 December 1916 – 21 April 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Alfred Arnold[5]
  • 22 April – 17 May 1917
  • Kptlt. Karl Petri[4]
  • 18 May – 2 November 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Kükenthal[6]
  • 3 November 1917 – 8 August 1918
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories:
  • 20 merchant ships sunk (30,590 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged (7,516 GRT)
  • 5 warships sunk (28,317 tons)

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-49 had a displacement of 434 tonnes (427 long tons) when at the surface and 511 tonnes (503 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 52.69 m (172 ft 10 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 290–300 metric horsepower (210–220 kW; 290–300 shp) (a total of 580–600 metric horsepower (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 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 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,820 to 9,450 nautical miles (16,330 to 17,500 km; 10,150 to 10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-49 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]
3 May 1917 Helge  Denmark 162 Sunk
7 May 1917 Tore Jarl  Norway 1,256 Sunk
9 May 1917 Windward Ho  United Kingdom 226 Sunk
14 May 1917 Bel Lily  United Kingdom 168 Sunk
17 June 1917 Tosto  Norway 1,234 Sunk
22 July 1917 Cotovia  United Kingdom 4,020 Sunk
23 July 1917 Otway  Royal Navy 12,077 Sunk
24 July 1917 Blake  United Kingdom 3,740 Sunk
25 July 1917 Dea  Norway 1,109 Sunk
25 August 1917 Nascent  United Kingdom 4,969 Sunk
2 September 1917 Dundee  Royal Navy 2,187 Sunk
21 October 1917 Bunty  United Kingdom 73 Sunk
8 December 1917 Maindy Bridge  United Kingdom 3,653 Sunk
3 January 1918 HMW Blackwhale  Royal Navy 237 Sunk
24 January 1918 Fylgia  Sweden 1,741 Sunk
24 January 1918 Jönköping 2  Sweden 1,274 Sunk
9 February 1918 Maggie Smith  United Kingdom 24 Sunk
21 February 1918 Bør  Norway 1,149 Sunk
21 February 1918 Reaper  United Kingdom 91 Sunk
24 February 1918 Amsterdam  United Kingdom 806 Sunk
1 May 1918 Samsö  Denmark 324 Sunk
10 June 1918 Mountby  United Kingdom 3,263 Sunk
13 June 1918 HMS Patia  Royal Navy 6,103 Sunk
22 June 1918 Rhea  United Kingdom 1,308 Sunk
3 August 1918 Warilda  Royal Navy 7,713 Sunk
5 August 1918 Tuscan Prince  United Kingdom 5,275 Damaged
8 August 1918 Portwood  United Kingdom 2,241 Damaged
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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 49". 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: Karl Petri". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Alfred Arnold". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Kükenthal". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 49". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 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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