SM UC-77

SM UC-77 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 12 January 1916 and was launched on 2 December 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 29 December 1916 as SM UC-77.[Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-77 was credited with sinking 34 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-77 was mined and sunk off Flanders on 14 July 1918.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-77.

History
German Empire
Name: UC-77
Ordered: 12 January 1916[1]
Builder: AG Vulcan, Hamburg[2]
Yard number: 82[1]
Launched: 2 December 1916[1]
Commissioned: 29 December 1916[1]
Fate: sunk by mine, 14 July 1918[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type: German Type UC II submarine
Displacement:
  • 410 t (400 long tons), surfaced
  • 493 t (485 long tons), submerged
Length:
  • 50.45 m (165 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 40.30 m (132 ft 3 in) pressure hull
Beam:
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught: 3.65 m (12 ft)
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
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph), submerged
Range:
  • 8,660 nautical miles at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph), surfaced
  • (16,040 km at 13 km/h)
  • 52 nautical miles at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph), submerged
  • (96 km at 7.4 km/h)
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 26
Armament:
Notes: 30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 5 March – 4 July 1917
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 4 July 1917 – 14 July 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Reinhard von Rabenau[4]
  • 29 December 1916 – 29 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Johannes Ries[5]
  • 30 January – 14 July 1918
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories:
  • 34 merchant ships sunk (50,743 GRT)
  • 7 merchant ships damaged (23,734 GRT)

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-77 had a displacement of 410 tonnes (400 long tons) when at the surface and 493 tonnes (485 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.45 m (165 ft 6 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 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 30 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 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,660 to 10,230 nautical miles (16,040 to 18,950 km; 9,970 to 11,770 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-77 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[6]
24 March 1917 Grenmar  Norway 1,438 Sunk
25 March 1917 Prince of Wales  United Kingdom 158 Sunk
27 March 1917 Galatia  United Kingdom 150 Sunk
27 March 1917 Nova  Norway 1,034 Sunk
27 March 1917 Sandvik  Norway 591 Sunk
28 March 1917 Moulmein  United Kingdom 151 Sunk
28 March 1917 Tizona  Norway 1,021 Sunk
30 March 1917 Petrel  United Kingdom 151 Sunk
3 May 1917 Glen Tanar  United Kingdom 817 Sunk
4 May 1917 Herrington  United Kingdom 1,258 Sunk
4 May 1917 Vale  Norway 720 Sunk
4 May 1917 Wolseley  United Kingdom 159 Damaged
5 May 1917 Odense  Denmark 1,756 Sunk
6 May 1917 Kaparika  Norway 1,232 Sunk
3 June 1917 Virgilia  United Kingdom 209 Sunk
6 June 1917 Anton  Sweden 1,568 Sunk
6 June 1917 Harald Klitgaard  Denmark 1,799 Sunk
11 July 1917 Vordingborg  Denmark 2,155 Sunk
13 July 1917 Ascain  France 1,686 Sunk
8 August 1917 Berlengas  Portugal 3,548 Sunk
11 August 1917 Sonnie  United Kingdom 2,642 Sunk
7 September 1917 Scottish Prince  United Kingdom 2,897 Damaged
10 September 1917 Ioanna  United Kingdom 3,459 Damaged
15 October 1917 Leander  United Kingdom 2,793 Damaged
19 October 1917 Eldra  United Kingdom 227 Sunk
17 November 1917 Adolph Andersen  Denmark 981 Sunk
18 November 1917 Antwerpen  United Kingdom 1,637 Sunk
18 November 1917 Gisella  United Kingdom 2,502 Sunk
19 November 1917 Amiral Zede  France 5,980 Sunk
19 November 1917 Clangula  United Kingdom 1,754 Sunk
19 November 1917 Robert Brown  United Kingdom 119 Sunk
30 November 1917 Remoqueur N° 8  France 250 Sunk
7 March 1918 Cliffside  United Kingdom 4,969 Damaged
10 March 1918 Skrymer  Norway 1,476 Sunk
18 March 1918 Baygitano  United Kingdom 3,073 Sunk
15 April 1918 City of Winchester  United Kingdom 7,981 Damaged
15 April 1918 Pomeranian  United Kingdom 4,241 Sunk
6 June 1918 Huntsland  United Kingdom 2,871 Sunk
9 June 1918 Moidart  United Kingdom 1,303 Sunk
10 June 1918 Saint Barthelemy  France 1,476 Damaged
14 June 1918 HMT Princess Olga  Royal Navy 245 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 77". 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: Reinhard von Rabenau (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johannes Ries". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 77". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 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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