Wikipedia

SM U-48

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-48.

SM U-48[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-48 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

History
German Empire
NameU-48
Ordered4 August 1914
BuilderKaiserliche Werft, Danzig
Yard number26
Launched3 October 1915
Commissioned22 April 1916
FateScuttled 24 November 1917 after exchanging fire with British patrol craft – 19 dead and 17 survivors.
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType U-43 submarine
Displacement
  • 725 t (714 long tons) surfaced
  • 940 t (930 long tons) submerged
Length65.00 m (213 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught3.74 m (12 ft 3 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,000 PS (1,471 kW; 1,973 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 15.2 knots (28.2 km/h; 17.5 mph) surfaced
  • 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,400 nmi (21,100 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 51 nmi (94 km; 59 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement36
Armament
Service record[2]
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 8 June 1916 – 24 November 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Berndt Buß
  • 22 April 1916 – 9 March 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hinrich Hermann Hashagen
  • 10–16 March 1917
  • Kptlt. Karl Edeling
  • 17 March – 24 November 1917
Operations: 8 patrols
Victories:
  • 34 merchant ships sunk
    (104,558 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (180 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships taken as prize
    (5,904 GRT)

On 24 November 1917 she ran aground on Goodwin Sands. There she was fired on by HMS Gipsy. U-48 was scuttled and abandoned. HMS Gipsy continued to fire, killing 19. 17 were taken prisoner.[3]

Summary of raiding history edit

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[4]
6 August 1916 Pendennis   United Kingdom 2,123 Captured as prize
2 October 1916 Lotusmere   United Kingdom 3,911 Sunk
4 October 1916 Brink   Norway 1,391 Sunk
6 October 1916 Suchan   Russian Empire 3,781 Captured as prize
6 October 1916 Tuva   Sweden 2,270 Sunk
29 December 1916 Tuskar   Russian Empire 3,042 Sunk
6 January 1917 Alphonse Conseil   France 1,591 Sunk
6 January 1917 Ville Du Havre   France 5,026 Sunk
7 January 1917 Borgholm   Norway 1,719 Sunk
7 January 1917 Evangelos   Greece 3,773 Sunk
8 January 1917 Tholma   Norway 1,896 Sunk
12 January 1917 Emeraude   France 183 Sunk
12 January 1917 Vestfold   Norway 1,883 Sunk
14 January 1917 Sydney   France 2,695 Sunk
16 January 1917 Esperanca   Norway 4,428 Sunk
19 January 1917 Nailsea Court   United Kingdom 3,295 Sunk
3 March 1917 Connaught   United Kingdom 2,646 Sunk
4 March 1917 Adelaide   United Kingdom 180 Damaged
4 March 1917 The Macbain   United Kingdom 291 Sunk
7 March 1917 Navarra   Norway 1,261 Sunk
9 March 1917 Abeja   United Kingdom 174 Sunk
9 March 1917 East Point   United Kingdom 5,234 Sunk
12 March 1917 Guerveur   France 2,596 Sunk
12 May 1917 San Onofre   United Kingdom 9,717 Sunk
13 May 1917 Jessmore   United Kingdom 3,911 Sunk
15 May 1917 Meuse   France 4,075 Sunk
17 May 1917 Margareta   Russian Empire 1,873 Sunk
21 May 1917 Lynton   Russian Empire 2,531 Sunk
21 May 1917 Madura   Norway 1,096 Sunk
13 July 1917 Gibel-Yedid   United Kingdom 949 Sunk
14 July 1917 Exford   United Kingdom 5,886 Sunk
15 July 1917 Torcello   United Kingdom 2,929 Sunk
16 July 1917 Asama   United Kingdom 284 Sunk
31 August 1917 Westbury   United Kingdom 3,097 Sunk
7 September 1917 Minnehaha   United Kingdom 13,714 Sunk
9 September 1917 Elsa   Denmark 1,236 Sunk
15 September 1917 Rollesby   United Kingdom 3,955 Sunk

References edit

Notes edit

  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. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations edit

  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 48". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  3. ^ Lecane, Philip (2005). Torpedoed. Periscope Publishing. p. 292. ISBN 1-904381-30-8.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 48". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 November 2014.

Bibliography edit

  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

51°11′N 1°31′E / 51.183°N 1.517°E / 51.183; 1.517

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