SM U-25[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.

History
German Empire
NameU-25
Ordered18 March 1911
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number179
Laid down7 May 1912
Launched12 July 1913
Commissioned9 May 1914
Fate23 February 1919 - Surrendered to France. Broken up at Cherburg in 1921-2.
General characteristics Ocean-going diesel submarine
Class and typeGerman Type U 23 submarine
Displacement
  • 669 t (658 long tons) surfaced
  • 864 t (850 long tons) submerged
Length64.70 m (212.3 ft)
Beam6.32 m (20 ft 9 in)
Draught3.45 m (11 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × Germania 6-cylinder two stroke diesel motors with 1,800 PS (1,320 kW; 1,780 shp)
  • 2 × SSW double Motordynamos with 1,200 PS (880 kW; 1,180 shp)
  • 450rpm surfaced
  • 330 rpm submerged
Speed
  • 16.7 knots (30.9 km/h; 19.2 mph) surfaced
  • 10.3 knots (19.1 km/h; 11.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,620 nmi (14,110 km; 8,770 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 85 nmi (157 km; 98 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depthabout 50 m (160 ft)
Boats & landing
craft carried
1 dingi
Complement4 officers, 31 men
Armament
Service record[1]
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 1 August 1914 – Unknown end
  • Training Flotilla
  • Unknown start – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories:
  • 21 merchant ships sunk
    (14,145 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ships damaged
    (163 GRT)

U-25 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Summary of raiding history edit

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[3]
7 June 1915 Glittertind   Norway 717 Sunk
7 June 1915 Nottingham   United Kingdom 165 Sunk
7 June 1915 Pentland   United Kingdom 204 Sunk
7 June 1915 Saturn   United Kingdom 183 Sunk
7 June 1915 Velocity   United Kingdom 186 Sunk
9 June 1915 Cardiff   United Kingdom 163 Sunk
9 June 1915 Castor   United Kingdom 182 Sunk
9 June 1915 J. Leyman   United Kingdom 197 Sunk
9 June 1915 Tunisian   United Kingdom 211 Sunk
4 July 1915 Sunbeam   United Kingdom 132 Sunk
8 July 1915 Anna   Russian Empire 2,000 Sunk
8 July 1915 Guido   United Kingdom 2,093 Sunk
9 July 1915 Nordaas   Norway 1,111 Sunk
11 July 1915 Hainton   United Kingdom 156 Sunk
11 July 1915 Syrian   United Kingdom 176 Sunk
11 July 1915 Fleetwood   United Kingdom 163 Damaged
6 August 1915 Maj   Sweden 920 Sunk
7 August 1915 Norman   Norway 1,060 Sunk
10 August 1915 Aura   Norway 396 Sunk
14 August 1915 Albis   Norway 1,381 Sunk
17 August 1915 Mineral   Norway 649 Sunk
19 August 1915 Bras   Norway 1,863 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. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 25". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  2. ^ "short biography of Emil Heusinger von Waldegg". Axis Biographical Research (in German). Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 25". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 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.