SM U-54 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-54 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

History
German Empire
NameU-54
Ordered23 August 1914
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number236
Laid down18 March 1915
Launched22 February 1916
Commissioned25 May 1916
Fate24 November 1918 - Surrendered to Italy. Broken up at Taranto in May 1919.[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType U 51 submarine
Displacement
  • 715 t (704 long tons) surfaced
  • 902 t (888 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.44 m (21 ft 2 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height7.82 m (25 ft 8 in)
Draught3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 17.1 knots (31.7 km/h; 19.7 mph) surfaced
  • 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement36
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • II Flotilla
  • 2 July 1916 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Freiherr Volkhard von Bothmer[3]
  • 16 May 1916 – 19 May 1917
  • Kptlt. Kurt Heeseler[4]
  • 20 May 1917 – 22 March 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Hellmuth von Ruckteschell[5]
  • 23 March – 11 November 1918
Operations: 12 patrols
Victories:
  • 26 merchant ships sunk
    (66,713 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (1,290 tons)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (15,362 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (2,485 GRT)

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[6]
3 February 1917 Tamara   Norway 453 Sunk
4 February 1917 Floridian   United Kingdom 4,777 Sunk
4 February 1917 Palmleaf   United Kingdom 5,489 Sunk
5 February 1917 Ainsdale   United Kingdom 1,825 Damaged
5 February 1917 Azul   United Kingdom 3,074 Sunk
7 February 1917 Wallace   United Kingdom 3,930 Damaged
7 February 1917 Saxonian   United Kingdom 4,855 Sunk
15 March 1917 Eugene Pergeline   France 2,203 Sunk
1 April 1917 Consul Persson   Norway 1,835 Sunk
1 April 1917 Fjelland   Norway 387 Sunk
2 April 1917 Havlyst   Norway 532 Sunk
3 June 1917 San Lorenzo   United Kingdom 9,607 Damaged
7 June 1917 Jonathan Holt   United Kingdom 1,523 Sunk
13 June 1917 Darius   United Kingdom 3,426 Sunk
23 July 1917 Ashleigh   United Kingdom 6,985 Sunk
23 July 1917 Huelva   United Kingdom 4,867 Sunk
25 July 1917 Rustington   United Kingdom 3,071 Sunk
26 July 1917 Somerset   United Kingdom 7,163 Sunk
31 July 1917 Alcides   Norway 2,704 Sunk
16 September 1917 Arabis   United Kingdom 3,928 Sunk
17 September 1917 Niemen   France 1,888 Sunk
19 September 1917 Marthe Marguerite   France 588 Sunk
24 September 1917 Louis Bossert   Norway 605 Sunk
25 September 1917 Marceau   France 292 Sunk
30 April 1918 HMS Starmount   Royal Navy 2,485 Damaged
8 May 1918 Dux   United Kingdom 1,349 Sunk
8 May 1918 Princess Dagmar   United Kingdom 913 Sunk
10 May 1918 Wileysike   United Kingdom 2,501 Sunk
16 July 1918 HMS Anchusa   Royal Navy 1,290 Sunk
27 September 1918 En Avant   France 86 Sunk
29 September 1918 Libourne   United Kingdom 1,219 Sunk

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

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  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 54". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  2. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Volkhard von Bothmer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Heeseler (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hellmuth von Ruckteschell (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 54". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.

Bibliography

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  • 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.
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