SM UB-34[Note 1] was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 5 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 10 June 1916 as SM UB-34.

SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-34
History
German Empire
NameUB-34
Ordered22 July 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Cost1,152,000 German Papiermark[2]
Yard number258[1]
Launched28 December 1915[1]
Completed17 May 1916[1]
Commissioned10 June 1916[2]
FateSurrendered 26 November 1918[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 274 t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) surfaced
  • 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,030 nmi (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes42-second diving time
Service record[3]
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 27 July 1916 – 1 February 1917
  • II Flotilla
  • 1 February – 10 September 1917
  • V Flotilla
  • 10 September 1917 – 3 May 1918
  • I Flotilla
  • 3 May – 9 September 1918
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 9 September – 6 October 1918
  • Training Flotilla
  • 6 October – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Theodor Schultz
  • 10 June 1916 – 16 March 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Ludwig Schaafhausen
  • 17 March – 31 August 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmuth von Ruckteschell
  • 1 September 1917 – 30 March 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Förste
  • 31 March – 8 September 1918
  • Lt.z.S. Hans Illing
  • 9 September - 6 October 1918
Operations: 21 patrol
Victories:
  • 29 merchant ships sunk
    (39,122 GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    (374 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (12,406 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships taken as prize
    (2,210 GRT)

UB-34 sank 31 ships in 21 patrols. They included the William Cory and Son collier SS Hurstwood, which UB-34 torpedoed and sank in the North Sea off Whitby on 5 February 1917.[4]

The submarine served in the Training Flotilla at the end of the war and was surrendered on 26 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. UB-34 was broken up in Canning Town in 1922.[5]

Design

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A Type UB II submarine, UB-34 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,030 nautical miles (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-34 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.[2]

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
21 October 1916 Ull   Norway 1,139 Sunk
22 October 1916 Effort   United Kingdom 159 Sunk
23 October 1916 Regina   Norway 823 Sunk
26 October 1916 Titan   United Kingdom 171 Sunk
18 December 1916 Arran   United Kingdom 176 Sunk
19 December 1916 Ansgar   Norway 926 Sunk
19 December 1916 Kornmo   Norway 591 Sunk
19 December 1916 Bretland   Denmark 2,025 Captured as prize
20 December 1916 Eva   Denmark 109 Sunk
20 December 1916 Mereddio   Sweden 1,372 Sunk
5 February 1917 Hurstwood   United Kingdom 1,229 Sunk
6 February 1917 Ferruccio   Kingdom of Italy 2,192 Sunk
7 February 1917 Corsican Prince   United Kingdom 2,776 Sunk
7 February 1917 Saint Ninian   United Kingdom 3,026 Sunk
25 April 1917 Este   Denmark 1,420 Sunk
7 September 1917 Grelfryda   United Kingdom 5,136 Damaged
8 September 1917 Aladdin   Norway 753 Sunk
27 September 1917 Greltoria   United Kingdom 5,143 Sunk
29 September 1917 Bertha   Netherlands 185 Captured as prize
27 October 1917 Lady Helen   United Kingdom 811 Sunk
13 December 1917 Bangarth   United Kingdom 1,872 Sunk
15 December 1917 Dafni   Greece 1,190 Sunk
24 January 1918 HMT Desire   Royal Navy 135 Sunk
24 January 1918 X6   United Kingdom 160 Sunk
24 January 1918 X110   United Kingdom 160 Sunk
25 January 1918 Folmina   Netherlands 1,158 Sunk
25 January 1918 Humber   United Kingdom 280 Sunk
26 January 1918 Hartley   United Kingdom 1,150 Sunk
26 January 1918 Athos   Norway 1,708 Sunk
9 March 1918 Randelsborg   Denmark 1,551 Sunk
13 March 1918 Adine   Norway 2,235 Sunk
16 March 1918 Quintero   Denmark 1,611 Sunk
21 April 1918 Lompoc   United Kingdom 7,270 Damaged
10 June 1918 Lowtyne   United Kingdom 3,231 Sunk
22 September 1918 HMT Elise   Royal Navy 239 Sunk

References

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Notes

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  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

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  1. ^ a b c d e Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 34". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  4. ^ Bendert 2000, p. 96.
  5. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 50–51.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 34". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2014.

Bibliography

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