SM UC-52 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 23 January 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 March 1917 as SM UC-52.[Note 1] In seven patrols UC-52 was credited with sinking 18 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. She notably sank the Italian troopship Verona, killing 880 soldiers. UC-52 was surrendered on 16 January 1919 and broken up at Morecambe.[1]
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UC-52 |
| Ordered | 12 January 1916[1] |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel[2] |
| Yard number | 268[1] |
| Launched | 23 January 1917[1] |
| Commissioned | 15 March 1917[1] |
| Fate | Surrendered, 16 January 1919; broken up[1] |
| General characteristics [3] | |
| Class and type | German Type UC II submarine |
| Displacement |
|
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 26 |
| Armament |
|
| Notes | 30-second diving time |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 7 patrols |
| Victories: | |
Design edit
A German Type UC II submarine, UC-52 had a displacement of 434 tonnes (427 long tons) when at the surface and 511 tonnes (503 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 52.69 m (172 ft 10 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in). 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 48 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 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,820 to 9,450 nautical miles (16,330 to 17,500 km; 10,150 to 10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-52 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 edit
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 September 1917 | Arlequin |  Tunisia
|
6 | Sunk |
| 13 September 1917 | Chere Rose | Tunisia
|
28 | Sunk |
| 13 September 1917 | Ortigia | Tunisia
|
17 | Sunk |
| 13 September 1917 | Vittoria | Tunisia
|
24 | Sunk |
| 18 September 1917 | Cachalot | Tunisia
|
17 | Sunk |
| 31 March 1918 | San Nicola |  United Kingdom
|
24 | Sunk |
| 6 April 1918 | Madonna delle Grazie B. |  Kingdom of Italy
|
105 | Sunk |
| 9 April 1918 | Sunik | United Kingdom
|
5,017 | Damaged |
| 10 April 1918 | Airedale | United Kingdom
|
3,044 | Damaged |
| 11 May 1918 | Gigilla | Kingdom of Italy
|
120 | Sunk |
| 11 May 1918 | Verona | Kingdom of Italy
|
8,261 | Sunk |
| 14 May 1918 | Woolston | United Kingdom
|
2,986 | Sunk |
| 17 May 1918 | Pietro Brizzolari | Kingdom of Italy
|
445 | Sunk |
| 18 May 1918 | HMS Chesterfield |  Royal Navy
|
1,013 | Sunk |
| 18 May 1918 | Ninetta | Kingdom of Italy
|
17 | Sunk |
| 22 June 1918 | Metamorphosis |  Greece
|
130 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1918 | Maria | Greece
|
25 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1918 | Sofia | Greece
|
24 | Sunk |
| 4 July 1918 | Cordova | Kingdom of Italy
|
4,933 | Sunk |
| 7 July 1918 | Vergine Di Lourdes | Kingdom of Italy
|
55 | Sunk |
| 7 July 1918 | Stalheim |  Norway
|
1,469 | Damaged |
| 23 October 1918 | Ischia | Kingdom of Italy
|
4,050 | Damaged |
References edit
Notes edit
- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations edit
- ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 52". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
- ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ludwig Karl Sahl". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hellmuth von Doemming". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Carl Heinrich Saß". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 52". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
Bibliography edit
- 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.
- 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.
- Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC 12119866.
- Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC 20338385.