SM U-63 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-63 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

History
German Empire
NameU-63
Ordered17 May 1915
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number247
Laid down30 April 1915
Launched8 February 1916
Commissioned11 March 1916
FateSurrendered 16 January 1919. Broken up at Blyth in 1919-20
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType U 63 submarine
Displacement
  • 810 t (800 long tons) surfaced
  • 927 t (912 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (oa)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height7.65 m (25 ft 1 in)
Draught4.04 m (13 ft 3 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,200 PS (1,618 kW; 2,170 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) surfaced
  • 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,170 nmi (16,980 km; 10,550 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 60 nmi (110 km; 69 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:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 2 May - 6 November 1916
  • Pola / Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer I Flotilla
  • 6 November 1916 - 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Otto Schultze[2]
  • 11 March 1916 – 27 August 1917 ,
  • 15 October – 24 December 1917
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Metzger[3]
  • 28 August – 14 October 1917
  • Kptlt. Kurt Hartwig[4]
  • 25 December 1917 – 11 November 1918
Operations: 12 patrols
Victories:
  • 69 merchant ships sunk
    (192,145 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (5,250 tons)
  • 3 auxiliary warships sunk
    (6,020 GRT)
  • 11 merchant ships damaged
    (47,700 GRT)
  • 2 warships damaged
    (2,540 tons)

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[5]
4 July 1916 HMS Rosemary   Royal Navy 1,250 Damaged
20 August 1916 HMS Falmouth   Royal Navy 5,250 Sunk
23 October 1916 Bayreaulx   United Kingdom 3,009 Sunk
28 October 1916 Lanao   United States 692 Sunk
28 October 1916 Rio Pirahy   United Kingdom 3,561 Sunk
28 October 1916 Selene   Italy 3,955 Sunk
28 October 1916 Torsdal   Norway 3,621 Sunk
29 October 1916 Massalia   Greece 2,186 Sunk
29 October 1916 Meroë   United Kingdom 3,552 Sunk
29 October 1916 Torino   United Kingdom 1,850 Sunk
31 October 1916 Delto   Norway 3,193 Sunk
31 October 1916 Fedelta   Italy 1,906 Sunk
27 November 1916 Maude Larssen   United Kingdom 1,222 Sunk
28 November 1916 Sigurd   Denmark 2,119 Sunk
30 November 1916 Roma   United Kingdom 125 Sunk
2 December 1916 Luigi C.   Italy 71 Sunk
2 December 1916 Roma   Italy 643 Sunk
3 December 1916 HMS Perugia   Royal Navy 4,348 Sunk
5 December 1916 Grigorios Anghelatos   Greece 3,635 Sunk
11 December 1916 Magellan   France 6,027 Sunk
11 December 1916 Sinai   France 4,624 Sunk
25 March 1917 Vellore   United Kingdom 4,926 Sunk
26 March 1917 L. Rahmanich   Egypt 79 Sunk
1 April 1917 Zambesi   United Kingdom 3,759 Sunk
4 April 1917 Margit   United Kingdom 2,490 Sunk
5 April 1917 Solstad   Norway 4,147 Sunk
5 April 1917 Kangaroo   United Kingdom 4,348 Damaged
28 April 1917 Carmelo Padre   Italy 74 Sunk
28 April 1917 Giuseppe Padre I   Italy 102 Sunk
28 April 1917 Giuseppina G.   Italy 100 Sunk
28 April 1917 I Due Fratelli P.   Italy 97 Sunk
28 April 1917 Karonga   United Kingdom 4,665 Sunk
28 April 1917 Natale B.   Italy 55 Sunk
28 April 1917 San Francesco Di Paola   Italy 41 Sunk
3 May 1917 Washington   United Kingdom 5,080 Sunk
4 May 1917 Transylvania   United Kingdom 14,348 Sunk
5 May 1917 Talawa   United Kingdom 3,834 Damaged
7 May 1917 Crown of Leon   United Kingdom 3,391 Damaged
14 May 1917 Francesco Raiola   Italy 181 Sunk
14 May 1917 Volga   United Kingdom 4,404 Damaged
15 May 1917 Ferrara   Italy 5,660 Damaged
22 June 1917 Himalaya   France 5,620 Sunk
23 June 1917 Craonne   France 777 Sunk
23 June 1917 Kalypso Vergotti   Greece 2,819 Sunk
26 June 1917 Birdoswald   United Kingdom 4,013 Sunk
27 June 1917 Tong Hong   United Kingdom 2,184 Sunk
30 June 1917 Alkelda   Italy 98 Sunk
30 June 1917 Enrichetta   Italy 3,638 Sunk
1 July 1917 Marie   France 118 Sunk
2 July 1917 Argentario   Italy 739 Sunk
3 July 1917 Immacolatina   Italy 54 Sunk
5 September 1917 Proletaire   France 101 Sunk
11 September 1917 Embleton   United Kingdom 5,377 Sunk
12 September 1917 Reim   Norway 1,126 Sunk
15 September 1917 Platuria   United States 3,445 Sunk
18 September 1917 Arendal   United Kingdom 1,387 Sunk
26 September 1917 Heraklios   Greece 2,878 Sunk
5 November 1917 Hilda R.   United Kingdom 136 Sunk
5 November 1917 Kai   Denmark 1,391 Sunk
6 November 1917 HMS Peveril   Royal Navy 1,459 Sunk
8 November 1917 HMS Candytuft   Royal Navy 1,290 Damaged
8 November 1917 Benledi   United Kingdom 3,931 Damaged
9 November 1917 Ardglamis   United Kingdom 4,540 Sunk
14 November 1917 Trowbridge   United Kingdom 3,712 Sunk
16 November 1917 Gasconia   United Kingdom 3,801 Sunk
16 November 1917 Kyno   United Kingdom 3,034 Sunk
18 November 1917 Huntsgulf   United Kingdom 3,185 Damaged
20 November 1917 Commendatore Carlo Bruno   Italy 813 Sunk
21 November 1917 Mossoul   France 3,135 Sunk
5 January 1918 Rio Claro   United Kingdom 3,687 Sunk
8 January 1918 San Guglielmo   Italy 8,145 Sunk
15 January 1918 Bonanova   Spain 933 Sunk
18 January 1918 Maria P.   United Kingdom 263 Sunk
18 January 1918 Ville De Bordeaux   France 4,857 Sunk
22 January 1918 Anglo-Canadian   United Kingdom 4,239 Sunk
22 January 1918 Manchester Spinner   United Kingdom 4,247 Sunk
19 May 1918 Saxilby   United Kingdom 3,630 Damaged
19 May 1918 Snowdon   United Kingdom 3,189 Sunk
24 May 1918 Elysia   United Kingdom 6,397 Damaged
30 May 1918 Antinous   United Kingdom 3,682 Damaged
30 May 1918 Asiatic Prince   United Kingdom 2,887 Sunk
30 May 1918 Aymeric   United Kingdom 4,363 Sunk
11 August 1918 City of Adelaide   United Kingdom 8,389 Sunk
12 August 1918 G6   Regia Marina 213 Sunk
24 August 1918 Delphinula   United Kingdom 5,238 Damaged
16 October 1918 War Council   United Kingdom 5,875 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. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Schultze". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Metzger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Hartwig". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 63". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.

Bibliography

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