SM UC-17

SM UC-17 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was ordered on 29 August 1915 and launched on 29 February 1916. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 21 July 1916 as SM UC-17.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-17.
History
German Empire
NameUC-17
Ordered29 August 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[2]
Yard number267[1]
Launched29 February 1916[1]
Commissioned21 July 1916[1]
FateSurrendered, 26 November 1918; broken up, 1919–20[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 417 t (410 long tons), surfaced
  • 493 t (485 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph), surfaced
  • 7.0 knots (13.0 km/h; 8.1 mph), submerged
Range
  • 9,430 nautical miles (17,460 km; 10,850 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph), surfaced
  • 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph), submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes35-second diving time
Service record[1]
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 2 October 1916 – 19 October 1918
  • I Flotilla
  • 19 October – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Ralph Wenninger[4]
  • 23 July 1916 – 21 May 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Werner Fürbinger[5]
  • 22 May – 3 August 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Ulrich Pilzecker[6]
  • 4 August 1917 – 15 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Stephan[7]
  • 16 January – 4 May 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Freiherr Nikolaus von Lyncker[8]
  • 5 May – 11 November 1918
Operations: 21 patrols
Victories:
  • 89 merchant ships sunk
    (142,849 GRT)
  • 7 auxiliary warships sunk
    (1,574 GRT)
  • 8 merchant ships damaged
    (27,540 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warships damaged
    (315 GRT)

In 21 patrols UC-17 was credited with sinking 96 ships by either torpedo or laying mines. They included the Royal Fleet Auxiliary munitions ship RFA Lady Cory-Wright, which she torpedoed and sank in the English Channel on 26 March 1918.

Design

Like all pre-UC-25 German Type UC II submarines, UC-17 had a displacement of 417 tonnes (410 long tons) when at the surface and 493 tonnes (485 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 49.35 m (161 ft 11 in) overall, a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 250 metric horsepower (180 kW; 250 shp) (a total of 500 metric horsepower (370 kW; 490 shp)), two electric motors producing 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 35 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph) and a submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,430 nautical miles (17,460 km; 10,850 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-17 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]

Fate

UC-17 was surrendered on 26 November 1918 and broken up at Preston in 1919–20.[1]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[9]
6 November 1916 Fanelly  France 307 Sunk
7 November 1916 Furulund  Norway 1,817 Sunk
7 November 1916 Suffolk Coast  United Kingdom 780 Sunk
7 November 1916 Thuhaug  Norway 948 Sunk
10 November 1916 HMT Benton Castle  Royal Navy 283 Sunk
11 November 1916 Seirstad  Norway 995 Sunk
14 November 1916 Oiz Mendi  Spain 2,104 Sunk
14 November 1916 Alcyon  France 59 Sunk
15 November 1916 La Rochejacquelein  France 2,199 Sunk
15 November 1916 Torridal  Norway 688 Sunk
16 November 1916 Eugenie  France 66 Sunk
16 November 1916 Petit Jean  France 126 Sunk
21 November 1916 Faunus  Sweden 749 Sunk
15 December 1916 Constance Mary  United Kingdom 177 Sunk
17 December 1916 Alerte  France 176 Sunk
18 December 1916 La Vague  France 167 Sunk
18 December 1916 Maria Louis  France 108 Sunk
18 December 1916 Quo Vadis  France 110 Sunk
20 December 1916 Otarie Ii  France 109 Sunk
20 December 1916 Saint Antoine De Padoue  France 32 Sunk
21 December 1916 HMT St. Ives  Royal Navy 325 Sunk
24 December 1916 Bargany  United Kingdom 872 Sunk
25 December 1916 Courlis  France 181 Sunk
28 December 1916 Pitho  United Kingdom 150 Sunk
28 December 1916 Union  Norway 563 Sunk
20 January 1917 Standard  Denmark 217 Sunk
22 January 1917 Gaulois  France 76 Sunk
22 January 1917 O. A. Brodin  Sweden 1,798 Sunk
23 January 1917 Egypte  Belgium 2,416 Sunk
23 January 1917 Ophelia  France 159 Sunk
31 January 1917 Epsilon  Netherlands 3,211 Sunk
16 February 1917 Hermine  France 3,940 Sunk
18 February 1917 Thorgny  Norway 734 Sunk
19 February 1917 Centurion  United Kingdom 1,828 Sunk
19 February 1917 HMT Picton Castle  Royal Navy 245 Sunk
20 February 1917 Falls of Afton  Norway 1,965 Sunk
21 February 1917 Manningham  Sweden 1,988 Sunk
22 February 1917 Ajax  Norway 1,468 Sunk
22 February 1917 Saint Sauveur  France 158 Sunk
23 February 1917 Belgier  United Kingdom 4,588 Sunk
23 February 1917 Iser  United Kingdom 2,160 Sunk
23 February 1917 Nyland  Norway 1,824 Sunk
24 February 1917 Salamis  Greece 995 Sunk
25 February 1917 Kleber  France 95 Sunk
26 February 1917 Le Lamentin  France 716 Sunk
7 March 1917 Antonio  United Kingdom 2,652 Sunk
19 March 1917 Rhodora  France 38 Sunk
21 March 1917 Huntscape  United Kingdom 2,933 Damaged
22 March 1917 Curlew  United Kingdom 51 Sunk
22 March 1917 Rotorua  United Kingdom 11,140 Sunk
23 March 1917 Maine  United Kingdom 3,616 Sunk
23 March 1917 Mexico  United Kingdom 5,549 Damaged
24 March 1917 Alice  United Kingdom 61 Sunk
24 March 1917 Boy Walter  United Kingdom 43 Sunk
24 March 1917 Endeavour  United Kingdom 25 Sunk
24 March 1917 Enigma  United Kingdom 24 Sunk
24 March 1917 H.C.G.  United Kingdom 24 Sunk
24 March 1917 May Flower  United Kingdom 38 Sunk
24 March 1917 Qui Vive  United Kingdom 22 Sunk
24 March 1917 Reindeer  United Kingdom 28 Sunk
24 March 1917 Satanita  United Kingdom 30 Sunk
9 May 1917 Marchiena  Netherlands 170 Sunk
10 May 1917 Veni  Norway 654 Sunk
12 May 1917 G.L.C.  United Kingdom 24 Sunk
12 May 1917 Galicia  United Kingdom 5,922 Sunk
13 May 1917 Anna  Denmark 610 Sunk
13 May 1917 Hudson  Norway 817 Sunk
14 May 1917 Farley  United Kingdom 3,692 Sunk
16 May 1917 L’hermite  France 2,189 Damaged
19 May 1917 HMT Kumu  Royal Navy 315 Damaged
18 June 1917 HMT Borneo  Royal Navy 211 Sunk
19 June 1917 Kate And Annie  United Kingdom 96 Sunk
19 June 1917 Mary Ann  United Kingdom 164 Damaged
21 June 1917 Childe Harold  United States 781 Sunk
21 June 1917 Scheria  Kingdom of Italy 2,727 Sunk
24 June 1917 Clan Davidson  United Kingdom 6,486 Sunk
24 June 1917 Crown of Arragon  United Kingdom 4,550 Sunk
25 June 1917 Galena  United States 1,073 Sunk
25 June 1917 Saxon Monarch  United Kingdom 4,828 Sunk
20 July 1917 City Of Florence  United Kingdom 5,399 Sunk
21 July 1917 Augustus Welt  United States 1,221 Sunk
19 August 1917 Brema  United Kingdom 1,537 Sunk
21 August 1917 Norhilda  United Kingdom 1,175 Sunk
8 September 1917 Askelad  Norway 2,823 Sunk
9 September 1917 Tuscarora  United Kingdom 7,106 Damaged
16 September 1917 Thomas Krag  Norway 3,569 Damaged
2 November 1917 Cape Finisterre  United Kingdom 4,380 Sunk
4 November 1917 Border Knight  United Kingdom 3,724 Sunk
2 December 1917 Tasmania  Russian Empire 2,089 Sunk
4 December 1917 Forfar  United Kingdom 3,827 Sunk
6 December 1917 Asaba  United Kingdom 972 Sunk
7 February 1918 Creosol  United Kingdom 1,179 Sunk
7 February 1918 Elfi  Norway 1,120 Sunk
23 March 1918 HMD New Dawn  Royal Navy 93 Sunk
24 March 1918 War Knight  United Kingdom 7,951 Sunk
26 March 1918 RFA Lady Cory-Wright United Kingdom Royal Fleet Auxiliary 2,516 Sunk
26 April 1918 Sif  Norway 3,282 Damaged
29 April 1918 Frogner  Norway 1,476 Sunk
30 April 1918 Isleworth  United Kingdom 2,871 Sunk
24 May 1918 HMT Gabir  Royal Navy 219 Sunk
24 May 1918 HMT Yucca  Royal Navy 198 Sunk
26 May 1918 Thames  United Kingdom 1,327 Sunk
30 May 1918 Dungeness  United Kingdom 2,748 Damaged
28 June 1918 Sunniva  United Kingdom 1,913 Sunk
8 October 1918 Thalia  United Kingdom 1,308 Sunk

Notes
  1. "SM" stands for Seiner Majestäts (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot translates as "His Majesty's Submarine".
  2. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

References
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 17". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ralph Wenninger (Pour le Merite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Werner Fürbinger (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ulrich Pilzecker". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Stephan". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Nikolaus von Lyncker". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 17". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 December 2014.

References
  • 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, ed. (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.
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