SM UB-125

SM UB-125 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 May 1918 as SM UB-125.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-125.
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-125.
History
German Empire
NameUB-125
Ordered6 / 8 February 1917[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number298
Laid down19 July 1917[2]
Launched16 April 1918[3]
Commissioned18 May 1918[3]
FateSurrendered 20 November 1918[3]
Japan
NameO-6
Commissioned1920[3]
Decommissioned1921[3]
FateBroken up in Kure[3]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 512 t (504 long tons) surfaced
  • 643 t (633 long tons) submerged
Length55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[3]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 21 July – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Fritz Schubert[4]
  • 18 May – 20 July 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Werner Vater[5]
  • 21 July – 11 November 1918
Operations: 2 patrols
Victories:
  • 6 merchant ships sunk
    (13,307 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (6,082 GRT)

UB-125 was surrendered 20 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. Handed over to Japan, she served as O-6 in the Imperial Japanese Navy until 1921 when she was broken up in Kure.[3]

Construction
Main article: German Type UB III submarine

She was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 16 April 1918. UB-125 was commissioned later the same year under the command of Kptlt. Fritz Schubert. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-125 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 10.5 cm (4.13 in) deck gun. UB-125 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi). UB-125 had a displacement of 512 t (504 long tons) while surfaced and 643 t (633 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) when surfaced and 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
29 August 1918 Atxeri Mendi  Spain 2,424 Sunk
30 August 1918 Onega  United States 3,636 Sunk
1 September 1918 Actor  United Kingdom 6,082 Damaged
3 September 1918 Brava  Portugal 3,184 Sunk
3 September 1918 Lake Owens  United States 2,308 Sunk
4 September 1918 Bogstad  Norway 1,589 Sunk
12 September 1918 Skjold  Denmark 166 Sunk

References

Notes
  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
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 125". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Fritz Schubert". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Werner Vater". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 125". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 March 2015.

Bibliography
  • Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
  • 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.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 – 1945. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

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