SM U-110

SM U-110 was a Type U 93 U-boat of the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was ordered on 5 May 1916 and launched on 28 July 1917. She was commissioned on 25 September 1917 as SM U-110.[Note 1] and assigned to IV Flotilla of the High Seas Fleet, based on the German North Sea coast.[4]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-110.

History
German Empire
NameU-110
Ordered5 May 1916
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number279
Launched28 July 1917
Commissioned25 September 1917
Fate15 March 1918, sunk by British destroyers
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeGerman Type U 93 submarine
Displacement
  • 798 t (785 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,000 t (980 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (o/a)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught3.90 m (12 ft 10 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers
Speed
  • 16.4 knots (30.4 km/h; 18.9 mph) surfaced
  • 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h; 9.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,280 nmi (17,190 km; 10,680 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 22 December 1917 – 15 March 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Otto von Schubert[2]
  • 22 November – 10 December 1917
  • K.Kapt. Carl Albrecht Kroll[3]
  • 12 December 1917 – 15 March 1918
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories:
  • 9 merchant ships sunk
    (25,772 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (1,191 GRT)
U-110, with four bow torpedo tubes and a hydroplane visible on the port side

Service history

U-110 made three wartime patrols, and sank 10 ships, totalling 26,963 gross register tons (GRT). Her first success was the British Q ship Penshurst, with which she fought an engagement on 24 December 1917. Penshurst sank shortly after.

Fate

U 110 was sunk on 15 March 1918 north-west of Malin Head at 55°4′N 8°6′W. She was found and depth-charged by British destroyers Michael and Moresby. 39 men were lost.[5]

In September 1918, she was raised and taken to Swan Hunter's dry dock for restoration. At the conclusion of hostilities, restoration was halted and she was sold for scrap.

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
24 December 1917 HMS Penshurst  Royal Navy 1,191 Sunk
30 December 1917 Zone  United Kingdom 3,914 Sunk
7 January 1918 Egda  Norway 2,527 Sunk
4 March 1918 Castle Eden  United Kingdom 1,949 Sunk
7 March 1918 RFA Vitol  Royal Navy 2,639 Sunk
7 March 1918 Tarbetnesse  United Kingdom 3,018 Sunk
8 March 1918 Erica  United Kingdom 167 Sunk
9 March 1918 Nanny Wignall  United Kingdom 93 Sunk
10 March 1918 Germaine  France 1,428 Sunk
15 March 1918 Amazon  United Kingdom 10,037 Sunk

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

References
  1. Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto von Schubert". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Carl Albrecht Kroll". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  4. Tarrant p56
  5. Kemp
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 110". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2015.

Bibliography
  • 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.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Tarrant, VE : The U-Boat Offensive 1914–1945 (1989) ISBN 0-85368-928-8
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