SM U-80

SM U-80 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-80 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-80.
History
German Empire
NameU-80
Ordered9 March 1915
BuilderAG Vulkan, Hamburg
Yard number62
Launched22 April 1916
Commissioned6 June 1916
Fate16 January 1919 - Surrendered.;[1] broken up at Swansea in 1919.
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeGerman Type UE I submarine
Displacement
  • 755 t (743 long tons) surfaced
  • 832 t (819 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 5.00 m (16 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught4.86 m (15 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2× 1.41 m (4 ft 8 in) propellers
Speed
  • 9.9 knots (18.3 km/h; 11.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,880 nmi (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 83 nmi (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement4 officers, 28 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 27 August 1916 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Alfred von Glasenapp[3]
  • 6 June 1916 – 31 July 1917
  • Kptlt. Gustav Amberger[4]
  • 1 August – 30 October 1917
  • Kptlt. Karl Scherb[5]
  • 31 October – 22 December 1917
  • Kptlt. Karl Koopmann[6]
  • 23 December 1917 – 11 November 1918
Operations: 16 patrols
Victories:
  • 21 merchant ships sunk
    (33,343 GRT)
  • 2 warship sunk
    (1,775 tons)
  • 4 auxiliary warships sunk
    (15,537 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (29,631 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (5,977 GRT)[1]

U-80 is credited for sinking the Laurentic, the 24th largest ship sunk in World War I by U-boats, at 14,892 GRT. She struck two mines laid by U-80 off Malin Head, and sank within one hour. She went down with 345 casualties, and 35 tons of gold ingots. U-80 is also credited with damaging the 6th largest ship, the Celtic, at 20,904 GRT, 15 February 1917 at 53°57′N 04°40′W. Celtic would be torpedoed later in the war by UB-77, but was beached and later salvaged.[7]

U-80 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 16 January 1919 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. She was sold by the British Admiralty to George Cohen on 3 March 1919 for £2,300 (excluding engines), and was broken up at Swansea.[8]

Design

German Type UE I submarines were preceded by the longer Type U 66 submarines. U-80 had a displacement of 755 tonnes (743 long tons) when at the surface and 832 tonnes (819 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 56.80 m (186 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 46.66 m (153 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in), a height of 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in), and a draught of 4.86 m (15 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two 900 metric horsepower (660 kW; 890 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 900 metric horsepower (660 kW; 890 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.9 knots (18.3 km/h; 11.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph).[2] When submerged, she could operate for 83 nautical miles (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,880 nautical miles (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). U-80 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one at the port bow and one starboard stern), four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-two (twenty-eight crew members and four officers).[2]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[9]
4 November 1916 Skerries  United Kingdom 4,278 Sunk
18 December 1916 Opal  United Kingdom 599 Sunk
19 December 1916 Liverpool  United Kingdom 686 Sunk
25 January 1917 HMS Laurentic  Royal Navy 14,892 Sunk
15 February 1917 Celtic  United Kingdom 20,904 Damaged
1 March 1917 HMS Pheasant  Royal Navy 1,025 Sunk
3 March 1917 Hermes  Norway 785 Sunk
10 March 1917 San Eduardo  United Kingdom 6,225 Damaged
16 March 1917 HMS Motagua  Royal Navy 5,977 Damaged
17 April 1917 Gisella  United Kingdom 2,502 Damaged
7 May 1917 H. H. Petersen  Denmark 192 Sunk
7 May 1917 Sophie  Denmark 237 Sunk
9 May 1917 Hans Broge  Denmark 1,432 Sunk
11 May 1917 Anna Alwina  Russian Empire 364 Sunk
11 May 1917 Calchas  United Kingdom 6,748 Sunk
21 May 1917 HMT Senator  Royal Navy 211 Sunk
1 July 1917 Don Emilio  United Kingdom 3,651 Sunk
15 August 1917 Hylas  United Kingdom 4,240 Sunk
16 August 1917 Caroline Kock  Denmark 316 Sunk
20 August 1917 HMT Kirkland  Royal Navy 224 Sunk
25 August 1917 Junona  Russian Empire 3,462 Sunk
6 September 1917 Tuskar  United Kingdom 1,159 Sunk
17 December 1917 Neptune  United Kingdom 50 Sunk
19 December 1917 Arno  Denmark 1,386 Sunk
23 April 1918 HMT Plethos  Royal Navy 210 Sunk
1 May 1918 HMS Blackmorevale  Royal Navy 750 Sunk
5 June 1918 Anton  Sweden 1,036 Sunk
29 June 1918 Midtsjö  Norway 185 Sunk
3 July 1918 Gripen  Sweden 1,191 Sunk
3 July 1918 P. C. Peterson  Norway 673 Sunk
11 October 1918 Helvetia  Norway 673 Sunk

References

Notes
  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 80". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 10–11.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Alfred von Glasenapp (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Gustav Amberger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Scherb". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Koopmann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Celtic". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  8. Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
  9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 80". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 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.

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