SM UC-48

SM UC-48 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915, laid down on 1 February 1916, and was launched on 27 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 6 November 1916 as SM UC-48.[Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-48 was credited with sinking 35 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-48 was severely damaged by a depth charge attack by HMS Loyal on 20 March 1918 that ruptured the fuel tanks. Unable to return to Zeebrugge, the boat was steered to Ferrol, Spain, where she and her crew were interned for the rest of the war. The Spanish authorities removed UC-48's propellers to prevent any attempts at leaving port.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-48.
History
German Empire
NameUC-48
Ordered20 November 1915[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number258[1]
Laid down1 February 1916[1]
Launched27 September 1916[1]
Commissioned6 November 1916[1]
FateInterned at Ferrol, Spain, 23 March 1918[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 420 t (410 long tons), surfaced
  • 502 t (494 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.67 m (12 ft 0 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph), surfaced
  • 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph), submerged
Range
  • 7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 54 nmi (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern / Flandern II Flotilla
  • 3 February 1917 – 23 March 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Kurt Ramien[4]
  • 6 November 1916 – 20 October 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmut Lorenz[5]
  • 21 October 1917 – 23 March 1918
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories:
  • 33 merchant ships sunk
    (66,874 GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    (968 GRT)
  • 6 merchant ships damaged
    (23,821 GRT)

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-48 had a displacement of 420 tonnes (410 long tons) when at the surface and 502 tonnes (494 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 51.85 m (170 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 590 shp)), two electric motors producing 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 54 nautical miles (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-48 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]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
16 March 1917 Pencaer  United Kingdom 59 Sunk
16 March 1917 William Martyn  United Kingdom 104 Sunk
17 March 1917 Antony  United Kingdom 6,466 Sunk
17 March 1917 Guard  United Kingdom 38 Sunk
21 March 1917 Rio Sorocaba  United Kingdom 4,307 Sunk
22 March 1917 Chorley  United Kingdom 3,828 Sunk
22 March 1917 Providence  United Kingdom 2,970 Sunk
23 March 1917 J. B. August Kessler  Netherlands 5,104 Damaged
25 March 1917 HMT Evangel  Royal Navy 197 Sunk
27 April 1917 Amelia & Jane  United Kingdom 62 Damaged
1 May 1917 Raymond Ester  France 20 Sunk
2 May 1917 United  United Kingdom 61 Sunk
2 May 1917 Warnow  United Kingdom 1,593 Sunk
5 May 1917 Feltria  United Kingdom 5,254 Sunk
5 May 1917 Greta  United Kingdom 297 Sunk
7 May 1917 Kinross  United Kingdom 4,120 Sunk
9 June 1917 Amphitrite  Portugal 179 Sunk
10 June 1917 Solhaug  Norway 1,217 Sunk
13 June 1917 Ernestine  France 160 Sunk
15 June 1917 Eugene Et Eugenie  France 46 Sunk
16 June 1917 John D. Archbold  United States 8,374 Sunk
17 June 1917 Anjou  French Navy 771 Sunk
17 June 1917 Antonios M. Mavrogordatos  Greece 3,771 Sunk
18 June 1917 Tyne  United Kingdom 2,909 Sunk
15 July 1917 Florence Creadick  United States 732 Damaged
15 July 1917 Westmeath  United Kingdom 9,179 Damaged
16 July 1917 Henry R. James  United Kingdom 3,146 Sunk
18 August 1917 Dunkerquois  France 2,087 Sunk
19 August 1917 Monksgarth  United Kingdom 1,928 Sunk
19 August 1917 Ytterøy  Norway 1,112 Sunk
16 September 1917 Sandsend  United Kingdom 3,814 Sunk
17 September 1917 Our Bairns  United Kingdom 50 Sunk
17 September 1917 Ronald  United Kingdom 38 Sunk
19 September 1917 Etal Manor  United Kingdom 1,875 Sunk
21 September 1917 Kouang-Si  France 6,472 Damaged
14 October 1917 Barbro  Norway 2,356 Sunk
14 October 1917 Castro  Greece 1,994 Sunk
15 October 1917 Hovde  Norway 1,196 Sunk
22 October 1917 Aizcorri Mendi  Spain 2,272 Damaged
17 November 1917 Modemi  Norway 1,481 Sunk
30 January 1918 Ange Gardien  France 24 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. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 48". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Ramien (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Helmut Lorenz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 48". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.

Bibliography
  • 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; Gray, Randal, eds. (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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