SM UC-16 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 29 August 1915 and was launched on 1 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 June 1916 as SM UC-16.[Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-16 was credited with sinking 43 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-16 disappeared in October 1917. A postwar German study concluded that UC-16 probably sank after striking a mine off Zeebrugge[1]
History | |
---|---|
German Empire | |
Name | UC-16 |
Ordered | 29 August 1915[1] |
Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[2] |
Yard number | 266[1] |
Launched | 1 February 1916[1] |
Commissioned | 18 June 1916[1] |
Fate | Probably sunk by mine in 4 October 1917[1] |
General characteristics [3] | |
Class and type | Type UC II submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
|
Beam |
|
Draught | 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range |
|
Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
Complement | 26 |
Armament |
|
Notes | 35-second diving time |
Service record | |
Part of: |
|
Commanders: | |
Operations: | 13 patrols |
Victories: |
Design
editLike all pre-UC-25 Type UC II submarines, UC-16 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), beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.65 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 500 metric horsepower (370 kW; 490 shp) (a total of 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 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-16 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes,[3] 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
editDate | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[6] |
---|---|---|---|---|
23 September 1916 | Andromeda | United Kingdom | 149 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Beechwold | United Kingdom | 129 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Britannia III | United Kingdom | 138 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Cockatrice | United Kingdom | 115 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Mercury | United Kingdom | 183 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Phoenix | United Kingdom | 117 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Refino | United Kingdom | 182 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Rego | United Kingdom | 176 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Restless | United Kingdom | 125 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Viella | United Kingdom | 144 | Sunk |
23 September 1916 | Weelsby | United Kingdom | 122 | Sunk |
19 October 1916 | Alaunia | United Kingdom | 13,405 | Sunk |
22 October 1916 | Fortuna | Netherlands | 1,254 | Sunk |
11 November 1916 | Daphne | Norway | 1,388 | Sunk |
11 November 1916 | Veronica | United Kingdom | 27 | Sunk |
13 November 1916 | Marie Therese | France | 156 | Sunk |
14 November 1916 | N.D. De Bon Secours | France | 81 | Sunk |
14 November 1916 | Nominoe | France | 327 | Sunk |
14 November 1916 | Salangane | France | 125 | Sunk |
16 November 1916 | Lelia | France | 79 | Sunk |
16 November 1916 | Vasco | United Kingdom | 1,914 | Sunk |
26 November 1916 | Caloric | Norway | 7,012 | Damaged |
28 December 1916 | Suffolk | United Kingdom | 7,573 | Damaged |
30 December 1916 | Aspenleaf | United Kingdom | 7,535 | Damaged |
18 January 1917 | Taormina | Kingdom of Italy | 2,457 | Sunk |
19 January 1917 | Anna | Norway | 1,237 | Sunk |
19 January 1917 | Reinunga | Norway | 1,147 | Sunk |
19 January 1917 | Theresdal | Norway | 1,762 | Sunk |
21 January 1917 | Couronne | France | 169 | Sunk |
22 January 1917 | Juno | Netherlands | 2,345 | Damaged |
23 January 1917 | Ymer | Norway | 1,123 | Sunk |
15 February 1917 | Leven | United Kingdom | 775 | Sunk |
26 February 1917 | Sea Gull | United Kingdom | 144 | Sunk |
26 February 1917 | HMT St. Germain | Royal Navy | 307 | Damaged |
15 March 1917 | Coonagh | United Kingdom | 1,412 | Sunk |
20 April 1917 | HMS Glen | Royal Navy | 112 | Damaged |
27 July 1917 | Dirk | Netherlands | 81 | Sunk |
27 July 1917 | Dirk van Duyne | Netherlands | 116 | Sunk |
27 July 1917 | Jan | Netherlands | 104 | Sunk |
27 July 1917 | Majoor Thomson | Netherlands | 110 | Sunk |
27 July 1917 | President Commissaris van den Burgh | Netherlands | 111 | Sunk |
27 July 1917 | Sterna III | Netherlands | 111 | Sunk |
28 July 1917 | Neptunus I | Netherlands | 80 | Sunk |
16 August 1917 | Manchester Engineer | United Kingdom | 4,465 | Sunk |
17 August 1917 | Susie | United Kingdom | 41 | Sunk |
18 August 1917 | Ardens | United Kingdom | 1,274 | Sunk |
4 September 1917 | Bishopston | United Kingdom | 2,513 | Sunk |
7 September 1917 | Hinemoa | United Kingdom | 2,283 | Sunk |
7 September 1917 | Vestfjeld | Norway | 2,063 | Sunk |
References
editNotes
edit- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
edit- ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 16". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
- ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Egon von Werner (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Georg Reimarus". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC-16". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
Bibliography
edit- 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.