SM U-107[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-107 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.[5]
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | U-107 |
| Ordered | 5 May 1916 |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number | 276 |
| Launched | 28 June 1917 |
| Commissioned | 18 August 1917 |
| Fate | Surrendered 20 November 1918; scrapped Swansea 1919 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type | Type U 93 submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in) |
| Draught | 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers |
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 32 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 5 patrols |
| Victories: | |
U-107 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 20 November 1918 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 £2,425 (excluding her engines), and was broken up at Swansea.[6]
Design
editType U 93 submarines were preceded by the shorter Type U 87 submarines. U-107 had a displacement of 798 tonnes (785 long tons) when at the surface and 1,000 tonnes (980 long tons) while submerged.[1] She had a total length of 71.55 m (234 ft 9 in), a pressure hull length of 56.05 m (183 ft 11 in), a beam of 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in), a height of 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in), and a draught of 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,200 metric horsepower (880 kW; 1,200 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts and two 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) propellers. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[1]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 16.4 knots (30.4 km/h; 18.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h; 9.7 mph).[1] When submerged, she could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,280 nautical miles (17,190 km; 10,680 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-107 was fitted with six 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (four at the bow and two at the stern), twelve to sixteen torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK L/45, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-six (thirty-two crew members and four officers).[1]
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 October 1917 | Epiros |  Greece
|
1,084 | Damaged |
| 14 April 1918 | Marstonmoor |  United Kingdom
|
2,744 | Sunk |
| 29 June 1918 | Castor I |  Norway
|
117 | Sunk |
| 15 August 1918 | Cubore |  United States
|
7,117 | Sunk |
| 18 August 1918 | Idaho | United Kingdom
|
3,023 | Sunk |
| 21 August 1918 | Lake Edon | United States
|
2,371 | Sunk |
| 24 August 1918 | Flavia | United Kingdom
|
9,291 | 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.
- ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons
Citations
edit- ^ a b c d e Gröner 1991, pp. 12–14.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm-Friedrich Starke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Slevogt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Siewert (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 107". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 107". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
Bibliography
edit- 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.