SM U-139 was the lead ship of her class, one of the submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was commissioned on 18 May 1918 under the command of Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, who named the submarine Kapitänleutnant Schwieger, after Walther Schwieger, who had sunk the Lusitania in 1915. She only sailed on one war patrol, during which she sunk four ships. U-139 surrendered to France on 24 November 1918 and shortly afterwards became French submarine Halbronn (until 24 July 1935 when she was broken up).

German U-boat U-139
History
German Empire
NameU-139
Ordered1 August 1916
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number300
Launched3 December 1917
Commissioned18 May 1918
RenamedHalbronn
FateSurrendered to France on 24 November 1918
France
NameHalbronn
Acquired24 November 1918
Decommissioned24 July 1935
FateBroken up
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType U 139 submarine
Displacement
  • 1,930 t (1,900 long tons) surfaced
  • 2,483 t (2,444 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 9.12 m (29 ft 11 in) (o/a)
  • 5.75 m (18 ft 10 in) (pressure hull)
Height5.27 m (17 ft 3 in)
Draught11.20 m (36 ft 9 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 3,300 PS (2,427 kW; 3,255 shp)
  • 2 × 450 PS (331 kW; 444 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,780 PS (1,309 kW; 1,756 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 × 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) propellers
Speed
  • 15.3 knots (28.3 km/h; 17.6 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 12,630 nmi (23,390 km; 14,530 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 53 nmi (98 km; 61 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) submerged
Test depth75 m (246 ft 1 in)
Complement6 (1) officers, 56 (20) enlisted – (prize crew)
Armament
Service record[2]
Part of:
  • U-Kreuzer Flotilla
  • Unknown start – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
Operations: 1 patrol
Victories:
  • 3 merchant ships sunk
    (6,301 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (487 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (2,502 GRT)
Triangular weather flag of SM U-139. Flag is red with white circle in the middle.
Weather flag of SM U-139 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Action of 14 October 1918

edit

On the 14 October 1918, U-139 attacked the Portuguese civilian steamer SS São Miguel, which was being escorted by the Portuguese Navy small naval trawler NRP Augusto de Castilho in the Atlantic Ocean. Augusto Castilho covered the escape of São Miguel by engaging U-139 for several hours, until being destroyed.[3]

Summary of raiding history

edit
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[4]
1 October 1918 Bylands   United Kingdom 3,309 Sunk
1 October 1918 Manin   Kingdom of Italy 2,691 Sunk
1 October 1918 HMS Perth   Royal Navy 2,502 Damaged
2 October 1918 Rio Cavado   Portugal 301 Sunk
14 October 1918 Augusto De Castilho   Portuguese Navy 487 Sunk

References

edit

Notes

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

Citations

edit
  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 19–21.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 139". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  3. ^ James H. Guill, "the only battle of note that occurred near the Azores during this period took place 14 October 1918 between the German U-139 and Portugal's ships São Miguel and Augusto Castilho.", page 507.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 139". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.

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.
edit
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 139". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.