SM UB-74 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 24 October 1917 as SM UB-74.[Note 1]

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-74.
History
German Empire
NameUB-74
Ordered23 September 1916[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost3,337,000 German Papiermark
Yard number98
Launched12 September 1917[2]
Commissioned24 October 1917[2]
FateSunk 26 May 1918 by depth charges at 50°32′N 2°32′W / 50.533°N 2.533°W / 50.533; -2.533.[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 508 t (500 long tons) surfaced
  • 639 t (629 long tons) submerged
Length55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam5.76 m (18 ft 11 in)
Draught3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,420 nmi (15,590 km; 9,690 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[2]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • V Flotilla
  • 6 – 25 January 1918
  • Flandern I Flotilla
  • 25 January – 26 May 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Karl Neureuther
  • 24 October 1917 – 30 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Ernst Steindorff
  • 31 January – 26 May 1918
Operations: 4 patrols
Victories:
  • 7 merchant ships sunk
    (13,294 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (12,817 GRT)

UB-74 was serving in the Flanders Flotillas. On 26 May 1918 she was sunk by HMS Lorna with depth charges in the English channel.[2]

Construction

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She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 12 September 1917. UB-74 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Kptlt. Karl Neureuther. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-74 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-74 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8,420 nautical miles (15,590 km; 9,690 mi). UB-74 had a displacement of 508 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 639 t (629 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[3]
26 February 1918 Greavesash   United Kingdom 1,263 Sunk
26 February 1918 Romny   United Kingdom 1,024 Sunk
7 April 1918 Rye   United Kingdom 986 Sunk
10 April 1918 Paul Paix   United Kingdom 4,196 Damaged
12 April 1918 Luisa   Spain 3,603 Sunk
14 April 1918 Maroc   France 2,808 Sunk
15 April 1918 Tanfield   United Kingdom 4,538 Damaged
18 May 1918 John G. McCullough   United States 1,985 Sunk
23 May 1918 Skaraas   United Kingdom 1,625 Sunk
25 May 1918 Anne   United Kingdom 4,083 Damaged

References

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Notes

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  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. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

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  1. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 61.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 74". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 December 2014.

Bibliography

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