SM UC-64 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 12 January 1916, laid down on 3 April 1916, and was launched on 23 January 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 February 1917 as SM UC-64.[Note 1] In 15 patrols UC-64 was credited with sinking 26 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-64 was mined and sunk in the Dover Strait on 20 June 1918.[1]
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UC-64 |
| Ordered | 12 January 1916[1] |
| Builder | AG Weser, Bremen[2] |
| Yard number | 262[1] |
| Laid down | 3 April 1916[1] |
| Launched | 23 January 1917[1] |
| Commissioned | 22 February 1917[1] |
| Fate | Sunk by mine, 20 June 1918[1] |
| General characteristics [3] | |
| Class and type | Type UC II submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 3.67 m (12 ft 0 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 26 |
| Armament |
|
| Notes | 30-second diving time |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 15 patrols |
| Victories: | |
Design
editA Type UC II submarine, UC-64 had a displacement of 422 tonnes (415 long tons) when at the surface and 504 tonnes (496 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 3.67 m (12 ft 0 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 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 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 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 59 nautical miles (109 km; 68 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-64 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
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 May 1917 | Voorwaarts |  Netherlands
|
114 | Sunk |
| 23 May 1917 | Alberdina | Netherlands
|
100 | Sunk |
| 21 June 1917 | Hendrika | Netherlands
|
109 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1917 | Telegraaf XVIII | Netherlands
|
306 | Sunk |
| 16 July 1917 | Timor | Netherlands
|
135 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1917 | Esperance |  France
|
97 | Sunk |
| 16 September 1917 | Eendracht VII | Netherlands
|
251 | Sunk |
| 17 September 1917 | Paraciers | France
|
2,542 | Sunk |
| 22 September 1917 | Ville De Valenciennes | France
|
1,734 | Sunk |
| 18 October 1917 | Altair |  Norway
|
1,674 | Sunk |
| 18 October 1917 | Sten |  United Kingdom
|
928 | Sunk |
| 16 November 1917 | Jules Verne | France
|
157 | Sunk |
| 27 November 1917 | Ville De Thann | France
|
1,416 | Sunk |
| 4 December 1917 | Manchester Mariner | United Kingdom
|
4,106 | Damaged |
| 14 December 1917 | Volnay | United Kingdom
|
4,610 | Sunk |
| 19 December 1917 | Borgsten | Norway
|
1,718 | Sunk |
| 19 December 1917 | Trevelyan | United Kingdom
|
3,066 | Damaged |
| 23 December 1917 | Manicia | Norway
|
1,868 | Damaged |
| 20 January 1918 | Queen Margaret | United Kingdom
|
4,972 | Damaged |
| 26 January 1918 | May | United Kingdom
|
24 | Sunk |
| 26 January 1918 | Rob Roy | United Kingdom
|
112 | Sunk |
| 28 March 1918 | Botha | United Kingdom
|
17 | Sunk |
| 28 March 1918 | Brotherly Love | United Kingdom
|
19 | Sunk |
| 28 March 1918 | Honora | United Kingdom
|
29 | Sunk |
| 28 March 1918 | Noel | United Kingdom
|
21 | Sunk |
| 31 March 1918 | Vianna |  Royal Navy
|
401 | Sunk |
| 23 April 1918 | Laurium | United Kingdom
|
582 | Sunk |
| 25 April 1918 | Sote |  Sweden
|
1,353 | Sunk |
| 26 April 1918 | Llwyngwair | United Kingdom
|
1,304 | Sunk |
| 23 May 1918 | Mefjord | Norway
|
720 | 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 g Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 64". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
- ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst Müller-Schwarz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Hecht". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ferdinand Schwartz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 64". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 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.