SM UC-77 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 and was launched on 2 December 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 29 December 1916 as SM UC-77.[Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-77 was credited with sinking 35 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-77 was mined and sunk off Flanders on 11 July 1918.[1]
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UC-77 |
| Ordered | 12 January 1916[1] |
| Builder | AG Vulcan, Hamburg[2] |
| Yard number | 82[1] |
| Launched | 2 December 1916[1] |
| Commissioned | 29 December 1916[1] |
| Fate | Sunk by mine, 11 July 1918[1] |
| General characteristics [3] | |
| Class and type | Type UC II submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 3.65 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 26 |
| Armament |
|
| Notes | 30-second diving time |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 13 patrols |
| Victories: | |
Design
editA Type UC II submarine, UC-77 had a displacement of 410 tonnes (400 long tons) when at the surface and 493 tonnes (485 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.45 m (165 ft 6 in), a 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 290–300 metric horsepower (210–220 kW; 290–300 shp) (a total of 580–600 metric horsepower (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 30 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,660 to 10,230 nautical miles (16,040 to 18,950 km; 9,970 to 11,770 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-77 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[6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 March 1917 | Grenmar |  Norway
|
1,438 | Sunk |
| 25 March 1917 | Prince of Wales |  United Kingdom
|
158 | Sunk |
| 27 March 1917 | Galatia | United Kingdom
|
150 | Sunk |
| 27 March 1917 | Nova | Norway
|
1,034 | Sunk |
| 27 March 1917 | Sandvik | Norway
|
591 | Sunk |
| 28 March 1917 | Moulmein | United Kingdom
|
151 | Sunk |
| 28 March 1917 | Tizona | Norway
|
1,021 | Sunk |
| 30 March 1917 | Petrel | United Kingdom
|
151 | Sunk |
| 26 April 1917 | HMT Repro |  Royal Navy
|
230 | Sunk |
| 3 May 1917 | Glen Tanar | United Kingdom
|
817 | Sunk |
| 4 May 1917 | Herrington | United Kingdom
|
1,258 | Sunk |
| 4 May 1917 | Vale | Norway
|
720 | Sunk |
| 4 May 1917 | Wolseley | United Kingdom
|
159 | Damaged |
| 5 May 1917 | Odense |  Denmark
|
1,756 | Sunk |
| 6 May 1917 | Kaparika | Norway
|
1,232 | Sunk |
| 3 June 1917 | Virgilia | United Kingdom
|
209 | Sunk |
| 6 June 1917 | Anton |  Sweden
|
1,568 | Sunk |
| 6 June 1917 | Harald Klitgaard | Denmark
|
1,799 | Sunk |
| 11 July 1917 | Vordingborg | Denmark
|
2,155 | Sunk |
| 13 July 1917 | Ascain |  France
|
1,686 | Sunk |
| 8 August 1917 | Berlengas |  Portugal
|
3,548 | Sunk |
| 11 August 1917 | Sonnie | United Kingdom
|
2,642 | Sunk |
| 7 September 1917 | Scottish Prince | United Kingdom
|
2,897 | Damaged |
| 10 September 1917 | Ioanna | United Kingdom
|
3,459 | Damaged |
| 15 October 1917 | Leander | United Kingdom
|
2,793 | Damaged |
| 19 October 1917 | Eldra | United Kingdom
|
227 | Sunk |
| 17 November 1917 | Adolph Andersen | Denmark
|
981 | Sunk |
| 18 November 1917 | Antwerpen | United Kingdom
|
1,637 | Sunk |
| 18 November 1917 | Gisella | United Kingdom
|
2,502 | Sunk |
| 19 November 1917 | Amiral Zede | France
|
5,980 | Sunk |
| 19 November 1917 | Clangula | United Kingdom
|
1,754 | Sunk |
| 19 November 1917 | Robert Brown | United Kingdom
|
119 | Sunk |
| 30 November 1917 | Remoqueur N° 8 | France
|
250 | Sunk |
| 7 March 1918 | Cliffside | United Kingdom
|
4,969 | Damaged |
| 10 March 1918 | Skrymer | Norway
|
1,476 | Sunk |
| 18 March 1918 | Baygitano | United Kingdom
|
3,073 | Sunk |
| 15 April 1918 | City of Winchester | United Kingdom
|
7,981 | Damaged |
| 15 April 1918 | Pomeranian | United Kingdom
|
4,241 | Sunk |
| 6 June 1918 | Huntsland |  United Kingdom
|
2,871 | Sunk |
| 9 June 1918 | Moidart | United Kingdom
|
1,303 | Sunk |
| 10 June 1918 | Saint Barthelemy | France
|
1,476 | Damaged |
| 14 June 1918 | HMT Princess Olga | Royal Navy
|
245 | 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 77". 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: Reinhard von Rabenau (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johannes Ries". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 77". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 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.