History
German Empire
NameUC-26
Ordered29 August 1915[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg[2]
Yard number65[1]
Launched22 June 1916[1]
Commissioned18 July 1916[1]
FateRammed and sunk by HMS Milne, 8 May 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC II submarine[4]
Displacement
  • 400 t (390 long tons), surfaced
  • 480 t (470 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in) pressure hull
Draught3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph), surfaced
  • 6.6 knots (12.2 km/h; 7.6 mph), submerged
Range
  • 9,260 nmi (17,150 km; 10,660 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph), surfaced
  • 53 nmi (98 km; 61 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph), surfaced
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes48-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 12 September 1916 – 8 May 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Matthias Graf von Schmettow[5]
  • 18 July 1916 – 8 May 1917
Operations: 9 patrols
Victories:
  • 29 merchant ships sunk
    (44,859 GRT)
  • 3 warships sunk
    (1267 tons)
  • 7 auxiliary warships sunk
    (15,354 GRT)
  • 5 merchant ships damaged
    (17,784 GRT)

SM UC-26 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 29 August 1915 and was launched on 22 June 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 July 1916 as SM UC-26.[Note 1] In nine patrols UC-26 was credited with sinking 39 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-26 was rammed and sunk by HMS Milne off Calais on 8 May 1917.[1]

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-26 had a displacement of 400 tonnes (390 long tons) when at the surface and 480 tonnes (470 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 49.45 m (162 ft 3 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 250 metric horsepower (180 kW; 250 shp) (a total of 500 metric horsepower (370 kW; 490 shp)), two electric motors producing 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 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 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.6 knots (12.2 km/h; 7.6 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 53 nautical miles (98 km; 61 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,260 nautical miles (17,150 km; 10,660 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-26 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

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
23 September 1916 Prinsessan Ingeborg  Sweden 3,670 Damaged
30 September 1916 Maywood  United Kingdom 1,188 Sunk
30 September 1916 William George  United Kingdom 151 Sunk
1 October 1916 Vanellus  United Kingdom 1,797 Sunk
1 October 1916 Villebois Mareuil  France 32 Sunk
3 October 1916 Ada  Norway 1,111 Sunk
4 October 1916 Risholm  Norway 2,550 Sunk
5 October 1916 Isle of Hastings  United Kingdom 1,575 Sunk
13 October 1916 Mercator  Finland 2,827 Sunk
27 October 1916 Blanc Nez  French Navy 247 Sunk
28 October 1916 HMHS Galeka  Royal Navy 6,772 Sunk
30 October 1916 Saint Hubert  French Navy 216 Sunk
1 November 1916 Torpilleur 300  French Navy 99 Sunk
15 November 1916 Saint Leonards  United Kingdom 4,574 Damaged
16 November 1916 HMT Anthony Hope  Royal Navy 288 Sunk
16 November 1916 Joachim Brinch Lund  Norway 1,603 Sunk
16 November 1916 San Nicolao  Portugal 2,697 Sunk
17 November 1916 Monmouth  United Kingdom 4,078 Damaged
19 November 1916 Finn  Norway 3,806 Sunk
21 November 1916 Cap Lihou  France 252 Sunk
22 November 1916 Brierton  United Kingdom 3,255 Sunk
22 November 1916 Trym  Norway 1,801 Sunk
23 November 1916 Dansted  Denmark 1,499 Sunk
25 November 1916 Alfred De Courcy  France 164 Sunk
25 November 1916 Malvina  France 112 Sunk
10 December 1916 Strathalbyn  United Kingdom 4,331 Sunk
28 January 1917 Egret  Russia 4,055 Sunk
28 January 1917 Argo  Norway 1,261 Sunk
28 January 1917 Heimland I  Norway 505 Sunk
7 February 1917 Noella  French Navy 277 Sunk
16 February 1917 Mona's Queen  United Kingdom 1,200 Damaged
10 April 1917 HMS P26  Royal Navy 613 Sunk
10 April 1917 HMHS Salta  Royal Navy 7,284 Sunk
11 April 1917 HMT Amy  Royal Navy 270 Sunk
11 April 1917 Branksome Hall  United Kingdom 4,262 Damaged
11 April 1917 Duchess of Cornwall  United Kingdom 1,706 Sunk
13 April 1917 Gambetta  France 39 Sunk
14 April 1917 Tom  Spain 2,413 Sunk
18 April 1917 Surcouf  France 195 Sunk
19 April 1917 Senator Dantziger  United Kingdom 164 Sunk
2 May 1917 Certo  Norway 1,629 Sunk
2 May 1917 HMS Derwent  Royal Navy 555 Sunk
3 May 1917 Ussa  United Kingdom 2,066 Sunk
8 May 1917 Iris  United Kingdom 75 Sunk

References

Notes

  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. ↑ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 26". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  2. ↑ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. 1 2 3 Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "UC Type II". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Matthias Graf von Schmettow (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 26". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 January 2015.

Bibliography

  • 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, ed. (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.

51°3′N 1°40′E / 51.050°N 1.667°E / 51.050; 1.667

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