History
German Empire
NameUC-40
Ordered20 November 1915[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg[2]
Yard number73[1]
Launched5 September 1916[1]
Commissioned1 October 1916[1]
FateSank while on way to surrender, 21 January 1919[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UC II submarine
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) pressure hull
Draught3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph), surfaced
  • 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph), submerged
Range
  • 9,410 nmi (17,430 km; 10,830 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes48-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 15 December 1916 – 24 September 1918
  • Flandern I Flotilla
  • 24 September – 11 October 1918
  • I Flotilla
  • 11 October – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Gustav Deuerlich[4]
  • 1 October 1916 – 15 August 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Hermann Menzel[5]
  • 16 August 1917 – 7 August 1918
  • Lt.z.S. Bernhard Wischhausen[6]
  • 9 August – 11 November 1918
Operations: 17 patrols
Victories:
  • 24 merchant ships sunk
    (39,698 GRT)
  • 6 auxiliary warships sunk
    (3,149 GRT)
  • 7 merchant ships damaged
    (25,876 GRT)
  • 1 warship damaged
    (1,300 tons)

SM UC-40 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 20 November 1915 and was launched on 5 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 1 October 1916 as SM UC-40.[Note 1] In 17 patrols UC-40 was credited with sinking 30 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-40 was being taken to surrender but foundered in the North Sea en route on 21 January 1919.[1]

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-40 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 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 260 metric horsepower (190 kW; 260 shp) (a total of 520 metric horsepower (380 kW; 510 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 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,410 nautical miles (17,430 km; 10,830 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-40 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[7]
22 January 1917 Kamma  Sweden 1,516 Sunk
28 March 1917 Hero  United Kingdom 66 Sunk
1 April 1917 Bergenhus  Denmark 1,017 Sunk
6 April 1917 Presto  United Kingdom 1,143 Sunk
10 May 1917 HMT Lord Ridley  Royal Navy 215 Sunk
23 May 1917 Gran  Norway 1,153 Sunk
25 June 1917 HMT Gelsina  Royal Navy 227 Sunk
30 July 1917 Amor  Denmark 196 Sunk
6 August 1917 Polanna  United Kingdom 2,345 Sunk
8 September 1917 Family’s Pride  United Kingdom 39 Sunk
9 September 1917 Swiftsure  United Kingdom 823 Sunk
10 September 1917 Margarita  United Kingdom 2,788 Damaged
10 September 1917 Parkmill  United Kingdom 1,316 Sunk
12 September 1917 HMT Asia  Royal Navy 309 Sunk
12 September 1917 Glenelg  United Kingdom 4,160 Damaged
11 October 1917 Voronezh  Russian Empire 5,331 Damaged
19 October 1917 Slavonic  Russian Empire 3,604 Sunk
21 October 1917 Anglo Dane  Denmark 808 Sunk
21 October 1917 Flynderborg  Denmark 1,400 Sunk
24 October 1917 Novington  United Kingdom 3,442 Damaged
24 October 1917 Woron  Russian Empire 3,342 Sunk
8 December 1917 HMS Grive  Royal Navy 2,037 Sunk
12 December 1917 Leonatus  United Kingdom 2,099 Sunk
8 March 1918 Corsham  United Kingdom 2,760 Sunk
8 March 1918 Intent  United Kingdom 1,564 Sunk
10 March 1918 HMT Columba  Royal Navy 138 Sunk
14 March 1918 Castleford  United Kingdom 1,741 Sunk
28 April 1918 HMT Emley  Royal Navy 223 Sunk
28 April 1918 Upcerne  United Kingdom 2,984 Sunk
8 June 1918 Eros  United Kingdom 181 Sunk
12 June 1918 Afrique  France 2,457 Sunk
15 June 1918 Cairnmona  United Kingdom 4,666 Damaged
16 June 1918 Melanie  United Kingdom 2,996 Sunk
23 July 1918 HMS Vanity  Royal Navy 1,300 Damaged
26 July 1918 Blairhall  United Kingdom 2,549 Sunk
27 July 1918 Crimdon  Sweden 1,599 Sunk
30 July 1918 War Deer  United Kingdom 5,323 Damaged
3 August 1918 Skjold  Denmark 166 Damaged

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 40". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ↑ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. 1 2 3 Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Gustav Deuerlich". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hermann Menzel (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Bernhard Wischhausen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 40". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 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). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. 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.

54°55′N 0°6′E / 54.917°N 0.100°E / 54.917; 0.100

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