History
German Empire
NameUC-58
Ordered12 January 1916[1]
BuilderKaiserliche Werft, Danzig[2]
Yard number40[1]
Laid down18 March 1916[1]
Launched21 October 1916[1]
Commissioned12 March 1917[1]
FateSurrendered, 24 November 1918; broken up, 1921[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 415 t (408 long tons), surfaced
  • 498 t (490 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.61 m (11 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph), surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph), submerged
Range
  • 8,660–9,450 nmi (16,040–17,500 km; 9,970–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Baltic Flotilla
  • 9 May – 11 December 1917
  • I Flotilla
  • 11 December 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Karl Vesper[4]
  • 12 March 1917 – 19 April 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Kurt Schwarz[5]
  • 20 April – 11 November 1918
Operations: 12 patrols
Victories:
  • 21 merchant ships sunk
    (21,030 GRT + Unknown GRT)
  • 4 warships sunk
    (463 tons)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (4,125 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships taken as prize
    (2,716 GRT)
German submarine UC-58 NH 111103

SM UC-58 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 18 March 1916, and was launched on 21 October 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 12 March 1917 as SM UC-58.[Note 1] In twelve patrols UC-58 was credited with sinking 25 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-58 was surrendered on 24 November 1918[6] and broken up at Cherbourg in 1921.[1]

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-58 had a displacement of 415 tonnes (408 long tons) when at the surface and 498 tonnes (490 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.52 m (165 ft 9 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.61 m (11 ft 10 in). 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 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 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 9,450 nautical miles (16,040 to 17,500 km; 9,970 to 10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-58 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]
19 May 1917 Erik  Sweden 785 Sunk
19 May 1917 Göta  Sweden 1,128 Captured as a prize
19 May 1917 Kjell  Sweden 235 Sunk
19 May 1917 Kyros  Sweden 221 Sunk
19 May 1917 Lizzie  Sweden 1,095 Captured as a prize
19 May 1917 Märta  Sweden 493 Captured as a prize
19 May 1917 Olga  Sweden 83 Sunk
19 May 1917 Pauline  Sweden 168 Sunk
19 May 1917 Therese  Sweden 208 Sunk
3 June 1917 Sten II  Russian Empire 227 Sunk
6 June 1917 Edvard  Sweden 98 Sunk
6 June 1917 Elianna  Sweden 75 Sunk
11 June 1917 August  Sweden 120 Sunk
15 June 1917 Cleo  Sweden 92 Sunk
7 July 1917 MT 11  Imperial Russian Navy 29 Sunk
7 July 1917 MT 14  Imperial Russian Navy 29 Sunk
14 July 1917 Bonus Russian Empire Grand Duchy of Finland 111 Sunk
10 September 1917 Sims  Russian Empire Unknown Sunk
27 November 1917 Bditelnyi  Imperial Russian Navy 380 Sunk
30 November 1917 MT 1  Imperial Russian Navy 25 Sunk
29 December 1917 Ennismore  United Kingdom 1,499 Sunk
1 January 1918 Eriksholm  Sweden 2,632 Sunk
12 January 1918 Adolph Meyer  Sweden 807 Sunk
11 February 1918 Baku Standard  United Kingdom 3,708 Sunk
12 February 1918 St. Magnus  United Kingdom 809 Sunk
13 February 1918 Lackawanna  United Kingdom 4,125 Damaged
18 May 1918 USS William Rockefeller  United States Navy 7,175 Sunk
28 June 1918 Pochard  United Kingdom 146 Sunk
17 September 1918 Muriel  United Kingdom 1,831 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 7 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 58". 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: Karl Vesper (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Schwarz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  6. ↑ French site, arrival in Cherbourg November 1918
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 58". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 March 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; 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.
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