SM UB-40

Coordinates: 51°13.5′N 2°56′E / 51.2250°N 2.933°E / 51.2250; 2.933
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
SM UB-45 a U-boat similar to UB-40
History
German Empire
NameUB-40
Ordered22 July 1915[2]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[2]
Cost1,152,000 German Papiermark[3]
Yard number264[1]
Launched25 April 1916[1]
Completed18 August 1916[1]
Commissioned17 August 1916[3]
FateScuttled during the retreat from Belgium, 5 October 1918[3]
General characteristics
Class and typeGerman Type UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 274 t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) surfaced
  • 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph) submerged
Range
  • 6,450 nmi (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes42-second diving time
Service record[4]
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 10 March 1916 – 2 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl Neumann
  • 17 August – 2 December 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Howaldt
  • 3 December 1916 – 14 December 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl Dobberstein
  • 15 December 1917 – 17 May 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Joachim Emsmann
  • 18 May – 31 July 1918
Operations: 28 patrols
Victories:
  • 99 merchant ships sunk
    (129,330 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (6,287 GRT)
  • 16 merchant ships damaged
    (60,629 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (470 GRT)

SM UB-40[Note 1] was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I.

Design

A German Type UB II submarine, UB-40 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Körting six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 284 metric horsepower (280 shp; 209 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 6,450 nautical miles (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-40 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.[3]

Construction and career

The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 25 April 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 August 1916 as SM UB-40.[Note 2]

The submarine sank 100 ships in 28 patrols. UB-40 was scuttled in Ostend when the German army retreated from Belgium on 5 October 1918.[3]

The wreck of UB-40 has been located & identified by divers in the recent years.[5]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 3] Fate[6]
20 October 1916 Barbara  United Kingdom 3,740 Sunk
21 October 1916 Cock O’ the Walk  United Kingdom 111 Sunk
22 October 1916 Maris Stella  France 106 Sunk
22 October 1916 Risøy  Norway 1,129 Sunk
7 November 1916 Reime  Norway 1,913 Sunk
8 November 1916 Killellan  United Kingdom 1,971 Sunk
16 November 1916 Alphonse Marceline  Belgium 60 Sunk
16 November 1916 Vanguard  United Kingdom 142 Sunk
17 November 1916 Saint Rogatien  France 1,581 Sunk
21 November 1916 Alice  France 822 Sunk
21 November 1916 Palm Beach  United Kingdom 3,891 Damaged
22 November 1916 Houlgate  France 1,550 Sunk
22 November 1916 City of Mexico  Norway 1,511 Sunk
22 November 1916 Grenada  United Kingdom 2,268 Sunk
28 December 1916 Oldambt  Netherlands 470 Captured as prize
5 February 1917 Anna Prosper  Belgium 70 Sunk
5 February 1917 Emerald  United Kingdom 57 Sunk
21 February 1917 Alice  Norway 709 Sunk
25 February 1917 Maria Adriana  Netherlands 88 Sunk
26 February 1917 Tammerfors  Russian Empire 994 Sunk
28 February 1917 Immaculee Conception  France 36 Sunk
25 March 1917 Etoile De La Mer  France 43 Sunk
25 March 1917 Felix Faure  France 37 Sunk
25 March 1917 Louise  France 45 Sunk
25 March 1917 Marie Louise  France 34 Sunk
25 March 1917 Saint Joseph  France 35 Sunk
29 March 1917 Conoid  United Kingdom 165 Sunk
29 March 1917 Irma  France 32 Sunk
30 March 1917 Somme  United Kingdom 1,828 Sunk
15 April 1917 Möhlenpris  Norway 638 Sunk
16 April 1917 Cairndhu  United Kingdom 4,109 Sunk
16 April 1917 Victoria  United Kingdom 165 Sunk
17 April 1917 HMHS Lanfranc  Royal Navy 6,287 Sunk
19 April 1917 Limeleaf  United Kingdom 7,339 Damaged
3 May 1917 Clodmoor  United Kingdom 3,753 Sunk
15 May 1917 Cuba  United Kingdom 271 Sunk
16 May 1917 Highland Corrie  United Kingdom 7,583 Sunk
16 May 1917 Pagenturm  United Kingdom 5,000 Sunk
17 May 1917 Florence Louisa  United Kingdom 115 Sunk
20 May 1917 Porthkerry  United Kingdom 1,920 Sunk
20 May 1917 Tycho  United Kingdom 3,216 Sunk
21 May 1917 Jupiter  United Kingdom 2,124 Sunk
7 June 1917 Mahopac  United Kingdom 3,216 Damaged
7 June 1917 Oldfield Grange  United Kingdom 4,653 Damaged
8 June 1917 Phantom  United Kingdom 251 Sunk
9 June 1917 Eugene Mathilde  France 15 Sunk
9 June 1917 Francois Georgette  France 7 Sunk
10 June 1917 Henri Jeanne  France 9 Sunk
10 June 1917 Madeleine  France 7 Sunk
11 June 1917 Eustace  United Kingdom 3,995 Damaged
11 June 1917 Huntsholm  United Kingdom 2,073 Sunk
11 June 1917 Margarita  United Kingdom 2,788 Damaged
12 June 1917 Alfred  United Kingdom 130 Sunk
27 June 1917 Solway Prince  United Kingdom 317 Sunk
28 June 1917 Marguerite  France 1,544 Sunk
28 June 1917 Northfield  United Kingdom 2,099 Damaged
30 June 1917 Borgund I  Norway 764 Sunk
30 June 1917 Chateau Yquem  France 1,913 Sunk
15 July 1917 Dinorwic  United Kingdom 124 Sunk
15 July 1917 Ebenezer  United Kingdom 177 Sunk
20 July 1917 L. H. Carl  United Kingdom 1,916 Sunk
20 July 1917 Salsette  United Kingdom 5,842 Sunk
22 July 1917 Rota  United Kingdom 2,171 Sunk
12 August 1917 Marie Alfred  France 159 Sunk
12 August 1917 Pauline Louisa  France 172 Sunk
14 August 1917 Tuddal  Norway 3,511 Sunk
15 August 1917 Brodstone  United Kingdom 4,927 Sunk
16 August 1917 Eastgate  United Kingdom 4,277 Damaged
19 August 1917 Glocliffe  United Kingdom 2,211 Sunk
21 September 1917 Radaas  Denmark 2,524 Sunk
22 September 1917 Greleen  United Kingdom 2,286 Sunk
23 September 1917 Rosehill  United Kingdom 2,788 Sunk
25 September 1917 City of Swansea  United Kingdom 1,375 Sunk
19 October 1917 Wellington  United Kingdom 5,600 Damaged
24 October 1917 Gallia  Kingdom of Italy 2,728 Sunk
25 October 1917 Gefion  United Kingdom 1,123 Sunk
28 October 1917 Redesmere  United Kingdom 2,123 Sunk
17 November 1917 Abaris  United Kingdom 2,892 Damaged
17 November 1917 Western Coast  United Kingdom 1,394 Sunk
19 November 1917 Aparima  United Kingdom 5,704 Sunk
9 December 1917 Sedbergh  United Kingdom 4,275 Damaged
27 January 1918 Carolus  Norway 1,041 Sunk
29 January 1918 Butetown  United Kingdom 1,829 Sunk
20 February 1918 Huntsmoor  United Kingdom 4,957 Sunk
25 February 1918 Nyanza  United Kingdom 6,695 Damaged
16 March 1918 Author  United Kingdom 5,586 Damaged
21 March 1918 Ikeda  United Kingdom 6,311 Sunk
18 April 1918 Pentyrch  United Kingdom 3,312 Sunk
26 May 1918 Dayspring  United Kingdom 57 Sunk
26 May 1918 Eclipse  United Kingdom 47 Sunk
26 May 1918 Fortuna  United Kingdom 61 Sunk
31 May 1918 Alert  United Kingdom 59 Sunk
3 June 1918 Antiope  United Kingdom 3,004 Damaged
6 June 1918 Active  United Kingdom 57 Sunk
6 June 1918 Beryl  United Kingdom 57 Sunk
6 June 1918 Dianthus  United Kingdom 51 Sunk
29 June 1918 Grekland  Sweden 2,751 Sunk
29 June 1918 Florentia  United Kingdom 3,688 Sunk
1 July 1918 Charing Cross  United Kingdom 2,534 Sunk
2 July 1918 Admiral  United Kingdom 102 Sunk
2 July 1918 Madeleine  France 158 Damaged
2 July 1918 Nord  France 409 Sunk
7 July 1918 Aby  United Kingdom 15 Sunk
7 July 1918 Albion  United Kingdom 22 Sunk
7 July 1918 Leeds  United Kingdom 161 Damaged
26 July 1918 Boy Jack  United Kingdom 57 Sunk
26 July 1918 Godesgenage  Belgium 40 Sunk
27 July 1918 Counsellor  United Kingdom 56 Sunk
27 July 1918 Fear Not  United Kingdom 59 Sunk
27 July 1918 I’ll Try  United Kingdom 51 Sunk
27 July 1918 Kirkham Abbey  United Kingdom 1,166 Sunk
27 July 1918 Le Bijou  United Kingdom 46 Sunk
27 July 1918 Paragon  United Kingdom 56 Sunk
27 July 1918 Passion Flower  United Kingdom 46 Sunk
27 July 1918 Success  United Kingdom 54 Sunk
27 July 1918 Valour  United Kingdom 39 Sunk
28 July 1918 Francis Robert  United Kingdom 44 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. ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  3. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

  1. ^ a b c Rössler 1979, p. 65.
  2. ^ a b Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: UB 40". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  5. ^ UB-40 (+1918) WreckSite
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 40". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 8 December 2014.

Bibliography

51°13.5′N 2°56′E / 51.2250°N 2.933°E / 51.2250; 2.933