SM UB-112

Summary

SM UB-112 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 16 April 1918 as SM UB-112.[Note 1]

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-112.
History
German Empire
NameUB-112
Ordered6 / 8 February 1917[2]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg
Cost3,714,000 German Papiermark
Yard number318
Launched15 September 1917[1]
Commissioned16 April 1918[1]
FateSurrendered 24 November 1918; used for explosive trials and dumped on beach 1920; sold for scrap 1921
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeGerman Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 519 t (511 long tons) surfaced
  • 649 t (639 long tons) submerged
Length55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) surfaced
  • 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,420 nmi (13,740 km; 8,540 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[1]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Wilhelm Rhein[3]
  • 16 April – 11 November 1918
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories:
  • 11 merchant ships sunk
    (10,459 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (1,960 GRT)

UB-112 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 24 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany; she was used for explosives trials off Falmouth on 20 November and 1 December 1920, after which the boat was dumped on Castle Beach. The wreck was sold for scrap to R. Roskelly & Rodgers on 19 April 1921 for £125, but remains survive in situ.[4]

Construction edit

She was built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 15 September 1917. UB-112 was commissioned in the spring the next year under the command of Kptlt. Wilhelm Rhein. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-112 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-112 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,420 nautical miles (13,740 km; 8,540 mi). UB-112 had a displacement of 519 t (511 long tons) while surfaced and 649 t (639 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h; 15.3 mph) when surfaced and 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history edit

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[5]
21 August 1918 The Stewart’s Court   United Kingdom 813 Sunk
22 August 1918 Prunelle   United Kingdom 579 Sunk
23 August 1918 Heros   Sweden 351 Sunk
30 September 1918 Atlantico   Portugal 319 Sunk
1 October 1918 Aldebaran   Sweden 1,683 Sunk
1 October 1918 Gjertrud   Norway 593 Sunk
2 October 1918 Bamse   United Kingdom 1,001 Sunk
2 October 1918 Poljames   United Kingdom 856 Sunk
3 October 1918 Atlantis   Norway 1,171 Sunk
3 October 1918 Westwood   United Kingdom 1,968 Sunk
3 October 1918 A.E. Mc Kinstry   Canada 1,960 Damaged
4 October 1918 Nanna   Norway 1,125 Sunk

References edit

Notes edit

  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. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  2. ^ Rössler 1979, p. 66.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Rhein (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
  4. ^ Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. pp. 50–52, 99, 129. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 112". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 March 2015.

Bibliography edit

  • Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
  • 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.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.

50°8′46.86″N 5°3′1.96″W / 50.1463500°N 5.0505444°W / 50.1463500; -5.0505444