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SM UC-53

Summary

SM UC-53 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 and was launched on 27 February 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 April 1917 as SM UC-53.[Note 1] In eight patrols UC-53 was credited with sinking 47 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-53 was scuttled at Pola on 28 October 1918 on the surrender of Austria-Hungary.[1]

History
German Empire
NameUC-53
Ordered12 January 1916[1]
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel[2]
Yard number269[1]
Launched27 February 1917[1]
Commissioned5 April 1917[1]
FateScuttled at Pola, 28 October 1918[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 434 t (427 long tons), surfaced
  • 511 t (503 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph), surfaced
  • 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range
  • 8,820–9,450 nmi (16,330–17,500 km; 10,150–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 56 nmi (104 km; 64 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:
  • Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer II Flotilla
  • 24 June 1917 – 28 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Kurt Albrecht[4]
  • 5 April 1917 – 5 February 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Adolf Ehrensberger[5]
  • 6 February – 18 June 1918
  • Kptlt. Erich Gerth[6]
  • 19 June – 28 October 1918
Operations: 8 patrols
Victories:
  • 47 merchant ships sunk
    (46,469 GRT)
  • 11 merchant ships damaged
    (31,612 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (120 GRT)

Design edit

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-53 had a displacement of 434 tonnes (427 long tons) when at the surface and 511 tonnes (503 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 52.69 m (172 ft 10 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.64 m (11 ft 11 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 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,820 to 9,450 nautical miles (16,330 to 17,500 km; 10,150 to 10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-53 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 edit

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[7]
4 June 1917 City of Baroda   United Kingdom 5,032 Sunk
9 June 1917 Lilly   Denmark 1,150 Sunk
9 June 1917 Tordenvore   Norway 1,565 Sunk
10 June 1917 Ligeiro   Portugal 285 Damaged
10 June 1917 Santa Maria   Portugal 204 Sunk
11 June 1917 Sibens   Russian Empire 323 Sunk
12 June 1917 Symra   Norway 3,005 Sunk
16 June 1917 Esperanza   Spain 98 Sunk
16 June 1917 F.7.SB.   Spain 50 Sunk
21 June 1917 Nord   France 3,193 Damaged
9 August 1917 Canara   United Kingdom 6,012 Damaged
10 August 1917 Margherita   Kingdom of Italy 66 Sunk
10 August 1917 Tito Speri   Kingdom of Italy 3,893 Sunk
13 August 1917 Arcangelo Michele   Kingdom of Italy 45 Sunk
12 August 1917 Ansedonia   Kingdom of Italy 270 Sunk
12 August 1917 Ardita Carrara   Kingdom of Italy 75 Sunk
13 August 1917 Il Nuovo Leonardo   Kingdom of Italy 34 Sunk
15 September 1917 Cavi   Kingdom of Italy 2,544 Damaged
18 September 1917 Domenico Primo   Kingdom of Italy 80 Damaged
19 September 1917 Teresita   Kingdom of Italy 136 Sunk
21 September 1917 Christina   Kingdom of Italy 32 Sunk
22 September 1917 Primo   Kingdom of Italy 65 Sunk
23 September 1917 Argietta   Kingdom of Italy 165 Sunk
23 September 1917 Giuseppina Concettina   Kingdom of Italy 31 Sunk
23 September 1917 Irthington   United Kingdom 2,845 Sunk
24 September 1917 Nuova Francesca   Kingdom of Italy 45 Sunk
24 September 1917 S. Espedito   Kingdom of Italy 31 Sunk
8 December 1917 Giuseppe Naccari   Kingdom of Italy 128 Sunk
9 December 1917 Cerea   Kingdom of Italy 4,295 Damaged
9 December 1917 Costas   Greece 3,278 Sunk
10 December 1917 Antonio Magliulo   Kingdom of Italy 520 Sunk
13 December 1917 Karen   Norway 1,689 Sunk
14 December 1917 HMS Brig 1   Royal Navy 120 Damaged
25 December 1917 Hekla   Denmark 937 Sunk
25 January 1918 Carignano   Kingdom of Italy 2,688 Sunk
26 January 1918 Asimina   Greece 2,878 Sunk
29 January 1918 Geo   United Kingdom 3,048 Sunk
30 January 1918 Fratelli Barrera   Kingdom of Italy 88 Sunk
30 January 1918 Michele Padre   Kingdom of Italy 230 Sunk
24 March 1918 La Nuova Felice   Kingdom of Italy 72 Sunk
24 March 1918 Nuovo Genio   Kingdom of Italy 35 Sunk
24 March 1918 Regina Immacolata   Kingdom of Italy 36 Sunk
24 March 1918 Tre Sorelle Salvo   Kingdom of Italy 26 Sunk
27 March 1918 Castrenzo Coppola   Kingdom of Italy 94 Sunk
4 June 1918 Michelangelo   Kingdom of Italy 2,456 Damaged
8 June 1918 Concettina   Kingdom of Italy 1,271 Sunk
8 June 1918 La Bayonnaise   France 2,425 Sunk
10 June 1918 Brodholme   United Kingdom 5,747 Damaged
22 September 1918 Gorsemore   United Kingdom 3,079 Sunk
28 September 1918 Caraibe   France 2,976 Damaged
30 September 1918 Francesco Padre   Kingdom of Italy 101 Sunk
30 September 1918 Gabriela Costela   Kingdom of Italy 105 Sunk
30 September 1918 Giovanni Costa   Kingdom of Italy 102 Sunk
30 September 1918 San Francesco P.   Kingdom of Italy 41 Sunk
1 October 1918 Giuseppino M.   Kingdom of Italy 48 Sunk
1 October 1918 S. Giuseppe A.   Kingdom of Italy 56 Sunk
5 October 1918 Rosa   Kingdom of Italy 908 Damaged
20 November 1918 War Typhoon   United Kingdom 3,116 Damaged
15 January 1919 Chaouia   France 4,334 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. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 53". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Albrecht". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Adolf Ehrensberger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Gerth". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 53". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 March 2015.

Bibliography edit

  • 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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