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SM UC-69

Summary

SM UC-69 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 7 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 December 1916 as SM UC-69.[Note 1] In nine patrols UC-69 was credited with sinking 54 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-69 was sunk after being accidentally rammed by U-96 near Barfleur on 6 December 1917. The wreck was accidentally discovered in November 2017 by the Dutch naval mine sweeper Zr.Ms. Makkum which was mapping the sea-bed off the French Normandy coast.[1]

History
German Empire
NameUC-69
Ordered12 January 1916[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[2]
Yard number285[1]
Launched7 August 1916[1]
Commissioned22 December 1916[1]
FateSunk after collision with U-96, 6 December 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 427 t (420 long tons), surfaced
  • 508 t (500 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
  • 12.0 knots (22.2 km/h; 13.8 mph), surfaced
  • 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph), submerged
Range
  • 10,420 nmi (19,300 km; 11,990 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
Notes35-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern / Flandern II Flotilla
  • 6 March - 6 December 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Erwin Waßner[4]
  • 23 December 1916 – 8 August 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hugo Thielmann[5]
  • 9 August – 6 December 1917
Operations: 9 patrols
Victories:
  • 54 merchant ships sunk
    (99,285 GRT + Unknown GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (16,705 GRT)
  • 1 warship damaged
    (975 tons)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (862 GRT)

Design edit

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-69 had a displacement of 427 tonnes (420 long tons) when at the surface and 508 tonnes (500 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.35 m (165 ft 2 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 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 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 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 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 10,420 nautical miles (19,300 km; 11,990 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-69 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[6]
12 March 1917 HMS Skate   Royal Navy 975 Damaged
25 March 1917 Huntleys   United Kingdom 186 Sunk
25 March 1917 Mary Annie   United Kingdom 154 Sunk
26 March 1917 Norma   Sweden 1,443 Sunk
27 March 1917 Aasta   Norway 1,146 Sunk
27 March 1917 Grib   Norway 1,474 Sunk
27 March 1917 Thracia   United Kingdom 2,891 Sunk
28 March 1917 Katina   Greece 2,464 Sunk
29 March 1917 Morild I   Norway 1,354 Sunk
30 March 1917 Avanguardia   Kingdom of Italy 2,703 Sunk
30 March 1917 Britta   Norway 2,061 Sunk
31 March 1917 Farmand   Norway 1,387 Sunk
1 May 1917 Barreiro   Portugal 1,738 Sunk
3 May 1917 Maria   Greece 2,754 Sunk
3 May 1917 Polstad   Norway 2,692 Sunk
4 May 1917 Ilva   Kingdom of Italy 2,140 Sunk
4 May 1917 Ioannis P. Goulandris   Greece 3,153 Sunk
4 May 1917 Tromp   Norway 2,751 Sunk
6 May 1917 Gurth   Norway 1,340 Sunk
6 May 1917 Voss   Norway 2,390 Sunk
7 May 1917 Leikanger   Norway 3,544 Sunk
7 May 1917 Tiger   Norway 3,273 Sunk
22 May 1917 Nann Smith   Norway 2,093 Sunk
12 June 1917 Alexandre   France 697 Sunk
14 June 1917 Hasting   Sweden 983 Sunk
15 June 1917 Addah   United Kingdom 4,397 Sunk
16 June 1917 La Tour D’agon   France 125 Sunk
17 June 1917 Marguerite VI   French Navy 862 Damaged
19 June 1917 Bearn   France 1,288 Sunk
19 June 1917 Spind   Norway 1,174 Sunk
20 June 1917 Katerina   Greece 3,092 Sunk
21 June 1917 E. T. Nygaard   Denmark 1,923 Sunk
24 June 1917 Cabo Verde   Portugal 2,220 Sunk
24 June 1917 Helma   Norway 1,131 Sunk
10 July 1917 Kansan   United States 7,913 Sunk
20 July 1917 Kageshima Maru   Japan 4,697 Sunk
23 July 1917 Frithjof   Norway 1,389 Sunk
24 July 1917 Sir Walter   United Kingdom 492 Sunk
25 July 1917 Baldwin   Norway 1,130 Sunk
26 July 1917 Bertha   Portugal 107 Sunk
26 July 1917 Locksley   Norway 2,487 Sunk
26 July 1917 Venturoso   Portugal 290 Sunk
28 July 1917 Hildur   Norway 961 Sunk
29 July 1917 Gyldenpris   Norway 2,667 Sunk
10 August 1917 War Patrol   United Kingdom 2,045 Sunk
1 September 1917 Erato   United Kingdom 2,041 Sunk
2 September 1917 Ker Durand   France 56 Sunk
2 September 1917 Rytonhall   United Kingdom 4,203 Sunk
4 September 1917 Sadi Carnot   France 354 Sunk
5 September 1917 Alesia   France 6,006 Damaged
15 September 1917 Sommeina   United Kingdom 3,317 Sunk
26 September 1917 Acorn   United Kingdom 112 Sunk
26 September 1917 Port Victor   United Kingdom 7,280 Damaged
6 October 1917 Lamartine   France 424 Sunk
6 October 1917 Le Coq   United Kingdom 3,419 Damaged
2 November 1917 Farraline   United Kingdom 1,226 Sunk
27 November 1917 Gladys   United Kingdom 179 Sunk
9 February 1918 Fantoft   Norway 1,034 Sunk
19 September 1918 Belliqueux   France Unknown 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 69". 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: Erwin Waßner (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hugo Thielmann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 69". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 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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