SM U-71 explained

SM U-71 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-71 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Design

Type UE I submarines were preceded by the longer Type U 66 submarines. U-71 had a displacement of 755t when at the surface and 832t while submerged. She had a total length of 56.8m (186.4feet), a pressure hull length of 46.66m (153.08feet), a beam of 5.9m (19.4feet), a height of 8.25m (27.07feet), and a draught of 4.86m (15.94feet). The submarine was powered by two 900PS engines for use while surfaced, and two 900PS engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to .

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, she could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-71 was fitted with two torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), four torpedoes, and one 8.8cm (03.5inches) deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-two (twenty-eight crew members and four officers).

Operations

U-71 came off the stocks at Hamburg (Vulcan) in January 1916, and joined the Kiel School where she remained until 7 April 1916, when she entered the North Sea to join the 1st Half Flotilla.[1]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage[2] Fate[3]
18 October 1916Greta Sweden1,370Sunk
19 October 1916Mercur Sweden711Sunk
19 October 1916Normandie Sweden1,342Sunk
21 October 1916Rönnaug Norway1,331Sunk
13 December 1916Solon Denmark137Sunk
17 December 1916Sjofna Norway528Sunk
18 December 1916Herø Norway1,106Sunk
18 December 1916Sieka Netherlands119Sunk
19 February 1917Halcyon United Kingdom190Sunk
4 June 1917Orion Denmark1,870Sunk
5 June 1917C. Thorén Sweden269Sunk
5 June 1917Götha Sweden232Sunk
20 July 1917Sirra Netherlands223Sunk
26 July 1917Flore France3,553Sunk
26 July 1917Ethelwynne United Kingdom3,230Damaged
14 August 1917Majorka Norway1,684Sunk
31 August 1917Taurus United Kingdom128Sunk
20 October 1917HMT Thomas Stratten309Sunk
12 December 1917Amadavat United Kingdom171Sunk
31 December 1917De Hoop Netherlands82Captured as prize
15 August 19181,801Sunk
15 August 1918HMS Ulleswater[4] [5] [6] [7] 930Sunk
20 August 1918HMS Shirley820Damaged

References

Citations

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=6&CATID=3981615&j=1 HW 7/3, Room 40, History of German Naval Warfare 1914-1918
  2. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  3. u71. U 71. 1boat . 13 January 2015.
  4. According to other sources, HMS Ulleswater was sunk by .
  5. Web site: HMS Ullswater . The Dreadnought Project . 25 November 2022.
  6. Book: Randall, Ian . 1997 . Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921 . Conway Maritime . 81 . 978-0851772455.
  7. Book: Rower, R.P.P . 2022 . A Concise Chronicle of Events of the Great War. DigiCat . 143.