SM UB-55 explained

SM UB-55 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 Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 1 July 1917 as SM UB-55.

She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-55 was sunk at 05:05 on 22 April 1918 at 51.0167°N 21°W after striking a mine, 30 crew members lost their lives in the event.

Construction

See main article: Type UB III submarine. She was built by AG Weser, Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 9 May 1917. UB-55 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Kptlt. Ralph Wenninger. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-55 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.82NaN2 deck gun. UB-55 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9020nmi. UB-55 had a displacement of 516lk=inNaNlk=in while surfaced and 646t when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4kn when surfaced and when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage^[1]	Fate^[2]
5 November 1917	Clan Cumming	United Kingdom	4,808	Damaged
7 December 1917	Proba	United Kingdom	105	Sunk
8 December 1917	Corinto	Norway	999	Sunk
11 December 1917	Argus	Portugal	100	Sunk
11 December 1917	Ligeiro	Portugal	25	Sunk
11 December 1917	A Portuguesa	Portugal	107	Sunk
11 December 1917	Vigneira	Portugal	25	Sunk
16 December 1917	Foylemore	United Kingdom	3,831	Sunk
25 January 1918	Eastlands	United Kingdom	3,113	Sunk
26 January 1918	Manhattan	United Kingdom	8,001	Damaged
29 January 1918	Addax	United Kingdom	40	Sunk
29 January 1918	General Leman	United Kingdom	57	Sunk
29 January 1918	Ibex	United Kingdom	42	Sunk
29 January 1918	Perriton	United Kingdom	90	Sunk
29 January 1918	Perseverance	United Kingdom	51	Sunk
30 January 1918	HMS Wellholme		113	Sunk
14 March 1918	A. A. Raven	United States	2,459	Sunk
21 March 1918	Begonia	United Kingdom	3,070	Sunk
23 March 1918	Chattahoochee	United States	8,007	Sunk
23 March 1918	Madame Midas	United Kingdom	1,203	Sunk
23 March 1918	Mar Baltico	Spain	2,023	Sunk
23 March 1918	Venborg	Norway	1,065	Sunk
24 March 1918	Fileur	France	73	Sunk

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Book: Bendert, Harald . Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal . . Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. 2000 . 3-8132-0713-7 . German.
• Book: Gröner. Erich. Jung. Dieter. Maass. Martin. Thomas. Keith. Magowan. Rachel. 1991. U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. 2. German Warships 1815–1945. London. Conway Maritime Press. 0-85177-593-4. CITEREFGröner1991.
• Book: Rössler . Eberhard . Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden . 1979 . . . I. 3-7637-5213-7. de.

Notes and References

1. Tonnages are in gross register tons
2. ub55. UB-55. 1boat. 5 December 2014.