SM UC-12 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I.
A Type UC I submarine, UC-1 had a displacement of 168t when at the surface and 182t while submerged. She had a length overall of 33.99m (111.52feet), a beam of 3.15m (10.33feet), and a draught of 3.060NaN0. The submarine was powered by one Benz six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 80PS, an electric motor producing 175PS, and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at a depth of .
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 . UC-1 was fitted with six mine tubes, twelve UC 120 mines, and one 8mm machine gun. She was built by AG Weser Bremen and her complement was fourteen crew members.
The U-boat was ordered on 23 November 1914, laid down on 27 January 1915, and was launched on 29 April 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 2 May 1915 as SM UC-12.[1]
UC-12 served with the Pola Flotilla based at Cattaro in the Adriatic. She operated as a minelayer, and undertook seven patrols in this role. Mines laid by UC-12 were credited with sinking six ships. One of these, the Italian Marechiaro sunk on 21 February 1916, was listed as a hospital ship and sank with over 200 casualties.[2] Since Germany was not at war with Italy at this stage, though Austria was, UC 12, like other German U-boats in the Mediterranean, operated under the Austro-Hungarian flag.
On 16 March 1916 UC-12 was sunk by the detonation of one of her own mines while laying a mine fields off Taranto harbour. Italian divers inspected the wreck and established its identity. The knowledge that Germany, technically their ally, was assiduously mining their naval bases was a contributing factor in Italy’s decision in August 1916 to declare war on Germany.[3] The submarine was raised by Italy and commissioned as X-1 in the Italian Royal Navy.
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[4] | Fate[5] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 February 1916 | Memphis | 2,382 | Sunk | ||
| 21 February 1916 | Marechiaro | 412 | Sunk | ||
| 23 February 1916 | Monsone | 249 | Sunk | ||
| 26 February 1916 | HMD Lily Reaich | 88 | Sunk | ||
| 3 March 1916 | HMD Boy Harold | 74 | Sunk | ||
| 8 March 1916 | HMD Enterprise II | 84 | Sunk |