SM UC-45 explained

SM UC-45 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 20 November 1915 and was launched on 20 October 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 November 1916 as SM UC-45. In five patrols UC-45 was credited with sinking 12 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-45 sank in a diving accident on 17 September 1917 in the North Sea. The German salvage vessel raised the wreck and UC-45 re-entered service on 24 October 1918. She was surrendered on 24 November 1918 and broken up at Preston in 1919–20.

Design

A Type UC II submarine, UC-45 had a displacement of 400t when at the surface and 480t while submerged. She had a length overall of 49.45m (162.24feet), a beam of 5.22m (17.13feet), and a draught of 3.68m (12.07feet). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 260PS (a total of 520PS), two electric motors producing 460PS, and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of .

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a submerged speed of . When submerged, she could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . UC-45 was fitted with six mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8sp=usNaNsp=us Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage^[1]	Fate^[2]
19 March 1917	Pollux	Norway	1,196	Sunk
22 March 1917	Egenaes	Norway	399	Sunk
22 March 1917	Susanna	Norway	442	Sunk
23 March 1917	Blomwaag	Norway	695	Sunk
17 April 1917	Bretagne	Denmark	1,110	Sunk
17 April 1917	Charles Goodanew	United Kingdom	791	Sunk
18 April 1917	Louisiana	Denmark	3,015	Sunk
26 May 1917	Saint Hubert	France	423	Sunk
28 May 1917	Teie	Norway	1,974	Sunk
4 June 1917	Phemius	United Kingdom	6,699	Sunk
7 June 1917	Golden Hope	United Kingdom	67	Sunk
13 July 1917	Afram	Denmark	43	Sunk

References

Bibliography

• Book: Bendert , Harald . Die UC-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine 1914-1918. Minenkrieg mit U-Booten. Mittler. 2001. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn. 3-8132-0758-7. 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: Gardiner . Robert . Gray . Randal . Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 . . . 1985 . 978-0-87021-907-8 . 12119866 .
• Book: Tarrant, V. E. . The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945 . Annapolis, Maryland . Naval Institute Press . 1989 . 978-0-87021-764-7 . 20338385 .

54.15°N 42°W

Notes and References

1. Tonnages are in gross register tons
2. uc45. UC 45. 1boat. 23 February 2015.