SM UC-46 explained

SM UC-46 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, laid down on 1 February 1916, and was launched on 8 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 September 1916 as SM UC-46.^[1] In four patrols UC-46 was credited with sinking 10 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-46 was rammed and sunk southeast of Goodwin Sands by the British destroyer on 8 February 1917.

Design

A Type UC II submarine, UC-46 had a displacement of 420t when at the surface and 502t while submerged. She had a length overall of 51.85m (170.11feet), 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 300PS (a total of 600PS), 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-46 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^[2]	Fate^[3]
21 December 1916	Modig	Norway	1,704	Sunk
23 December 1916	William Middleton	United Kingdom	2,543	Damaged
24 December 1916	Paul Paix	United Kingdom	4,196	Damaged
26 December 1916	Agnes	United Kingdom	99	Sunk
26 December 1916	Neptune	Belgium	199	Sunk
26 December 1916	Saint Louis	France	184	Sunk
30 December 1916	Sappho	Greece	2,087	Sunk
1 January 1917	Goosebridge	Sweden	1,886	Sunk
1 February 1917	Gamma	Netherlands	2,115	Sunk
2 February 1917	Isle of Arran	United Kingdom	1,918	Sunk
4 February 1917	Marthe	France	154	Sunk
5 February 1917	Argyllshire	United Kingdom	12,097	Damaged
6 February 1917	HMT Longset		275	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 .

Notes and References

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.
3. uc46. UC 46. 1boat. 24 February 2015.