SM UC-47 explained

SM UC-47 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 30 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 13 October 1916 as SM UC-47.[1] In 13 patrols UC-47 was credited with sinking 58 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-47 was rammed and depth charged by British patrol boat P-57, under the command of H.C. Birnie, off Flamborough Head on 18 November 1917. UC-47 went down with all hands.[2]

Design

A Type UC II submarine, UC-47 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-47 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

DateNameNationalityTonnage[3] Fate[4]
31 January 1917Modiva Norway1,276Sunk
1 February 1917Portia Norway1,127Sunk
8 February 1917880Sunk
8 February 1917Lullington United Kingdom2,816Sunk
10 February 1917Japanese Prince United Kingdom4,876Sunk
12 February 1917Aghios Spyridon Greece1,618Sunk
12 February 1917Brissons United Kingdom60Sunk
13 February 1917Sequoya United Kingdom5,263Damaged
13 February 1917F. D. Lambert United Kingdom2,195Sunk
13 February 1917Fleurette United Kingdom60Sunk
11 March 1917Charles Le Cour France2,352Sunk
11 March 1917G. A. Savage United Kingdom357Sunk
12 March 1917C.A.S. United Kingdom60Sunk
12 March 1917Ena United Kingdom56Sunk
12 March 1917Gratia United Kingdom37Sunk
12 March 1917Hyacinth United Kingdom56Sunk
12 March 1917Inter-nos United Kingdom59Sunk
12 March 1917Jessamine United Kingdom56Sunk
12 March 1917Lent Lily United Kingdom23Sunk
12 March 1917Nellie United Kingdom61Sunk
12 March 1917Proverb United Kingdom37Sunk
12 March 1917Rivina United Kingdom22Sunk
14 March 1917Brika United Kingdom3,549Sunk
15 March 1917Solferino Norway1,155Sunk
15 March 1917Wilfred Norway1,121Sunk
16 March 1917Medusa1,274Sunk
16 March 1917Sully France2,649Sunk
17 April 1917Dantzic United Kingdom108Sunk
17 April 1917William Shephard United Kingdom143Sunk
19 April 1917Old Head United Kingdom105Damaged
19 April 1917Gold Coast United Kingdom4,255Sunk
19 April 1917Jewel United Kingdom195Sunk
19 April 1917HMT Star of Freedom258Sunk
22 April 1917HMS Gaelic224Damaged
23 April 1917Tommi United Kingdom138Damaged
23 April 1917Imataka United Kingdom1,776Sunk
24 April 1917Heather United Kingdom58Sunk
24 April 1917Plutus United Kingdom1,189Sunk
26 April 1917Aigle France172Sunk
26 April 1917John Lockett Norway842Sunk
18 May 1917Mary Baird United Kingdom1,830Sunk
3 June 1917Portofino1,754Sunk
12 June 1917HMT Carew Castle256Sunk
14 June 1917Dart United Kingdom3,207Sunk
19 June 1917Great City United Kingdom5,525Damaged
18 July 1917Ruth Norway549Damaged
20 July 1917Beatrice United Kingdom712Sunk
20 July 1917Bramham United Kingdom1,978Sunk
31 July 1917Fremona United Kingdom3,028Sunk
31 July 1917Motano United States2,730Sunk
22 August 1917Gro Norway2,667Sunk
23 August 1917Peer Gynt Norway1,144Sunk
23 August 1917Veghtstroom United Kingdom1,353Sunk
26 August 1917Eirini Greece2,452Sunk
26 August 1917Seresia Belgium2,342Damaged
23 September 1917Perseverance United Kingdom118Sunk
24 September 1917Mimosa France296Damaged
25 September 1917Boynton United Kingdom2,578Sunk
3 October 1917Annie F. Conlon United States591Sunk
18 October 1917Cadmus United Kingdom1,879Sunk
18 October 1917Togston United Kingdom1,057Sunk
9 November 1917Ballogie United Kingdom1,207Sunk
9 November 1917Isabelle France2,466Sunk
11 November 1917Dana Sweden1,620Sunk
12 November 1917Huibertje Netherlands68Sunk
14 March 1918Jeanne Marie France2,971Sunk

References

Bibliography

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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. Web site: MSN News. Revealing a WWI drama: How modern technology is shedding new light on the horrors of submarine warfare. 5 Aug 2020.
  3. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  4. uc47. UC 47. 1boat. 25 February 2015.

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