SM UC-71 explained

SM UC-71 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (de|Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 12 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 28 November 1916 as SM UC-71.[1] In 19 patrols UC-71 was credited with sinking 63 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-71 sank on 20 February 1919 in the North Sea while on her way to be surrendered. Discovery a century later of her wreck with all hatches open suggested she had been deliberately scuttled by her own crew (all of whom survived).[2]

Design

A Type UC II submarine, UC-71 had a displacement of 427t when at the surface and 508t while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.35m (165.19feet), a beam of 5.22m (17.13feet), and a draught of 3.64m (11.94feet). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 300PS (a total of 600PS), two electric motors producing 620PS, 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-71 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]
30 March 1917Edernian United Kingdom3,588Damaged
30 March 1917Saint Louis III97Sunk
30 March 1917Sarcelle France49Sunk
31 March 1917Primrose United Kingdom113Sunk
3 April 1917Ellen James United Kingdom165Sunk
4 April 1917Pensiero2,632Sunk
5 April 1917Gower Coast United Kingdom804Sunk
5 April 1917San Fulgencio Spain1,558Sunk
7 April 1917Caminha Portugal2,763Sunk
9 April 1917Themistoclis Greece1,895Sunk
9 April 1917Valhall Norway750Sunk
10 April 1917Ranvik Norway5,848Sunk
12 April 1917Edelweiss France192Sunk
18 April 1917Heim Norway1,669Sunk
23 April 1917Cenobic Belgium16Sunk
2 May 1917Westland Netherlands108Sunk
5 May 1917Simon Netherlands150Sunk
15 May 1917Boreas Netherlands192Sunk
16 May 1917Hendrika Johana Netherlands134Sunk
17 May 1917Jakoba Netherlands107Sunk
17 May 1917Mercurius Netherlands80Sunk
18 May 1917Annetta Netherlands177Sunk
14 June 1917Wega United Kingdom839Sunk
15 June 1917Wapello United Kingdom5,576Sunk
26 June 1917Normandy543Damaged
28 June 1917Marne France4,019Sunk
29 June 1917Driskos Greece2,833Sunk
3 July 1917Orleans United States2,853Sunk
4 July 1917Snetoppen Norway2,349Sunk
6 July 1917Løvstakken Norway3,105Sunk
6 July 1917Victoria 2 Norway2,798Sunk
8 July 1917Vendee United Kingdom1,295Sunk
3 August 1917Aube United Kingdom1,837Sunk
4 August 1917Afrique France2,457Damaged
4 August 1917Cairnstrath United Kingdom2,128Sunk
7 August 1917Port Curtis United Kingdom4,710Sunk
8 August 19173,117Sunk
6 September 1917Elisabethville Belgium7,017Sunk
7 September 1917Mont de Piete France38Sunk
7 September 1917Kleber France277Damaged
8 September 1917Setubal Norway1,201Sunk
9 September 1917HMS Myosotis1,250Damaged
10 September 1917Vikholmen Norway494Sunk
22 September 1917Matti Norway2,139Damaged
22 September 1917Trongate United Kingdom2,553Sunk
23 September 1917Hornsund United Kingdom3,646Sunk
24 September 1917Leka Norway1,845Sunk
31 October 1917Estrellano United Kingdom1,161Sunk
5 November 1917USS Alcedo983Sunk
16 November 1917Naalso135Sunk
6 December 1917HMT Apley222Sunk
6 December 1917Wyndhurst United Kingdom570Sunk
6 December 1917Braeside United Kingdom569Sunk
24 December 1917Luciston United Kingdom2,877Sunk
25 December 1917Espagne Belgium1,463Sunk
25 December 1917Hyacinthus United Kingdom5,756Damaged
27 December 1917P. L. M. 4 France2,640Sunk
28 December 1917Fallodon United Kingdom3,012Sunk
28 December 1917HMD Piscatorial II93Sunk
29 December 1917HMT Sapper276Sunk
18 January 1918HMT Gambri274Sunk
20 January 1918Harmonides United Kingdom3,521Damaged
23 January 1918Aalesund Norway414Sunk
14 February 1918Atlas United Kingdom3,090Sunk
19 February 1918Athenic United Kingdom4,078Damaged
19 February 1918Commonwealth United Kingdom3,353Sunk
8 March 1918Saba United Kingdom4,257Damaged
12 March 1918Clarissa Radcliffe United Kingdom5,754Damaged
12 March 1918Savan United Kingdom4,264Damaged
13 March 1918Londonier Belgium1,870Sunk
14 March 1918HMT Agate248Sunk
14 March 1918Comrie Castle United Kingdom5,173Damaged
7 April 1918Highland Brigade United Kingdom5,669Sunk
12 April 1918Luis United Kingdom4,284Sunk
10 May 1918Amplegarth United Kingdom3,707Sunk
15 May 1918Pennyworth United Kingdom5,388Damaged
20 May 1918Manchester Importer United Kingdom4,028Damaged
26 June 1918Raranga United Kingdom10,040Damaged
31 July 1918HMD City of Liverpool88Sunk
4 August 1918Waipara United Kingdom6,994Damaged
5 August 1918Polescar United Kingdom5,832Damaged

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (en|His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. Web site: Daily Telegraph. 7 Dec 2023. German crew sank own submarine after First World War to prevent it falling into Allied hands.
  3. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
  4. uc71. UC 71. 1boat. 10 December 2014.

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