SM U-58

SM U-58[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-58 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-58.

Sailors from U-58 abandoning ship
History
German Empire
Name: U-58
Ordered: 6 October 1914
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
Laid down: 8 June 1915
Launched: 31 May 1916
Commissioned: 9 August 1916
Fate: Depth charged by the destroyer USS Fanning in Bristol Channel at 51°32′N 05°21′W. 2 dead, 38 survivors.
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Type U 57 submarine
Displacement:
  • 786 t (774 long tons) surfaced
  • 956 t (941 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) (oa)
  • 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in) (pressure hull)
Height: 8.05 m (26 ft 5 in)
Draught: 3.79 m (12 ft 5 in)
Installed power:
  • 2 × 1,800 PS (1,324 kW; 1,775 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion: 2 shafts
Speed:
  • 14.7 knots (27.2 km/h; 16.9 mph) surfaced
  • 8.4 knots (15.6 km/h; 9.7 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 7,730 nmi (14,320 km; 8,900 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement: 36
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Kurt Wippern[2]
  • 9 August 1916 – 3 June 1917
  • Kptlt. Peter Hermann[3]
  • 4–26 June 1917
  • Kptlt. Karl Scherb[4]
  • 27 June – 30 October 1917
  • Kptlt. Gustav Amberger[5]
  • 31 October – 17 November 1917
Operations: 8 patrols
Victories: 21 merchant ships sunk (30,906 GRT)

Fate

The boat was sunk with the loss of two men and the capture of the rest of the crew in the Action of 17 November 1917.

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
27 October 1916 Ellen  Sweden 140 Sunk
4 December 1916 Senta  Sweden 1,024 Sunk
5 December 1916 Stettin  Norway 412 Sunk
1 March 1917 Norma  Norway 850 Sunk
25 April 1917 Havila  Denmark 1,421 Sunk
25 April 1917 Hawthornbank  Denmark 1,369 Sunk
25 April 1917 Sokoto  Denmark 2,259 Sunk
27 April 1917 Dromore  United Kingdom 4,398 Sunk
27 April 1917 Langfond  Norway 1,097 Sunk
28 April 1917 Bullmouth  United Kingdom 4,018 Sunk
2 May 1917 Beeswing  United Kingdom 1,462 Sunk
2 May 1917 Dione  Norway 785 Sunk
2 May 1917 Vanduara  Norway 2,079 Sunk
5 May 1917 Asra  Norway 1,975 Sunk
18 June 1917 Bega  United Kingdom 318 Sunk
19 June 1917 Ivigtut  Denmark 456 Sunk
6 July 1917 Motor  Denmark 63 Sunk
8 July 1917 Fiorella  Norway 1,168 Sunk
13 July 1917 Charilaos Tricoupis  Greece 2,475 Sunk
21 July 1917 Ramillies  United Kingdom 2,935 Sunk
14 November 1917 Dolly Warden  United Kingdom 202 Sunk

References

Notes
  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. Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations
  1. Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Wippern". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Peter Hermann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Scherb". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Gustav Amberger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 58". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

Bibliography
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

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