SM UB-29

SM UB-29 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 31 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 January 1916 as SM UB-29.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-29.
SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-29
History
German Empire
Name: UB-29
Ordered: 30 April 1915[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen[1]
Cost: 1,291,000 German Papiermark
Yard number: 243[1]
Launched: 31 December 1915[1]
Commissioned: 18 January 1916[2]
Fate: sunk by depth charge 13 December 1916
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UB II submarine
Displacement:
  • 265 t (261 long tons) surfaced
  • 291 t (286 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (13 ft) pressure hull
Draught: 3.66 m (12 ft)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) surfaced
  • 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 6,650 nautical miles (12,320 km; 7,650 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 2 officers, 21 men
Armament:
Notes: 30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Herbert Pustkuchen[3]
  • 18 January – 2 November 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Platsch[4]
  • 3 November – 13 December 1916
Operations: 17 patrols
Victories:
  • 36 merchant ships sunk (47,107 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged (3,713 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ship captured as prizes (2,170 GRT)
  • 1 warship damaged (3,750 tons)

The submarine sank 31 ships in 17 patrols for a total of 35,562 gross register tons (GRT).[5] UB-29 was supposedly sunk by two depth charges from HMS Landrail south of Goodwin Sands at 51°9′N 1°46′E on 13 December 1916 ,[2] although the location of its wreck discovered in Belgian waters, approximately 15nm Nw of Oostende contradicts this claim. The Landrail might have mistaken UB-29 for another boat, possibly the UC-19.[6]

The UB-29's wreckage - exceptionally well-preserved and with the hull still intact - was found by Belgian divers in the summer of 2017, and formally identified in November 2017. Its exact location was not published, in order to enable further research and protection of the site.[7]

Design

A German Type UB II submarine, UB-29 had a displacement of 265 tonnes (261 long tons) when at the surface and 291 tonnes (286 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.13 m (118 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.66 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 267 metric horsepower (263 shp; 196 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 6,650 nautical miles (12,320 km; 7,650 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-29 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 5 cm (2.0 in) SK L/40 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a thirty-second dive time.[2]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[8]
19 March 1916 Nominoe  France 3,155 Sunk
20 March 1916 Langeli  Norway 1,565 Sunk
20 March 1916 Skodsborg  Denmark 1,697 Sunk
24 March 1916 Salybia  United Kingdom 3,352 Sunk
24 March 1916 Sussex  France 1,353 Damaged
6 April 1916 Vesuvio  United Kingdom 1,391 Sunk
6 April 1916 Asger Ryg  Denmark 1,134 Sunk
7 April 1916 Braunton  United Kingdom 4,575 Sunk
7 April 1916 Marguerite  France 42 Sunk
25 April 1916 Berkelstroom  Netherlands 736 Sunk
25 April 1916 HMS Penelope  Royal Navy 3,750 Damaged
17 May 1916 Boy Percy  United Kingdom 46 Sunk
17 May 1916 Boy Sam  United Kingdom 46 Sunk
17 May 1916 Wanderer  United Kingdom 47 Sunk
6 August 1916 Loch Lomond  United Kingdom 42 Sunk
3 September 1916 Gotthard  Norway 1,636 Sunk
3 September 1916 Notre Dame De Lourdes  France 161 Sunk
5 September 1916 Jeanne  Denmark 1,191 Sunk
6 September 1916 Torridge  United Kingdom 5,036 Sunk
6 September 1916 Yvonne  France 104 Sunk
7 September 1916 Alice  France 119 Sunk
9 September 1916 Consolation  United Kingdom 47 Sunk
9 September 1916 Dorado  United Kingdom 36 Sunk
9 September 1916 Favourite  United Kingdom 38 Sunk
9 September 1916 Muriel Franklin  United Kingdom 29 Sunk
21 October 1916 Fart 3  Norway 230 Sunk
21 October 1916 Grit  United Kingdom 147 Sunk
21 October 1916 Princess May  United Kingdom 104 Sunk
22 October 1916 Georges M. Embiricos  Greece 3,636 Sunk
24 October 1916 Anna Gurine  Norway 1,147 Sunk
24 October 1916 Sidmouth  United Kingdom 4,045 Sunk
28 October 1916 Saint Charles  France 521 Sunk
12 November 1916 Batavier VI  Netherlands 1,085 Captured as a prize
15 November 1916 Midsland  Netherlands 1,085 Captured as a prize
1 December 1916 Bossi  Norway 1,462 Sunk
1 December 1916 Briardene  United Kingdom 2,701 Sunk
2 December 1916 Hitterøy  Norway 1,985 Sunk
6 December 1916 Ans  Russian Empire 362 Sunk
6 December 1916 Marie  Denmark 325 Sunk
7 December 1916 Keltier  Belgium 2,360 Damaged
7 December 1916 Meteor  Norway 4,217 Sunk

Wreckage

The well preserved wreckage of the submarine was discovered in 2017 off the coast of Oostende. Hence, the assumption that it was sunk south of Goodwin Sands after a collision with HMS Landrail cannot be maintained. One possible explanation is that UB-29 escaped after the collision, and ran into a mine in Belgian waters. Another explanation is that HMS Landrail sank another U-boat, possibly the UC-19. The German government decided to leave the 22 crew members in the wreckage. Only some minor artefacts lying outside the submarine will be salvaged for an exposition in Belgium and will later be handed to the Internationales Maritimes Museum Hamburg.[9]

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. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

References
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 54.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 23-25.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Herbert Pustkuchen (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Platsch". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  5. Bendert 2000, p. 195.
  6. "In Noordzee gevonden Duitse WO 1 duikboot geidentificeerd". vrt.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2017-11-14.
  7. "Gezonken WOI-duikboot voor onze kust geeft geheimen prijs". hln.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2017-11-14.
  8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 29". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  9. "In Noordzee gevonden Duitse WO 1 duikboot geidentificeerd". vrt.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2017-11-14.

Bibliography
  • Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 – 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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