SM UB-54

SM UB-54 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 12 June 1917 as SM UB-54.[nb 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-54.
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-54.
History
German Empire
Name: UB-54
Ordered: 20 May 1916[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
Cost: 3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number: 266
Launched: 18 April 1917[2]
Commissioned: 12 June 1917[2]
Fate: sunk 11 March 1918 at 53°15′N 0°45′E by British destroyers, 36 dead[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UB III submarine
Type: Coastal submarine
Displacement:
  • 516 t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 646 t (636 long tons) submerged
Length: 55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam: 5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught: 3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 9,020 nmi (16,710 km; 10,380 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 3 officers, 31 men
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 8 August 1917 - 31 March 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Egon von Werner
  • 12 June 1917 – February 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Hecht
  • 8 February – 31 March 1918
Operations: 6 patrols
Victories: 14 merchant ships sunk (7,200 GRT)

The submarine conducted 6 patrols and sank 14 ships during the war for a total loss of 7,200 gross register tons (GRT).

She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-54 was apparently sunk on 11 March 1918 at 53°15′N 0°45′E by British destroyers HMS Sturgeon, Thruster, and Retriever using depth charges, all hands were lost.[2]

Construction
Main article: German Type UB III submarine

UB-54 was ordered 20 May 1916. She was built by AG Weser, Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 18 April 1917. UB-54 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Egon von Werner.Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-54 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-54 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi). UB-54 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 646 t (636 long tons; 712 short tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[3]
20 August 1917 HMS Vala  Royal Navy 1,016 Sunk
25 August 1917 Frigga  Norway 1,046 Sunk
13 December 1917 Chili  France 1,318 Sunk
20 December 1917 Noris  Norway 583 Sunk
21 December 1917 Orne  France 928 Sunk
23 December 1917 Ragna  Norway 1,747 Sunk
27 January 1918 Nr. 14  Belgium 26 Sunk
29 January 1918 De Julia  Belgium 13 Sunk
29 January 1918 De Twee Marcels  Belgium 13 Sunk
29 January 1918 H. Debra Huysseme  Belgium 46 Sunk
29 January 1918 Jean Mathilde  Belgium 12 Sunk
29 January 1918 Le Jeune Arthur  Belgium 25 Sunk
29 January 1918 Marie  Belgium 16 Sunk
30 January 1918 Ferryhill  United Kingdom 411 Sunk

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.

References

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

Citations
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 25-30.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-54". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 December 2014.

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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