SM UB-57

SM UB-57 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 30 July 1917 as SM UB-57.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-57.
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-57.
History
German Empire
Name: UB-57
Ordered: 20 May 1916[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen
Cost: 3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number: 269
Launched: 21 June 1917[2]
Commissioned: 30 July 1917[2]
Fate: sunk 14 August 1918 at 51°56′N 02°02′E by a mine, 34 dead[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UB III submarine
Displacement:
  • 516 t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 646 t (636 long tons; 712 short 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[2]
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern I Flotilla
  • 20 September 1917 – 14 August 1918
Commanders:
Operations: 11 patrols
Victories:
  • 47 merchant ships sunk (129,173 GRT)
  • 10 merchant ships damaged (58,990 GRT)

She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-57 was sunk at 23:00 on 14 August 1918 at 51°56′N 02°02′E after striking a mine, 34 crew members lost their lives in the event.[2]

Construction
Main article: German Type UB III submarine

She was built by AG Weser, Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 21 June 1917. UB-57 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Kptlt. Otto Steinbrinck. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-57 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-57 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-57 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 2] Fate[3]
7 October 1917 Alcyone  United Kingdom 116 Sunk
11 October 1917 Joshua  United Kingdom 60 Sunk
20 October 1917 Leander  Norway 2,968 Sunk
20 October 1917 Nitedal  Norway 1,714 Sunk
22 October 1917 Novillo  Denmark 2,336 Sunk
23 October 1917 Seistan  United Kingdom 4,238 Sunk
23 October 1917 Tredegar Hall  United Kingdom 3,764 Sunk
22 November 1917 Krosfond  Norway 1,707 Sunk
24 November 1917 Nyassa  United Kingdom 2,579 Sunk
27 November 1917 Almond Branch  United Kingdom 3,461 Sunk
27 November 1917 Eastfield  United Kingdom 2,145 Sunk
22 December 1917 Mabel Baird  United Kingdom 2,500 Sunk
23 December 1917 Vellore  Norway 1,672 Sunk
26 December 1917 Benito  United Kingdom 4,712 Sunk
26 December 1917 Tregenna  United Kingdom 5,772 Sunk
28 December 1917 Clara  United Kingdom 2,425 Sunk
29 December 1917 Tiro  Norway 1,442 Sunk
5 February 1918 Alamance  United States 4,455 Sunk
6 February 1918 Westmoreland  United Kingdom 9,512 Damaged
7 February 1918 Ardbeg  United Kingdom 227 Sunk
7 February 1918 Ben Rein  United Kingdom 212 Sunk
7 February 1918 Limesfield  United Kingdom 427 Sunk
12 February 1918 Eleanor  United Kingdom 1,980 Sunk
12 February 1918 Polo  United Kingdom 1,383 Sunk
14 February 1918 Carlisle Castle  United Kingdom 4,325 Sunk
14 February 1918 War Monarch  United Kingdom 7,887 Sunk
17 March 1918 Anne Yvonne  France 102 Sunk
17 March 1918 Arvor  France 52 Sunk
17 March 1918 Beata  France 102 Sunk
19 March 1918 Luxor  United Kingdom 3,571 Sunk
23 March 1918 Sequoya  United Kingdom 5,263 Damaged
29 March 1918 India  Portugal 5,990 Damaged
29 March 1918 T. R. Thompson  United Kingdom 3,538 Sunk
31 March 1918 Alcinous  United Kingdom 6,743 Damaged
31 March 1918 Excellence Pleske  United Kingdom 2,059 Sunk
29 April 1918 Australier  United Kingdom 3,687 Sunk
29 April 1918 Broderick  United Kingdom 4,321 Sunk
29 April 1918 La Somme  France 1,477 Sunk
30 April 1918 Ella Sayer  United Kingdom 2,549 Sunk
30 April 1918 Umba  United Kingdom 2,042 Sunk
1 May 1918 Canonesa  United Kingdom 6,683 Damaged
2 May 1918 Unity  United Kingdom 1,091 Sunk
22 May 1918 Red Rose  United Kingdom 423 Sunk
23 May 1918 Moldavia  United Kingdom 9,500 Sunk
26 May 1918 Kyarra  United Kingdom 6,953 Sunk
27 May 1918 Joseph Simone  France 8 Sunk
27 May 1918 Petit Georges  France 10 Sunk
27 May 1918 Souvenir de Ste Marie  France 7 Sunk
30 May 1918 War Panther  United Kingdom 5,260 Damaged
31 May 1918 Galileo  United Kingdom 6,287 Damaged
30 June 1918 Wilton  United Kingdom 4,281 Damaged
2 July 1918 Royal Sceptre  United Kingdom 3,858 Damaged
2 July 1918 Shirala  United Kingdom 5,306 Sunk
6 July 1918 Huntscraft  United Kingdom 5,113 Damaged
8 August 1918 Clan Macvey  United Kingdom 5,815 Sunk
9 August 1918 Glenlee  United Kingdom 4,915 Sunk
13 August 1918 City of Brisbane  United Kingdom 7,138 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. Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 25-30.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 57". 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.
  • 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.

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