SM UC-41

SM UC-41 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 13 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 October 1916 as SM UC-41.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-41.
History
German Empire
Class and type: German Type UC II submarine
Name: UC-41
Ordered: 20 November 1915[1]
Builder: AG Vulcan, Hamburg[2]
Yard number: 74[1]
Launched: 13 September 1916[1]
Commissioned: 11 October 1916[1]
Fate: sunk by own mine, 21 August 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type: Type UC II submarine
Displacement:
  • 400 t (390 long tons), surfaced
  • 480 t (470 long tons), submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught: 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph), surfaced
  • 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph), submerged
Range:
  • 9,410 nmi (17,430 km; 10,830 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 26
Armament:
Notes: 48-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 18 December 1916 – 21 August 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Kurt Bernis[4]
  • 11 October 1916 – 4 August 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Förste[5]
  • 5–21 August 1917
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories:
  • 15 merchant ships sunk (18,870 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged (1,232 GRT)
  • 3 warships sunk (605 tons)

In a nine-month career that encompassed seven patrols UC-41 was credited with sinking 18 ships totaling 19,587 tons, either by torpedo or by mines laid. The writer David Masters attributed the sinking of the two tiny naval fishing smacks Nelson and Ethel & Millie to UC-41 during an engagement on 15 August 1917. However this was actually UC-63, the logs of which record the event.

UC-41 was lost on 21 August 1917 after suffering an unexplained internal explosion of one of her mines which forced her to suddenly rise to the surface in the Tay estuary, where she was spotted by British naval trawlers and depth charged, killing all 27 German sailors and possibly seven British prisoners of war as well. Her wreck was rediscovered in 2003.

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-41 had a displacement of 400 tonnes (390 long tons) when at the surface and 480 tonnes (470 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 49.45 m (162 ft 3 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 260 metric horsepower (190 kW; 260 shp) (a total of 520 metric horsepower (380 kW; 510 shp)), two electric motors producing 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 60 nautical miles (110 km; 69 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,410 nautical miles (17,430 km; 10,830 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-41 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.[3]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
1 March 1917 Tillycorthie  United Kingdom 382 Sunk
1 March 1917 Orion  Norway 1,354 Sunk
3 March 1917 Elfi  Norway 1,120 Damaged
3 March 1917 Ring  Norway 998 Sunk
13 April 1917 Breadalbane  United Kingdom 112 Damaged
13 April 1917 Stork  United Kingdom 152 Sunk
16 April 1917 Lord Chancellor  United Kingdom 135 Sunk
17 April 1917 U.s.a.  United Kingdom 182 Sunk
18 April 1917 John S. Boyle  United Kingdom 143 Sunk
18 April 1917 Rameses  United Kingdom 155 Sunk
20 April 1917 Ballochbuie  United Kingdom 921 Sunk
20 April 1917 HMT Othonna  Royal Navy 180 Sunk
20 April 1917 Ringholm  Norway 705 Sunk
22 April 1917 Godø  Norway 870 Sunk
23 April 1917 Stegg  Norway 463 Sunk
26 April 1917 HMT Repro  Royal Navy 230 Sunk
11 June 1917 Breid  Norway 1,062 Sunk
16 July 1917 Valentia  United Kingdom 3,242 Sunk
25 July 1917 Oakleaf  United Kingdom 8,106 Sunk
22 August 1917 HMT Sophron  Royal Navy 195 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. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 41". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 31-32.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Bernis". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Förste". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 41". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2015.

Bibliography
  • Bendert, Harald (2001). Die UC-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine 1914-1918. Minenkrieg mit U-Booten (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0758-7.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.
  • Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC 12119866.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  • Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC 20338385.


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