SM UC-71

SM UC-71 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 12 January 1916 and was launched on 12 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 28 November 1916 as SM UC-71.[Note 1] In 19 patrols UC-71 was credited with sinking 61 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-71 sank on 20 February 1919 in the North Sea while on her way to be surrendered.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-71.
History
German Empire
Name: UC-71
Ordered: 12 January 1916[1]
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[2]
Yard number: 287[1]
Launched: 12 August 1916[1]
Commissioned: 28 November 1916[1]
Fate: sunk on way to surrender, February 1919[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type: German Type UC II submarine
Displacement:
  • 427 t (420 long tons), surfaced
  • 508 t (500 long tons), submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught: 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 12.0 knots (22.2 km/h; 13.8 mph), surfaced
  • 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph), submerged
Range:
  • 10,420 nmi (19,300 km; 11,990 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 26
Armament:
Notes: 35-second diving time
Service record[1]
Part of:
  • Flandern II Flotilla
  • 3 March 1917 – 13 October 1918
  • I Flotilla
  • 13 October – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Valentiner[4]
  • 28 November 1916 – 25 April 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hugo Thielmann[5]
  • 26 April – 9 June 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Reinhold Saltzwedel[6]
  • 10 June – 13 September 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Ernst Steindorff[7]
  • 14 September 1917 – 28 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Walter Warzecha[8]
  • 29 January – 13 August 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Eberhard Schmidt[9]
  • 14 August – 11 November 1918
Operations: 19 patrols
Victories:
  • 61 merchant ships sunk (107,540 GRT)
  • 17 merchant ships damaged (74,089 GRT)
  • 2 warships sunk (3,210 tons)
  • 1 warship damaged (1,250 tons)

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-71 had a displacement of 427 tonnes (420 long tons) when at the surface and 508 tonnes (500 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.35 m (165 ft 2 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 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 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.4 knots (13.7 km/h; 8.5 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 10,420 nautical miles (19,300 km; 11,990 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-71 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[10]
30 March 1917 Edernian  United Kingdom 3,588 Damaged
30 March 1917 Saint Louis III  France 97 Sunk
30 March 1917 Sarcelle  France 49 Sunk
31 March 1917 Primrose  United Kingdom 113 Sunk
3 April 1917 Ellen James  United Kingdom 165 Sunk
4 April 1917 Pensiero  Kingdom of Italy 2,632 Sunk
5 April 1917 Gower Coast  United Kingdom 804 Sunk
5 April 1917 San Fulgencio  Spain 1,558 Sunk
7 April 1917 Caminha  Portugal 2,763 Sunk
9 April 1917 Themistoclis  Greece 1,895 Sunk
9 April 1917 Valhall  Norway 750 Sunk
10 April 1917 Ranvik  Norway 5,848 Sunk
12 April 1917 Edelweiss  France 192 Sunk
18 April 1917 Heim  Norway 1,669 Sunk
23 April 1917 Cenobic  Belgium 16 Sunk
2 May 1917 Westland  Netherlands 108 Sunk
5 May 1917 Simon  Netherlands 150 Sunk
15 May 1917 Boreas  Netherlands 192 Sunk
16 May 1917 Hendrika Johana  Netherlands 134 Sunk
17 May 1917 Jakoba  Netherlands 107 Sunk
17 May 1917 Mercurius  Netherlands 80 Sunk
18 May 1917 Annetta  Netherlands 177 Sunk
14 June 1917 Wega  United Kingdom 839 Sunk
15 June 1917 Wapello  United Kingdom 5,576 Sunk
26 June 1917 Normandy  France 543 Damaged
28 June 1917 Marne  France 4,019 Sunk
29 June 1917 Driskos  Greece 2,833 Sunk
3 July 1917 Orleans  United States 2,853 Sunk
4 July 1917 Snetoppen  Norway 2,349 Sunk
6 July 1917 Løvstakken  Norway 3,105 Sunk
6 July 1917 Victoria 2  Norway 2,798 Sunk
8 July 1917 Vendee  United Kingdom 1,295 Sunk
3 August 1917 Aube  United Kingdom 1,837 Sunk
4 August 1917 Afrique  France 2,457 Damaged
4 August 1917 Cairnstrath  United Kingdom 2,128 Sunk
7 August 1917 Port Curtis  United Kingdom 4,710 Sunk
8 August 1917 HMS Dunraven  Royal Navy 3,117 Sunk
6 September 1917 Elisabethville  Belgium 7,017 Sunk
7 September 1917 Mont de Piete  France 38 Sunk
7 September 1917 Kleber  France 277 Damaged
8 September 1917 Setubal  Norway 1,201 Sunk
9 September 1917 HMS Myosotis  Royal Navy 1,250 Damaged
10 September 1917 Vikholmen  Norway 494 Sunk
22 September 1917 Matti  Norway 2,139 Damaged
22 September 1917 Trongate  United Kingdom 2,553 Sunk
23 September 1917 Hornsund  United Kingdom 3,646 Sunk
24 September 1917 Leka  Norway 1,845 Sunk
31 October 1917 Estrellano  United Kingdom 1,161 Sunk
5 November 1917 Alcedo  United States 983 Sunk
16 November 1917 Naalso  France 135 Sunk
6 December 1917 Apley  United Kingdom 222 Sunk
6 December 1917 Wyndhurst  United Kingdom 570 Sunk
6 December 1917 Braeside  United Kingdom 569 Sunk
24 December 1917 Luciston  United Kingdom 2,877 Sunk
25 December 1917 Espagne  Belgium 1,463 Sunk
25 December 1917 Hyacinthus  United Kingdom 5,756 Damaged
27 December 1917 P. L. M. 4  France 2,640 Sunk
28 December 1917 Fallodon  United Kingdom 3,012 Sunk
28 December 1917 HMD Piscatorial II  Royal Navy 93 Sunk
29 December 1917 Sapper  United Kingdom 276 Sunk
18 January 1918 Gambri  United Kingdom 274 Sunk
20 January 1918 Harmonides  United Kingdom 3,521 Damaged
23 January 1918 Aalesund  Norway 414 Sunk
14 February 1918 Atlas  United Kingdom 3,090 Sunk
19 February 1918 Athenic  United Kingdom 4,078 Damaged
19 February 1918 Commonwealth  United Kingdom 3,353 Sunk
8 March 1918 Saba  United Kingdom 4,257 Damaged
12 March 1918 Clarissa Radcliffe  United Kingdom 5,754 Damaged
12 March 1918 Savan  United Kingdom 4,264 Damaged
13 March 1918 Londonier  Belgium 1,870 Sunk
14 March 1918 Agate  United Kingdom 248 Sunk
14 March 1918 Comrie Castle  United Kingdom 5,173 Damaged
7 April 1918 Highland Brigade  United Kingdom 5,669 Sunk
12 April 1918 Luis  United Kingdom 4,284 Sunk
10 May 1918 Amplegarth  United Kingdom 3,707 Sunk
15 May 1918 Pennyworth  United Kingdom 5,388 Damaged
20 May 1918 Manchester Importer  United Kingdom 4,028 Damaged
26 June 1918 Raranga  United Kingdom 10,040 Damaged
31 July 1918 City of Liverpool  United Kingdom 88 Sunk
4 August 1918 Waipara  United Kingdom 6,994 Damaged
5 August 1918 Polescar  United Kingdom 5,832 Damaged
20 August 1918 Mineswepper Shirley  Royal Navy 820 Damaged

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 71". 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: Hans Valentiner (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hugo Thielmann". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Reinhold Saltzwedel (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst Steindorff (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Warzecha (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Eberhard Schmidt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  10. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 71". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 10 December 2014.

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.
  • 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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