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SM UB-23

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-23
History
German Empire
NameUB-23
Ordered30 April 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Yard number253[1]
Launched9 October 1915[1]
Commissioned13 March 1916[1]
FateInterned at Corunna, Spain, 29 July 1917
General characteristics [2]
Class & typeType UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 263 t (259 long tons) surfaced
  • 292 t (287 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (13 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
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
  • 6,450 nmi (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes45-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 19 May 1916 – 29 July 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Ernst Voigt[3]
  • 13 March – 9 November 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Heinz Ziemer[4]
  • 10 November 1916 – 5 February 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Herbert Lefholz[5]
  • 6 – 18 February 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Matthias Graf von Schmettow[6]
  • 19 February – 19 March 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Ewald Niemer[7]
  • 20 March – 29 July 1917
Operations: 21 patrols
Victories:
  • 51 merchant ships sunk
    (33,880 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (419 GRT)

SM UB-23[Note 1] 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 9 October 1915. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 13 March 1916 as SM UB-23. The submarine sank 51 ships in 21 patrols for a total of 33,880 gross register tons (GRT).[8] On 26 July 1917, UB-23 was badly damaged by a depth charge attack by HMS PC-60 off the Lizard; she put in at Corunna, Spain, on 29 July 1917 and was interned.[9] On 22 January 1919 she was surrendered to France in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany, and she was broken up in Cherbourg in July 1921.

Design

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A Type UB II submarine, UB-23 had a displacement of 263 tonnes (259 long tons) when at the surface and 292 tonnes (287 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 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in). The submarine was powered by two Körting six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engines each producing a total 280 metric horsepower (280 shp; 210 kW), a Siemens-Schuckert electric motor producing 206 kilowatts (276 shp; 280 PS), 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 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 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-23 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 45-second dive time.[2]

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[10]
4 July 1916 Queen Bee United Kingdom 34 Sunk
5 July 1916 Annie Anderson United Kingdom 77 Sunk
5 July 1916 Peep O’ Day United Kingdom 52 Sunk
6 July 1916 Girl Bessie United Kingdom 62 Sunk
6 July 1916 Nancy Hunnam United Kingdom 58 Sunk
6 July 1916 Newark Castle United Kingdom 85 Sunk
6 July 1916 Petunia United Kingdom 58 Sunk
6 July 1916 Watchful United Kingdom 52 Sunk
24 July 1916 Mary Norway 560 Sunk
26 July 1916 Kentigern Norway 796 Sunk
27 July 1916 Agenda Norway 226 Sunk
28 July 1916 Andrew Ina United Kingdom 50 Sunk
28 July 1916 Good Design United Kingdom 40 Sunk
28 July 1916 Jane Stewart United Kingdom 15 Sunk
28 July 1916 Janet Overstone United Kingdom 15 Sunk
28 July 1916 Johan United Kingdom 49 Sunk
28 July 1916 Renown United Kingdom 61 Sunk
28 July 1916 Speedwell United Kingdom 11 Sunk
28 July 1916 Spero Meliora United Kingdom 11 Sunk
28 July 1916 Volunteer United Kingdom 15 Sunk
3 September 1916 General Archinard France 355 Sunk
6 September 1916 Britannia United Kingdom 48 Sunk
7 September 1916 Emma France 19 Sunk
7 September 1916 Farfadet France 17 Sunk
7 September 1916 Jeanne D’Arc France 17 Sunk
7 September 1916 Leonine France 20 Sunk
8 September 1916 Marie Louise France 157 Sunk
8 September 1916 Mayo Spain 1,880 Sunk
9 September 1916 Gemma Kingdom of Italy 3,111 Sunk
9 September 1916 Remora France 92 Sunk
21 October 1916 Julia France 166 Sunk
21 October 1916 Snestad Norway 2,350 Sunk
23 October 1916 Alf Denmark 196 Sunk
23 October 1916 Antoine Allosia France 29 Sunk
23 October 1916 Saint Pierre France 151 Sunk
23 October 1916 Venus II Norway 784 Sunk
26 October 1916 Saint Yves France 165 Sunk
30 November 1916 Gaete France 170 Sunk
2 December 1916 Harpalus United Kingdom 1,445 Sunk
4 December 1916 Nervion Norway 1,921 Sunk
8 December 1916 Conch United Kingdom 5,620 Sunk
7 January 1917 Brenda United Kingdom 249 Sunk
2 February 1917 Gabrielle France 1,410 Sunk
31 March 1917 Hestia Netherlands 959 Sunk
31 March 1917 Lisbeth Norway 1,621 Sunk
4 April 1917 Trevier Belgium 3,006 Sunk
18 April 1917 Marcel Belgium 24 Sunk
31 May 1917 Dirigo United States 3,004 Sunk
2 June 1917 Prudence United Kingdom 25 Sunk
5 June 1917 Laura Ann United Kingdom 116 Sunk
30 June 1917 Ilston United Kingdom 2,426 Sunk
4 July 1917 Gloire à Dieu France 419 Damaged

References

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Notes

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  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

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  1. ^ a b c d e Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst Voigt (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: Heinz Ziemer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Herbert Lefholz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Matthias Graf von Schmettow (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Ewald Niemer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  8. ^ Bendert 2000, p. 195.
  9. ^ "UB 23". Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  10. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 23". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.

Bibliography

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