SM UB-27
Design
A Type UB II submarine, UB-27 had a displacement of 265 tonnes (261 long tons) when at the surface and 291 tonnes (286 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 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 8.90 knots (16.48 km/h; 10.24 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.72 knots (10.59 km/h; 6.58 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 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km; 8,300 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-26 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 thirty-second dive time.
Service history
On 29 April 1916 in the North Sea about 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) south-east of Souter Point near Whitburn, County Durham, UB-27 opened with her deck gun fire at SS Wandle, an 889 GRT "flat-iron" collier of the Wandsworth, Wimbledon and Epsom District Gas Company. The collier engaged the submarine and survived. Afterwards in Britain it was believed Wandle had sunk UB-27 and the master, G.E.A. Mastin, and his crew were celebrated.
UB-27 disappeared after 22 July 1917. HMS Halcyon reported ramming and depth charging a U-boat on 29 July 1917. A postwar German study concluded that it was possible that Halcyon sank UB-27 at 52°47′N 2°24′E / 52.783°N 2.400°E.
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|
28 April 1916 | Blessing | ![]() |
19 | Sunk |
28 April 1916 | Christian | ![]() |
227 | Damaged |
29 April 1916 | Teal | ![]() |
766 | Sunk |
29 April 1916 | Wandle | ![]() |
889 | Damaged |
30 April 1916 | Mod | ![]() |
664 | Sunk |
1 May 1916 | Rio Branco | ![]() |
2,258 | Sunk |
2 May 1916 | Mars | ![]() |
581 | Sunk |
2 May 1916 | Memento | ![]() |
654 | Sunk |
2 May 1916 | Superb | ![]() |
770 | Sunk |
24 August 1916 | HMS Duke of Albany | ![]() |
1,997 | Sunk |
27 August 1916 | Skjaereg | ![]() |
1,019 | Captured as prize |
7 October 1916 | Jupiter | ![]() |
2,124 | Damaged |
8 October 1916 | Magnus | ![]() |
154 | Sunk |
12 March 1917 | Thode Fagelund | ![]() |
4,352 | Sunk |
14 March 1917 | Davanger | ![]() |
5,876 | Sunk |
Notes
- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
References
- ^ Rössler 1979, p. 54.
- ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Victor Dieckmann (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Georg Lübbe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Heinz von Stein zu Lausnitz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ Bendert 2000, p. 195.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Wandle". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
- ^ "Wandsworth and District Gas Company". Access to Archives. The National Archives. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
- ^ Central Office of Information; for Ministry of Transport (1947). British Coaster: The Official Story. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 53–54.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 27". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
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. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.