SM UB-72
UB-72 was serving in the English Channel when she was sunk by a torpedo from HMS D4 at 50°8′N 2°41′W / 50.133°N 2.683°W on 12 May 1918.
Construction
She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 30 July 1917. UB-72 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-72 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-72 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8,420 nautical miles (15,590 km; 9,690 mi). UB-72 had a displacement of 508 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 639 t (629 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) when submerged.
Summary of raiding history
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|
3 February 1918 | Svanfos | ![]() |
896 | Sunk |
28 March 1918 | HMS Tithonus | ![]() |
3,463 | Sunk |
30 March 1918 | Vafos | ![]() |
1,322 | Sunk |
6 May 1918 | Sandhurst | ![]() |
3,034 | Sunk |
8 May 1918 | Quito | ![]() |
3,358 | Damaged |
9 May 1918 | Baron Ailsa | ![]() |
1,836 | Sunk |
References
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.
Citations
- ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
- ^ Rössler 1979, p. 61.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Creutzfeld". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Friedrich Traeger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 72". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 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.