SM UC-14
SM UC-14 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 23 November 1914, laid down on 28 January 1915, and was launched on 13 May 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 June 1915 as SM UC-14. Mines laid by UC-14 in her 38 patrols were credited with sinking 16 ships, one of which was the Italian pre-dreadnought battleship Regina Margherita, which at 13,427 tonnes (13,215 long tons) displacement was one of the largest ships sunk by U-boats during the war. UC-14 was mined and sunk on 3 October 1917.
The submarine's wreck was finally located in September 2023
Design
A Type UC I submarine, UC-14 had a displacement of 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 182 tonnes (179 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 33.99 m (111 ft 6 in), a beam of 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.06 m (10 ft 0 in). The submarine was powered by one Benz six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 80 metric horsepower (59 kW; 79 shp), an electric motor producing 175 metric horsepower (129 kW; 173 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 6.49 knots (12.02 km/h; 7.47 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.67 knots (10.50 km/h; 6.52 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 910 nautical miles (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UC-14 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, twelve UC 120 mines, and one 8 millimetres (0.31 in) machine gun. She was built by AG Weser Bremen and her complement was fourteen crew members.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 December 1915 | Intrepido |  Regia Marina
|
680 | Sunk |
| 4 December 1915 | Re Umberto | Kingdom of Italy
|
2,952 | Sunk |
| 8 January 1916 | Citta Di Palermo | Regia Marina
|
3,415 | Sunk |
| 8 January 1916 | HMD Freuchny |  Royal Navy
|
84 | Sunk |
| 8 January 1916 | HMD Morning Star | Royal Navy
|
97 | Sunk |
| 20 February 1916 | HMD Gavenwood | Royal Navy
|
88 | Sunk |
| 20 March 1916 | Ginette |  French Navy
|
272 | Sunk |
| 26 November 1916 | HMD Finross | Royal Navy
|
78 | Sunk |
| 26 November 1916 | HMD Michaelmas Daisy | Royal Navy
|
99 | Sunk |
| 12 December 1916 | Regina Margherita | Regia Marina
|
13,427 | Sunk |
| 30 March 1917 | HMT Christopher | Royal Navy
|
316 | Sunk |
| 9 April 1917 | HMT Orthos | Royal Navy
|
218 | Sunk |
| 23 May 1917 | HMT Tettenhall | Royal Navy
|
227 | Sunk |
| 10 September 1917 | HMT Loch Ard | Royal Navy
|
225 | Sunk |
| 2 October 1917 | Willing Boys |  United Kingdom
|
51 | Sunk |
| 7 October 1917 | Reliance | United Kingdom
|
60 | 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
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 14". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
- ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
- ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 30–31.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Cäsar Bauer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Franz Becker (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Alfred Klatt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ulrich Pilzecker". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Helmut Lorenz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Adolf Feddersen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Regina Margherita". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Largest Ships sunk or damaged". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 14". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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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