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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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SM UC-61
50°53′35″N 1°39′52″E / 50.893028°N 1.664444°E / 50.893028; 1.664444

Remains of the shipwreck of SM UC-61 revealed by low tide at Wissant beach (50°53'34.9"N 1°39'52.0"E), in France (December 2018)
History
German Empire
NameUC-61
Ordered12 January 1916
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen
Yard number259
Laid down3 April 1916
Launched11 November 1916
Commissioned13 December 1916
FateStranded at Wissant near Calais; flooded and scuttled, 26 July 1917
General characteristics
Class and typeType UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 422 t (415 long tons), surfaced
  • 504 t (496 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.67 m (12 ft 0 in)
Propulsion
Speed11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph), surfaced*7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range
  • 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 59 nmi (109 km; 68 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 27 February – 26 July 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Georg Gerth
  • 13 December 1916 – 26 July 1917
Operations: 5 patrols
Victories:
  • 10 merchant ships sunk
    (13,594 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (7,578 tons)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (227 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (3,476 GRT)
  • 1 warship damaged
    (570 tons)

SM UC-61 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, laid down on 3 April 1916, and was launched on 11 November 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 13 December 1916 as SM UC-61. In five patrols UC-61 was credited with sinking or damaging 12 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-61 was stranded at Wissant, south of Calais on 26 July 1917 on her way to mine Newhaven. The U-boat's crew flooded and scuttled their ship before surrendering to French authorities. The wreckage silted up but in some years becomes visible at low tide offshore in Wissant. As of 24 January 2019, the submarine had been partially visible since December 2018, and some locals were hopeful that due to shifting winds and tides, the submarine would be visible more often.

Design

A Type UC II submarine, UC-61 had a displacement of 422 tonnes (415 long tons) when at the surface and 504 tonnes (496 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 3.67 m (12 ft 0 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).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 59 nautical miles (109 km; 68 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-61 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.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage Fate
5 March 1917 Copenhagen  United Kingdom 2,570 Sunk
30 April 1917 HMT Arfon  Royal Navy 227 Sunk
30 April 1917 Gorizia  Uruguay 1,957 Sunk
30 April 1917 Little Mystery  United Kingdom 114 Sunk
3 May 1917 Fils Du Progres  France 25 Sunk
3 May 1917 Giovannina  Kingdom of Italy 3,030 Sunk
5 May 1917 Le Gard  France 1,658 Damaged
8 May 1917 Nelly  France 1,868 Sunk
10 May 1917 Broomhill  United Kingdom 1,392 Sunk
10 May 1917 Minerva  Norway 518 Sunk
27 June 1917 Kléber  French Navy 7,578 Sunk
28 June 1917 Edith Fische  Norway 1,818 Damaged
4 July 1917 Ull  Norway 543 Sunk
6 July 1917 Indutiomare  Belgium 1,577 Sunk
7 July 1917 HMS Ettrick  Royal Navy 570 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 61". 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: Georg Gerth". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  5. ^ Geggel, Laura; January 15, Senior Writer |; ET, 2019 06:27am (15 January 2019). "WWI German Sub Spotted Off French Coast, 100 Years After Its Crew Surrendered". Live Science. Retrieved 24 January 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "German WW1 submarine emerges off French coast". BBC News. 12 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  7. ^ "German WW1 U-boat emerges off French coast". 12 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  8. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 61". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 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; Gray, Randal, eds. (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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