SM U-47 (Germany)

History
German Empire
Name:	U-47
Ordered:	4 August 1914
Builder:	Kaiserliche Werft Danzig
Launched:	16 August 1915
Commissioned:	28 February 1916
Fate:	Scuttled on 28 October 1918
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:	Type U-43 submarine
Displacement:	725 t (714 long tons) surfaced 940 t (930 long tons) submerged
Length:	65.00 m (213 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (oa) 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught:	3.74 m (12 ft 3 in)
Installed power:	2 × 2,000 PS (1,471 kW; 1,973 shp) surfaced 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion:	2 shafts
Speed:	15.2 knots (28.2 km/h; 17.5 mph) surfaced 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) submerged
Range:	11,400 nmi (21,100 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 51 nmi (94 km; 59 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth:	50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement:	36
Armament:	4 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (two bow, two stern) 6 torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck gun
Service record
Part of:	Imperial German Navy: III Flotilla 8 May – 27 December 1916 Pola Flotilla 27 December 1916 – 28 October 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Heinrich Metzger[2] 28 February 1916 – 27 August 1917 Kptlt. Johannes Feldkirchner[3] 28 August – 29 October 1917 Oblt.z.S. Otto Gerke[4] 30 October 1917 – 10 March 1918 Kptlt. Wilhelm Canaris[5] 14 January – 14 June 1918 Kptlt. Adolf Franz[6] 11–31 March 1918 Kptlt. Erich Gerth[7] 15 June – 11 September 1918 Kptlt. Carl Bünte[8] 12 September – 28 October 1918
Operations:	2 patrols
Victories:	14 merchant ships sunk (23,931 GRT) 3 ships damaged (9,500 GRT) 1 ship taken as a prize (1,046 GRT)

SM U-47 was a Type U-43 submarine of the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine.). She engaged in commerce war during the First World War.

Career

U-47 entered service in early 1916, serving initially with the III Flotilla, and from 27 December 1916 with the Pola Flotilla. Her captain between 14 January and 14 June 1918 was Wilhelm Canaris.

She carried out two war patrols and succeeded in sinking 14 ships for a total of (23,931 gross register tons (GRT). In addition to this she damaged two ships for 9,351 GRT and captured another ship as a prize. Engine troubles meant she could not be used from June 1918, and was finally scuttled at Pula on 28 October 1918 during the evacuation.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[9]
15 August 1916	Presto	Sweden	1,046	Captured as a prize
30 August 1916	Wellamo	Finland	1,050	Sunk
16 November 1916	Dolfijn	Netherlands	140	Sunk
16 November 1916	Parnass	Norway	646	Sunk
1 December 1916	Kediri	Netherlands	3,781	Sunk
7 December 1916	Spyros	Greece	3,357	Sunk
13 December 1916	Salamis	Greece	3,638	Sunk
19 December 1916	Sno	Norway	1,823	Sunk
8 May 1917	Madeleine III	French Navy	149	Damaged
11 May 1917	Hindoo	United Kingdom	4,915	Damaged
13 May 1917	L’Indipendente F.	Kingdom of Italy	181	Sunk
15 May 1917	Pancras	United Kingdom	4,436	Damaged
17 May 1917	Eirini	Greece	2,662	Sunk
18 May 1917	Frances M.	United States	1,228	Sunk
22 May 1917	Lapa	Brazil	1,366	Sunk
24 May 1917	Barbara	United States	838	Sunk
25 May 1917	Magnus Manson	United States	1,751	Sunk
3 June 1917	Vulcanus	France	1,470	Sunk

References

1. Gröner 1991, pp. 8-10.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Metzger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johannes Feldkirchner". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Gerke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Canaris". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Adolf Franz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Gerth". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Carl Bünte". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 47". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

Bibliography

• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.