SM U-56

History
German Empire
Name:	U-56
Ordered:	23 August 1914
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Laid down:	28 December 1914
Launched:	18 April 1916
Commissioned:	23 June 1916
Fate:	3 November 1916 - Missing after November 3, 1916. 35 dead (all hands lost)
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:	Type U 51 submarine
Displacement:	715 t (704 long tons) surfaced 902 t (888 long tons) submerged
Length:	65.20 m (213 ft 11 in) (o/a) 52.51 m (172 ft 3 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	6.44 m (21 ft 2 in) (oa) 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	7.82 m (25 ft 8 in)
Draught:	3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Installed power:	2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion:	2 shafts
Speed:	17.1 knots (31.7 km/h; 19.7 mph) surfaced 9.1 knots (16.9 km/h; 10.5 mph) submerged
Range:	9,400 nmi (17,400 km; 10,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 55 nmi (102 km; 63 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) 7 torpedoes 2 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck guns
Service record
Part of:	Imperial German Navy II Flotilla 18 June – 3 November 1916
Commanders:	Kptlt. Hermann Lorenz[2] 24 February – 3 November 1916
Operations:	1 patrol
Victories:	5 merchant ships sunk (5,701 GRT)

SM U-56 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-56 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

On November 2, 1916, U-56 was attacked by gunfire from the Russian destroyer Grozovoi off Khorne Island, Norway (near Vardö). U-56 was survived this attack. U-56 put the crew of the Norwegian merchant ship Ivanhoe ashore at 07:45 on November 3 at Lodsvik. The Norwegian sailors were abroad during the action the previous day and their description matches the Russian account.^[3]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate[4]
22 October 1916	Theodosi Tschernigowski	Russian Empire	327	Sunk
23 October 1916	Rensfjell	Norway	781	Sunk
25 October 1916	Dag	Norway	963	Sunk
26 October 1916	Oola	United Kingdom	2,494	Sunk
1 November 1916	Ivanhoe	Norway	1,136	Sunk

References

1. Gröner 1991, pp. 8-10.
2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hermann Lorenz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 56". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 56". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 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.