SM UB-59
 UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-59. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire
| |
| Name: | UB-59 |
| Ordered: | 20 May 1916[1] |
| Builder: | AG Weser, Bremen |
| Cost: | 3,276,000 German Papiermark |
| Yard number: | 271 |
| Launched: | 21 July 1917[2] |
| Commissioned: | 25 August 1917[2] |
| Fate: | scuttled 5 October 1918 off Zeebrugge at 51°19′N 03°12′E / 51.317°N 3.200°ECoordinates: 51°19′N 03°12′E / 51.317°N 3.200°E[2] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type: | German Type UB III submarine |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a) |
| Beam: | 5.80 m (19.0 ft) |
| Draught: | 3.72 m (12 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement: | 3 officers, 31 men[2] |
| Armament: |
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| Service record as UB-59 | |
| Part of: |
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| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 5 patrols |
| Victories: | |
SM UB-59 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 25 August 1917 as SM UB-59.[nb 1]
She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-59 scuttled 5 October 1918 off Zeebrugge at 51°19′N 03°12′E / 51.317°N 3.200°E during the evacuation of Belgium by German forces.[2]
Construction
She was built by AG Weser, Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 21 July 1917. UB-59 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-59 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-59 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi). UB-59 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 646 t (636 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) when submerged.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 November 1917 | Jeanne Conseil |  France |
2,309 | Sunk |
| 29 November 1917 | Texas | France |
6,674 | Damaged |
| 5 December 1917 | City of Naples |  United Kingdom |
5,739 | Damaged |
| 2 February 1918 | Avanti | United Kingdom |
2,128 | Sunk |
| 3 February 1918 | Holmtown | United Kingdom |
598 | Sunk |
| 13 March 1918 | Tweed | United Kingdom |
1,025 | Sunk |
| 14 March 1918 | Venezuela | France |
730 | Sunk |
| 17 March 1918 | South Western | United Kingdom |
674 | Sunk |
| 20 March 1918 | Azemmour | France |
897 | Sunk |
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.
References
- ↑ Rössler 1979, p. 55.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gröner 1991, pp. 25-30.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Peter Ernst Eiffe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erwin Waßner (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 59". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 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 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 – 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German) I (Munich: Bernard & Graefe). ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.