SM U-56

SM U-56[Note 1] 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.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-56.
U-56 arriving in a spanish port
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 3 November 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:
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:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hermann Lorenz[2]
  • 24 February – 3 November 1916
Operations: 1 patrol
Victories: 5 merchant ships sunk (5,701 GRT)

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

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[4]
22 October 1916 Theodosi Tschernigowski  Russia 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

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. Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations
  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.

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