SM UC-12

SM UC-12 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-12.
History
German Empire
Name: UC-12
Ordered: 23 November 1914[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number: 226[1]
Laid down: 27 January 1915[1]
Launched: 29 April 1915[1]
Commissioned: 2 May 1915[1]
Fate: sunk by own mine, 16 March 1916[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type: German Type UC I submarine
Displacement:
  • 168 t (165 long tons), surfaced
  • 182 t (179 long tons), submerged
Length:
Beam: 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
Draft: 3.06 m (10 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 6.49 knots (12.02 km/h; 7.47 mph), surfaced
  • 5.67 knots (10.50 km/h; 6.52 mph), submerged
Range:
  • 910 nmi (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 50 nmi (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 14
Armament:
  • 6 × 100 cm (39 in) mine tubes
  • 12 × UC 120 mines
  • 1 × 8 mm (0.31 in) machine gun
Service record
Part of:
  • Pola Flotilla
  • 27 June 1915 – 16 March 1916
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Cäsar Bauer[4]
  • 2 May – 26 June 1915
  • Kptlt. Karl Palis[5]
  • 27 June 1915 – 1 January 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Eberhard Fröhner[6]
  • 2 January – 16 March 1916
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories: 6 warships sunk (3,289 tons)

Design

A German Type UC I submarine, UC-1 had a displacement of 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 182 tonnes (179 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 33.99 m (111 ft 6 in), a beam of 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.06 m (10 ft). The submarine was powered by one Benz six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 80 metric horsepower (59 kW; 79 shp), an electric motor producing 175 metric horsepower (129 kW; 173 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 6.49 knots (12.02 km/h; 7.47 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.67 knots (10.50 km/h; 6.52 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 910 nautical miles (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UC-1 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, twelve UC 120 mines, and one 8 millimetres (0.31 in) machine gun. She was built by AG Weser Bremen and her complement was fourteen crew members.[3]

Construction

The U-boat was ordered on 23 November 1914, laid down on 27 January 1915, and was launched on 29 April 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 2 May 1915 as SM UC-12.[Note 1]

Service history

UC-12 served with the Pola Flotilla based at Cattaro in the Adriatic. She operated as a minelayer, and undertook seven patrols in this role. Mines laid by UC-12 were credited with sinking six ships. One of these, the Italian Marechiaro sunk on 21 February 1916, was listed as a hospital ship and sank with over 200 casualties.[7] Since Germany was not at war with Italy at this stage, though Austria was, UC 12, like other German U-boats in the Mediterranean, operated under the Austro-Hungarian flag.

Fate

On 16 March 1916 UC-12 was sunk by the detonation of one of her own mines while laying a mine fields off Taranto harbour. Italian divers inspected the wreck and established its identity. The knowledge that Germany, technically their ally, was assiduously mining their naval bases was a contributing factor in Italy’s decision in August 1916 to declare war on Germany.[8] The submarine was raised by Italy and commissioned as X-1 in the Italian Royal Navy.[1]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[9]
16 February 1916 Memphis  French Navy 2,382 Sunk
21 February 1916 Marechiaro  Regia Marina 412 Sunk
23 February 1916 Monsone  Regia Marina 249 Sunk
26 February 1916 HMD Lily Reaich  Royal Navy 88 Sunk
3 March 1916 HMD Boy Harold  Royal Navy 74 Sunk
8 March 1916 HMD Enterprise II  Royal Navy 84 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. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 12". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 30-31.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Cäsar Bauer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Palis". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Eberhard Fröhner". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Marechiaro". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
  8. Kemp p 17
  9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 12". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.
  • Gardiner, Robert, ed. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC 12119866.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  • Paul Kemp ( 1997): U-Boats Destroyed . ISBN 1-85409-515-3
  • 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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