SM UC-64

SM UC-64 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916, laid down on 3 April 1916, and was launched on 23 January 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 22 February 1917 as SM UC-64.[Note 1] In 15 patrols UC-64 was credited with sinking 26 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-64 was mined and sunk in the Dover Strait on 20 June 1918.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-64.

History
German Empire
Name: UC-64
Ordered: 12 January 1916[1]
Builder: AG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number: 262[1]
Laid down: 3 April 1916[1]
Launched: 23 January 1917[1]
Commissioned: 22 February 1917[1]
Fate: sunk by mine, 20 June 1918[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and type: German Type UC II submarine
Displacement:
  • 422 t (415 long tons), surfaced
  • 504 t (496 long tons), submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught: 3.67 m (12 ft 0 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph), surfaced
  • 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range:
  • 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 59 nmi (109 km; 68 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (160 ft)
Complement: 26
Armament:
Notes: 30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Ernst Müller-Schwarz[4]
  • 22 February – 12 September 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Hecht[5]
  • 13 September 1917 – 22 February 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Ferdinand Schwartz[6]
  • 23 February – 20 June 1918
Operations: 15 patrols
Victories:
  • 26 merchant ships sunk (20,072 GRT)
  • 4 merchant ships damaged (14,012 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk (401 tons)

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-64 had a displacement of 422 tonnes (415 long tons) when at the surface and 504 tonnes (496 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 51.85 m (170 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.67 m (12 ft 0 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 59 nautical miles (109 km; 68 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-64 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.[3]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[7]
20 May 1917 Voorwaarts  Netherlands 114 Sunk
23 May 1917 Alberdina  Netherlands 100 Sunk
21 June 1917 Hendrika  Netherlands 109 Sunk
24 June 1917 Telegraaf XVIII  Netherlands 306 Sunk
16 July 1917 Timor  Netherlands 135 Sunk
17 August 1917 Esperance  France 97 Sunk
16 September 1917 Eendracht VII  Netherlands 251 Sunk
17 September 1917 Paraciers  France 2,542 Sunk
22 September 1917 Ville De Valenciennes  France 1,734 Sunk
18 October 1917 Altair  Norway 1,674 Sunk
18 October 1917 Sten  United Kingdom 928 Sunk
16 November 1917 Jules Verne  France 157 Sunk
27 November 1917 Ville De Thann  France 1,416 Sunk
4 December 1917 Manchester Mariner  United Kingdom 4,106 Damaged
14 December 1917 Volnay  United Kingdom 4,610 Sunk
19 December 1917 Borgsten  Norway 1,718 Sunk
19 December 1917 Trevelyan  United Kingdom 3,066 Damaged
23 December 1917 Manicia  Norway 1,868 Damaged
20 January 1918 Queen Margaret  United Kingdom 4,972 Damaged
26 January 1918 May  United Kingdom 24 Sunk
26 January 1918 Rob Roy  United Kingdom 112 Sunk
28 March 1918 Botha  United Kingdom 17 Sunk
28 March 1918 Brotherly Love  United Kingdom 19 Sunk
28 March 1918 Honora  United Kingdom 29 Sunk
28 March 1918 Noel  United Kingdom 21 Sunk
31 March 1918 HMT Vianna  Royal Navy 401 Sunk
23 April 1918 Laurium  United Kingdom 582 Sunk
25 April 1918 Sote  Sweden 1,353 Sunk
26 April 1918 Llwyngwair  United Kingdom 1,304 Sunk
23 May 1918 Mefjord  Norway 720 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.

References
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 64". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 31-32.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ernst Müller-Schwarz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Hecht". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ferdinand Schwartz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 64". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 January 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)
  • 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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