SM UB-37 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 28 December 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 June 1916 as SM UB-37.[Note 1]
 SM UB-45 a U-boat similar to UB-37
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UB-37 |
| Ordered | 22 July 1915[1] |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[1] |
| Cost | 1,152,000 German Papiermark[2] |
| Yard number | 261[3] |
| Launched | 28 December 1915[3] |
| Completed | 10 June 1916[3] |
| Commissioned | 17 June 1916[2] |
| Fate | Sunk by British Q ship 14 January 1917[2] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type | Type UB II submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 2 officers, 21 men |
| Armament |
|
| Notes | 42-second diving time |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 10 patrols |
| Victories: | |
The submarine sank 31 ships in ten patrols,[6] and was itself sunk by British Q ship HMS Penshurst in the English Channel on 14 January 1917.[2]
The wreck of UB-37 was identified by marine archaeologist Innes McCartney in 1999.
Design
editA Type UB II submarine, UB-37 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,030 nautical miles (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-37 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.[2]
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 July 1916 | Samsø | 388 | Damaged | |
| 22 July 1916 | Bams | 308 | Sunk | |
| 22 July 1916 | Ida | 302 | Sunk | |
| 22 July 1916 | Juno | 355 | Sunk | |
| 22 July 1916 | Preference | 222 | Sunk | |
| 22 July 1916 | Subra | 580 | Sunk | |
| 9 August 1916 | Danevang | 1,247 | Sunk | |
| 11 August 1916 | Rufus | 202 | Sunk | |
| 13 August 1916 | Fremad | 104 | Sunk | |
| 13 August 1916 | Pepita | 261 | Sunk | |
| 13 August 1916 | Respit | 473 | Sunk | |
| 10 September 1916 | Zeemeeuv | 400 | Captured as prize | |
| 23 September 1916 | Dresden | 807 | Sunk | |
| 23 September 1916 | Pearl | 613 | Sunk | |
| 24 September 1916 | Oceanien | 60 | Sunk | |
| 25 September 1916 | Afrique | 1,743 | Sunk | |
| 24 October 1916 | Twig | 128 | Sunk | |
| 13 November 1916 | Our Boys | 63 | Sunk | |
| 13 November 1916 | Superb | 50 | Sunk | |
| 28 November 1916 | Diligence | 42 | Sunk | |
| 28 November 1916 | Amphitrite | 44 | Sunk | |
| 28 November 1916 | Catena | 36 | Sunk | |
| 28 November 1916 | Provident | 38 | Sunk | |
| 28 November 1916 | Sea Lark | 42 | Sunk | |
| 28 November 1916 | Lynx | 43 | Damaged | |
| 30 November 1916 | Concord | 51 | Sunk | |
| 1 December 1916 | Erich Lindøe | 1,097 | Sunk | |
| 4 December 1916 | Fofo | 2,615 | Sunk | |
| 6 December 1916 | Halfdan | 1,305 | Sunk | |
| 7 December 1916 | Marguerite Dollfus | 1,948 | Sunk | |
| 5 January 1917 | Asta | 573 | Sunk | |
| 7 January 1917 | Hansi | 1,142 | Sunk | |
| 10 January 1917 | Tuborg | 2,056 | Sunk | |
| 14 January 1917 | Norma | 1,997 | Sunk | |
| 14 January 1917 | HMS Penshurst | 1,191 | Damaged |
Notes
edit- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
References
edit- ^ a b Rössler 1979, p. 64.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
- ^ a b c Rössler 1979, p. 65.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Valentiner (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Paul Günther". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ Bendert 2000, p. 196.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 37". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
Bibliography
edit- 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. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.