SM UB-27 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 30 April 1915 and launched on 10 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 23 February 1916 as SM UB-27.[Note 1] UB-27 sank 11 ships in 17 patrols for a total of 18,091 gross register tons (GRT).[6]
 SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-27
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UB-27 |
| Ordered | 30 April 1915[1] |
| Builder | AG Weser, Bremen[1] |
| Cost | 1,291,000 German Papiermark |
| Yard number | 241[1] |
| Laid down | 8 July 1915 |
| Launched | 10 February 1916[1] |
| Commissioned | 23 February 1916 |
| Fate | Sunk by British warship on 29 July 1917 |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type | Type UB II submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 3.66 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 2 officers, 21 men |
| Armament |
|
| Notes | 30-second diving time |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 17 patrols |
| Victories: | |
Design
editA Type UB II submarine, UB-27 had a displacement of 265 tonnes (261 long tons) when at the surface and 291 tonnes (286 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.13 m (118 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.66 m (12 ft 0 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 8.90 knots (16.48 km/h; 10.24 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.72 knots (10.59 km/h; 6.58 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 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km; 8,300 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-26 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 5 cm (2.0 in) SK L/40 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a thirty-second dive time.[2]
Service history
editOn 29 April 1916 in the North Sea about 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) south-east of Souter Point near Whitburn, County Durham, UB-27 opened with her deck gun fire at SS Wandle, an 889 GRT "flat-iron" collier of the Wandsworth, Wimbledon and Epsom District Gas Company.[7] The collier engaged the submarine and survived.[7] Afterwards in Britain it was believed Wandle had sunk UB-27 and the master, G.E.A. Mastin, and his crew were celebrated.[8][9]
UB-27 disappeared after 22 July 1917. HMS Halcyon reported ramming and depth charging a U-boat on 29 July 1917. A postwar German study concluded that it was possible that Halcyon sank UB-27 at 52°47′N 2°24′E / 52.783°N 2.400°E.
Summary of raiding history
edit| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[10] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 April 1916 | Blessing |  United Kingdom
|
19 | Sunk |
| 28 April 1916 | Christian |  Denmark
|
227 | Damaged |
| 29 April 1916 | Teal | United Kingdom
|
766 | Sunk |
| 29 April 1916 | Wandle | United Kingdom
|
889 | Damaged |
| 30 April 1916 | Mod |  Norway
|
664 | Sunk |
| 1 May 1916 | Rio Branco |  Brazil
|
2,258 | Sunk |
| 2 May 1916 | Mars | Norway
|
581 | Sunk |
| 2 May 1916 | Memento | Norway
|
654 | Sunk |
| 2 May 1916 | Superb | Norway
|
770 | Sunk |
| 24 August 1916 | HMS Duke of Albany |  Royal Navy
|
1,997 | Sunk |
| 27 August 1916 | Skjaereg | Norway
|
1,019 | Captured as prize |
| 7 October 1916 | Jupiter | United Kingdom
|
2,124 | Damaged |
| 8 October 1916 | Magnus | United Kingdom
|
154 | Sunk |
| 12 March 1917 | Thode Fagelund | Norway
|
4,352 | Sunk |
| 14 March 1917 | Davanger | Norway
|
5,876 | Sunk |
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 c d Rössler 1979, p. 54.
- ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Victor Dieckmann (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Georg Lübbe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Heinz von Stein zu Lausnitz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ Bendert 2000, p. 195.
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Wandle". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
- ^ "Wandsworth and District Gas Company". Access to Archives. The National Archives. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
- ^ Central Office of Information; for Ministry of Transport (1947). British Coaster: The Official Story. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 53–54.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 27". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 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.