SM UB-51 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the Pola Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 26 July 1917 as SM UB-51.[Note 1]
She operated as part of the Pola Flotilla based in Cattaro. UB-51 was surrendered 16 January 1919 with the remainder of the Pola Flotilla following orders by Admiral Reinhard Scheer to return to port. UB-51 was later broken up at Swansea.[2]
Construction
UB-51 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916. She was built by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 8 March 1917. UB-51 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Kptlt. Ernst Krafft. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-51 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-51 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,040 nautical miles (16,740 km; 10,400 mi). UB-51 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 651 t (641 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.6 knots (25.2 km/h; 15.7 mph) when surfaced and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) when submerged.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 September 1917 | Amiral Troude |  France
|
1,876 | Sunk |
| 5 October 1917 | Forestmoor |  United Kingdom
|
2,844 | Sunk |
| 12 October 1917 | Themis |  Norway
|
7,403 | Sunk |
| 17 November 1917 | Clan Maccorquodale | United Kingdom
|
6,517 | Sunk |
| 27 November 1917 | Tungue |  Portugal
|
8,021 | Sunk |
| 8 February 1918 | Cimbrier | United Kingdom
|
3,905 | Damaged |
| 10 May 1918 | Szechuen | United Kingdom
|
1,862 | Sunk |
| 16 May 1918 | Mansoura | France
|
50 | Sunk |
| 18 May 1918 | Mabrouka | France
|
25 | Sunk |
| 18 May 1918 | Tewfig El Bari | France
|
100 | Sunk |
| 18 May 1918 | Maria | France
|
60 | Sunk |
| 18 May 1918 | Menewar | France
|
270 | Sunk |
| 18 May 1918 | Mabrouka | France
|
25 | Sunk |
| 27 May 1918 | Leasowe Castle | United Kingdom
|
9,737 | Sunk |
| 29 May 1918 | Missir | United Kingdom
|
786 | Sunk |
| 11 July 1918 | Bacchus | France
|
2,045 | Sunk |
| 20 July 1918 | Kosseir | United Kingdom
|
1,855 | Sunk |
| 22 July 1918 | HMT Ijuin |  Royal Navy
|
257 | Sunk |
| 22 July 1918 | L 1 | United Kingdom
|
130 | Sunk |
| 28 July 1918 | Hyperia | United Kingdom
|
3,908 | Sunk |
References
Notes
- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons
Citations
- ^ Rössler, p.65
- ^ a b c d e f Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-51". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
Bibliography
- 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.