SM UC-10

SM UC-10 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 14 November 1914 and was launched on 15 July 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 July 1915 as SM UC-10.[Note 1] Mines laid by UC-10 in her 30 patrols were credited with sinking 18 ships. UC-10 was torpedoed and sunk on 21 August 1916 by British submarine HMS E54 at position 52°02′N 03°54′E / 52.033°N 3.900°E / 52.033; 3.900.[1]

History
German Empire
NameUC-10
Ordered14 November 1914[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg[2]
Yard number54[1]
Launched15 July 1915[1]
Commissioned17 July 1915[1]
FateSunk by HMS E54, 21 August 1916[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC I submarine
Displacement
  • 168 t (165 long tons), surfaced
  • 183 t (180 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
Draft3.04 m (10 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 6.20 knots (11.48 km/h; 7.13 mph), surfaced
  • 5.22 knots (9.67 km/h; 6.01 mph), submerged
Range
  • 780 nmi (1,440 km; 900 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 depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement14
Armament
  • 6 × 100 cm (39 in) mine tubes
  • 12 × UC 120 mines
  • 1 × 8 mm (0.31 in) machine gun
Service record[1]
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 19 December 1915 – 21 August 1916
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Ernst Rosenow
  • 17 July – 3 November 1915
  • Oblt.z.S. Max Viebeg
  • 4 November – 8 December 1915
  • Oblt.z.S. Alfred Nitzsche
  • 9 December 1915 – 13 June 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Reinhold Saltzwedel
  • 14 – 26 June 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Werner Albrecht
  • 27 June – 21 August 1916
Operations:30 patrols
Victories:
  • 16 merchant ships sunk
    (30,406 GRT)
  • 2 warships sunk
    (598 tons)
  • 5 merchant ships damaged
    (16,627 GRT)

Design

A German Type UC I submarine, UC-10 had a displacement of 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 183 tonnes (180 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 3.04 m (10 ft). The submarine was powered by one Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 90 metric horsepower (66 kW; 89 shp), an electric motor producing 175 metric horsepower (129 kW; 173 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 6.20 knots (11.48 km/h; 7.13 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.22 knots (9.67 km/h; 6.01 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 780 nautical miles (1,440 km; 900 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UC-10 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 Vulcan Stettin and her complement was fourteen crew members.[3]

Summary of raiding history

DateNameNationalityTonnage[Note 2]Fate[4]
30 December 1915Ellewoutsdijk  Netherlands2,229Sunk
4 January 1916Leto  Netherlands3,225Sunk
5 January 1916Fridtjof Nansen  Norway3,275Sunk
21 January 1916Apollo  Netherlands799Sunk
22 January 1916Falls City  United Kingdom4,729Damaged
25 February 1916Southford  United Kingdom963Sunk
26 February 1916Birgit  Sweden1,117Sunk
29 February 1916Malvina  United Kingdom1,244Damaged
7 March 1916HMS Coquette  Royal Navy335Sunk
7 March 1916HMS TB 11  Royal Navy263Sunk
11 March 1916Zaandijk  Netherlands4,189Damaged
18 March 1916Palembang  Netherlands6,674Sunk
3 April 1916Ino  Norway702Sunk
26 April 1916Dubhe  Netherlands3,233Damaged
26 April 1916Noordzee  Netherlands298Sunk
1 May 1916Hendon Hall  United Kingdom3,994Sunk
2 May 1916Rochester City  United Kingdom1,239Sunk
22 May 1916Rhenass  United Kingdom285Sunk
27 May 1916Lincairn  United Kingdom3,638Sunk
1 June 1916Parkgate  United Kingdom3,232Damaged
20 August 1916Dragoon  United Kingdom30Sunk
3 September 1916Rievaulx Abbey  United Kingdom1,166Sunk
11 December 1916Nora  Denmark772Sunk

References

Notes

Citations

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.
  • 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.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC 12119866.
  • Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC 20338385.