SM UB-59

SM UB-59 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 Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 25 August 1917 as SM UB-59.[Note 1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-59.
UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-59.
History
German Empire
NameUB-59
Ordered20 May 1916[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen
Cost3,276,000 German Papiermark
Yard number271
Laid down13 September 1916[2]
Launched21 July 1917[3]
Commissioned25 August 1917[3]
FateScuttled 5 October 1918 off Zeebrugge at 51°19′N 03°12′E[3]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 516 t (508 long tons) surfaced
  • 646 t (636 long tons) submerged
Length55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,020 nmi (16,710 km; 10,380 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[3]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern I Flotilla
  • 5 November 1917 – 2 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Peter Ernst Eiffe[4]
  • 10 August 1917 – February 1918
  • Kptlt. Erwin Waßner[5]
  • 25 August 1917 – 5 May 1918
Operations: 5 patrols
Victories:
  • 7 merchant ships sunk
    (8,361 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (12,413 GRT)

She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-59 scuttled 5 October 1918 off Zeebrugge at 51°19′N 03°12′E during the evacuation of Belgium by German forces.[3]

Construction
Main article: German Type UB III submarine

She was built by AG Weser, Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 21 July 1917. UB-59 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-59 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-59 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi). UB-59 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 646 t (636 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) when submerged.


Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
28 November 1917 Jeanne Conseil  France 2,309 Sunk
29 November 1917 Texas  France 6,674 Damaged
5 December 1917 City of Naples  United Kingdom 5,739 Damaged
2 February 1918 Avanti  United Kingdom 2,128 Sunk
3 February 1918 Holmtown  United Kingdom 598 Sunk
13 March 1918 Tweed  United Kingdom 1,025 Sunk
14 March 1918 Venezuela  France 730 Sunk
16 March 1918 South Western  United Kingdom 674 Sunk
20 March 1918 Azemmour  France 897 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. Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations
  1. Rössler 1979, p. 55.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UB 59". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Peter Ernst Eiffe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erwin Waßner (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 59". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 3 February 2015.

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). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 – 1945. Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.

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