SM U-63 (Germany)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-63.

History
German Empire
NameU-63
Ordered17 May 1915
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number247
Laid down30 April 1915
Launched8 February 1916
Commissioned11 March 1916
FateSurrendered 16 January 1919. Broken up at Blyth in 1919-20
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType U 63 submarine
Displacement
  • 810 t (800 long tons) surfaced
  • 927 t (912 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in) (oa)
  • 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) (pressure hull)
Height7.65 m (25 ft 1 in)
Draught4.04 m (13 ft 3 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,200 PS (1,618 kW; 2,170 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) surfaced
  • 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,170 nmi (16,980 km; 10,550 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 60 nmi (110 km; 69 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement36
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 2 May - 6 November 1916
  • Pola / Mittelmeer / Mittelmeer I Flotilla
  • 6 November 1916 - 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Otto Schultze[2]
  • 11 March 1916 – 27 August 1917 ,
  • 15 October – 24 December 1917
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Metzger[3]
  • 28 August – 14 October 1917
  • Kptlt. Kurt Hartwig[4]
  • 25 December 1917 – 11 November 1918
Operations: 12 patrols
Victories:
  • 69 merchant ships sunk
    (192,145 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (5,250 tons)
  • 3 auxiliary warships sunk
    (6,020 GRT)
  • 11 merchant ships damaged
    (47,700 GRT)
  • 2 warships damaged
    (2,540 tons)

SM U-63 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-63 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[5]
4 July 1916 HMS Rosemary  Royal Navy 1,250 Damaged
20 August 1916 HMS Falmouth  Royal Navy 5,250 Sunk
23 October 1916 Bayreaulx  United Kingdom 3,009 Sunk
28 October 1916 Lanao  United States 692 Sunk
28 October 1916 Rio Pirahy  United Kingdom 3,561 Sunk
28 October 1916 Selene  Italy 3,955 Sunk
28 October 1916 Torsdal  Norway 3,621 Sunk
29 October 1916 Massalia  Greece 2,186 Sunk
29 October 1916 Meroë  United Kingdom 3,552 Sunk
29 October 1916 Torino  United Kingdom 1,850 Sunk
31 October 1916 Delto  Norway 3,193 Sunk
31 October 1916 Fedelta  Italy 1,906 Sunk
27 November 1916 Maude Larssen  United Kingdom 1,222 Sunk
28 November 1916 Sigurd  Denmark 2,119 Sunk
30 November 1916 Roma  United Kingdom 125 Sunk
2 December 1916 Luigi C.  Italy 71 Sunk
2 December 1916 Roma  Italy 643 Sunk
3 December 1916 HMS Perugia  Royal Navy 4,348 Sunk
5 December 1916 Grigorios Anghelatos  Greece 3,635 Sunk
11 December 1916 Magellan  France 6,027 Sunk
11 December 1916 Sinai  France 4,624 Sunk
25 March 1917 Vellore  United Kingdom 4,926 Sunk
26 March 1917 L. Rahmanich  Egypt 79 Sunk
1 April 1917 Zambesi  United Kingdom 3,759 Sunk
4 April 1917 Margit  United Kingdom 2,490 Sunk
5 April 1917 Solstad  Norway 4,147 Sunk
5 April 1917 Kangaroo  United Kingdom 4,348 Damaged
28 April 1917 Carmelo Padre  Italy 74 Sunk
28 April 1917 Giuseppe Padre I  Italy 102 Sunk
28 April 1917 Giuseppina G.  Italy 100 Sunk
28 April 1917 I Due Fratelli P.  Italy 97 Sunk
28 April 1917 Karonga  United Kingdom 4,665 Sunk
28 April 1917 Natale B.  Italy 55 Sunk
28 April 1917 San Francesco Di Paola  Italy 41 Sunk
3 May 1917 Washington  United Kingdom 5,080 Sunk
4 May 1917 Transylvania  United Kingdom 14,348 Sunk
5 May 1917 Talawa  United Kingdom 3,834 Damaged
7 May 1917 Crown of Leon  United Kingdom 3,391 Damaged
14 May 1917 Francesco Raiola  Italy 181 Sunk
14 May 1917 Volga  United Kingdom 4,404 Damaged
15 May 1917 Ferrara  Italy 5,660 Damaged
22 June 1917 Himalaya  France 5,620 Sunk
23 June 1917 Craonne  France 777 Sunk
23 June 1917 Kalypso Vergotti  Greece 2,819 Sunk
26 June 1917 Birdoswald  United Kingdom 4,013 Sunk
27 June 1917 Tong Hong  United Kingdom 2,184 Sunk
30 June 1917 Alkelda  Italy 98 Sunk
30 June 1917 Enrichetta  Italy 3,638 Sunk
1 July 1917 Marie  France 118 Sunk
2 July 1917 Argentario  Italy 739 Sunk
3 July 1917 Immacolatina  Italy 54 Sunk
5 September 1917 Proletaire  France 101 Sunk
11 September 1917 Embleton  United Kingdom 5,377 Sunk
12 September 1917 Reim  Norway 1,126 Sunk
15 September 1917 Platuria  United States 3,445 Sunk
18 September 1917 Arendal  United Kingdom 1,387 Sunk
26 September 1917 Heraklios  Greece 2,878 Sunk
5 November 1917 Hilda R.  United Kingdom 136 Sunk
5 November 1917 Kai  Denmark 1,391 Sunk
6 November 1917 HMS Peveril  Royal Navy 1,459 Sunk
8 November 1917 HMS Candytuft  Royal Navy 1,290 Damaged
8 November 1917 Benledi  United Kingdom 3,931 Damaged
9 November 1917 Ardglamis  United Kingdom 4,540 Sunk
14 November 1917 Trowbridge  United Kingdom 3,712 Sunk
16 November 1917 Gasconia  United Kingdom 3,801 Sunk
16 November 1917 Kyno  United Kingdom 3,034 Sunk
18 November 1917 Huntsgulf  United Kingdom 3,185 Damaged
20 November 1917 Commendatore Carlo Bruno  Italy 813 Sunk
21 November 1917 Mossoul  France 3,135 Sunk
5 January 1918 Rio Claro  United Kingdom 3,687 Sunk
8 January 1918 San Guglielmo  Italy 8,145 Sunk
15 January 1918 Bonanova  Spain 933 Sunk
18 January 1918 Maria P.  United Kingdom 263 Sunk
18 January 1918 Ville De Bordeaux  France 4,857 Sunk
22 January 1918 Anglo-Canadian  United Kingdom 4,239 Sunk
22 January 1918 Manchester Spinner  United Kingdom 4,247 Sunk
19 May 1918 Saxilby  United Kingdom 3,630 Damaged
19 May 1918 Snowdon  United Kingdom 3,189 Sunk
24 May 1918 Elysia  United Kingdom 6,397 Damaged
30 May 1918 Antinous  United Kingdom 3,682 Damaged
30 May 1918 Asiatic Prince  United Kingdom 2,887 Sunk
30 May 1918 Aymeric  United Kingdom 4,363 Sunk
11 August 1918 City of Adelaide  United Kingdom 8,389 Sunk
12 August 1918 G6  Regia Marina 213 Sunk
24 August 1918 Delphinula  United Kingdom 5,238 Damaged
16 October 1918 War Council  United Kingdom 5,875 Sunk

References

Notes

  1. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Schultze". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Metzger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Hartwig". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 63". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 November 2014.

Bibliography

  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.