SM UB-30

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-30.
SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-30
History
German Empire
NameUB-30
Ordered22 July 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Cost1,152,000 German Papiermark[2]
Yard number254[1]
Launched16 November 1915[1]
Completed16 March 1916[1]
Commissioned18 March 1916[2]
FateSunk 13 August 1918 by British warships[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 274 t (270 long tons) surfaced
  • 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) surfaced
  • 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph) submerged
Range
  • 7,030 nmi (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes42-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Baltic Flotilla
  • 8 May 1916 – 23 February 1917
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 23 February 1917 – 13 August 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Kurt Schapler[3]
  • 18 March – 1 October 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Freiherr Cassius von Montigny[4]
  • 2 October 1916 – 7 August 1917
  • Kptlt. Wilhelm Rhein[5]
  • 8 August 1917 – 21 April 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Steir[6]
  • 22 April – 13 August 1918
Operations: 19 patrols
Victories:
  • 18 merchant ships sunk
    (19,650 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (12,007 GRT)

SM UB-30[Note 1] 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 22 July 1915 and launched on 16 November 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 March 1916 as SM UB-30.

The submarine sank 18 ships in 19 patrols. They included the William Cory & Son collier SS Vernon in the North Sea off Spurn on 31 August 1917[7] and the Witherington and Everett Steam Ship Company collier SS Lightfoot in the English Channel off Selsey Bill on 16 March 1918.[8]

UB-30 was sunk by two depth charges from HMS Landrail south of Goodwin Sands at 51°9′N 1°46′E / 51.150°N 1.767°E / 51.150; 1.767 on 13 August 1918.[2]

Design

A Type UB II submarine, UB-30 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 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 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 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 7,030 nautical miles (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-30 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.[2]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[9]
21 October 1916 August  Sweden 346 Sunk
23 October 1916 Elly  Sweden 88 Sunk
24 October 1916 Elin  Russian Empire 127 Sunk
24 October 1916 Ingersoll  Russian Empire 239 Sunk
24 October 1916 Jenny Lind  Russian Empire 53 Sunk
24 October 1916 Urpo  Russian Empire 111 Sunk
31 August 1917 Vernon  United Kingdom 982 Sunk
3 September 1917 Ragnhild  United Kingdom 1,495 Sunk
26 September 1917 S.N.A. 3  France 1,709 Sunk
12 November 1917 Morning Star  United Kingdom 129 Sunk
3 January 1918 Gartland  United Kingdom 2,613 Sunk
5 January 1918 Glenarm Head  United Kingdom 3,908 Sunk
12 January 1918 Whorlton  United Kingdom 1,469 Sunk
2 February 1918 Jaffa  United Kingdom 1,383 Sunk
9 February 1918 Armenia  United States 5,463 Damaged
5 March 1918 Clan Mackenzie  United Kingdom 6,544 Damaged
7 March 1918 Braatt II  Norway 1,834 Sunk
16 March 1918 Lightfoot  United Kingdom 1,873 Sunk
18 June 1918 Norfolk Coast  United Kingdom 782 Sunk
10 August 1918 Madame Renee  United Kingdom 509 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. ^ a b c d e Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Schapler". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Cassius von Montigny". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Rhein (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Rudolf Steir". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Vernon". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  8. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Lightfoot". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  9. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-30". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.

Bibliography