History
German Empire
NameUC-47
Ordered20 November 1915[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number257[1]
Laid down1 February 1916[1]
Launched30 August 1916[1]
Commissioned13 October 1916[1]
FateRammed, depth charged and sunk by patrol boat off Flamborough Head, 18 November 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeType UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 420 t (410 long tons), surfaced
  • 502 t (494 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.67 m (12 ft 0 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph), surfaced
  • 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph), submerged
Range
  • 7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 54 nmi (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern / Flandern II Flotilla
  • 23 January – 18 November 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Paul Hundius[4]
  • 13 October 1916 – 8 October 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Günther Wigankow[5]
  • 9 October – 18 November 1917
Operations: 13 patrols
Victories:
  • 55 merchant ships sunk
    (73,100 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (880 tons)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    (514 GRT)
  • 7 merchant ships damaged
    (14,218 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (224 GRT)

SM UC-47 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915, laid down on 1 February 1916, and was launched on 30 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 13 October 1916 as SM UC-47.[Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-47 was credited with sinking 58 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-47 was rammed and depth charged by British patrol boat P-57, under the command of H.C. Birnie, off Flamborough Head on 18 November 1917. UC-47 went down with all hands.[1][6]

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-47 had a displacement of 420 tonnes (410 long tons) when at the surface and 502 tonnes (494 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 51.85 m (170 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 300 metric horsepower (220 kW; 300 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 590 shp)), two electric motors producing 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.7 knots (21.7 km/h; 13.5 mph) and a submerged speed of 6.7 knots (12.4 km/h; 7.7 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 54 nautical miles (100 km; 62 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-47 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.[3]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[7]
31 January 1917 Modiva  Norway 1,276 Sunk
1 February 1917 Portia  Norway 1,127 Sunk
8 February 1917 HMS Ghurka  Royal Navy 880 Sunk
8 February 1917 Lullington  United Kingdom 2,816 Sunk
10 February 1917 Japanese Prince  United Kingdom 4,876 Sunk
12 February 1917 Aghios Spyridon  Greece 1,618 Sunk
12 February 1917 Brissons  United Kingdom 60 Sunk
13 February 1917 Sequoya  United Kingdom 5,263 Damaged
13 February 1917 F. D. Lambert  United Kingdom 2,195 Sunk
13 February 1917 Fleurette  United Kingdom 60 Sunk
11 March 1917 Charles Le Cour  France 2,352 Sunk
11 March 1917 G. A. Savage  United Kingdom 357 Sunk
12 March 1917 C.A.S.  United Kingdom 60 Sunk
12 March 1917 Ena  United Kingdom 56 Sunk
12 March 1917 Gratia  United Kingdom 37 Sunk
12 March 1917 Hyacinth  United Kingdom 56 Sunk
12 March 1917 Inter-nos  United Kingdom 59 Sunk
12 March 1917 Jessamine  United Kingdom 56 Sunk
12 March 1917 Lent Lily  United Kingdom 23 Sunk
12 March 1917 Nellie  United Kingdom 61 Sunk
12 March 1917 Proverb  United Kingdom 37 Sunk
12 March 1917 Rivina  United Kingdom 22 Sunk
14 March 1917 Brika  United Kingdom 3,549 Sunk
15 March 1917 Solferino  Norway 1,155 Sunk
15 March 1917 Wilfred  Norway 1,121 Sunk
16 March 1917 Medusa  Kingdom of Italy 1,274 Sunk
16 March 1917 Sully  France 2,649 Sunk
17 April 1917 Dantzic  United Kingdom 108 Sunk
17 April 1917 William Shephard  United Kingdom 143 Sunk
19 April 1917 Old Head  United Kingdom 105 Damaged
19 April 1917 Gold Coast  United Kingdom 4,255 Sunk
19 April 1917 Jewel  United Kingdom 195 Sunk
19 April 1917 HMT Star of Freedom  Royal Navy 258 Sunk
22 April 1917 HMS Gaelic  Royal Navy 224 Damaged
23 April 1917 Tommi  United Kingdom 138 Damaged
23 April 1917 Imataka  United Kingdom 1,776 Sunk
24 April 1917 Heather  United Kingdom 58 Sunk
24 April 1917 Plutus  United Kingdom 1,189 Sunk
26 April 1917 Aigle  France 172 Sunk
26 April 1917 John Lockett  Norway 842 Sunk
18 May 1917 Mary Baird  United Kingdom 1,830 Sunk
3 June 1917 Portofino  Kingdom of Italy 1,754 Sunk
12 June 1917 HMT Carew Castle  Royal Navy 256 Sunk
14 June 1917 Dart  United Kingdom 3,207 Sunk
19 June 1917 Great City  United Kingdom 5,525 Damaged
18 July 1917 Ruth  Norway 549 Damaged
20 July 1917 Beatrice  United Kingdom 712 Sunk
20 July 1917 Bramham  United Kingdom 1,978 Sunk
31 July 1917 Fremona  United Kingdom 3,028 Sunk
31 July 1917 Motano  United States 2,730 Sunk
22 August 1917 Gro  Norway 2,667 Sunk
23 August 1917 Peer Gynt  Norway 1,144 Sunk
23 August 1917 Veghtstroom  United Kingdom 1,353 Sunk
26 August 1917 Eirini  Greece 2,452 Sunk
26 August 1917 Seresia  Belgium 2,342 Damaged
23 September 1917 Perseverance  United Kingdom 118 Sunk
24 September 1917 Mimosa  France 296 Damaged
25 September 1917 Boynton  United Kingdom 2,578 Sunk
3 October 1917 Annie F. Conlon  United States 591 Sunk
18 October 1917 Cadmus  United Kingdom 1,879 Sunk
18 October 1917 Togston  United Kingdom 1,057 Sunk
9 November 1917 Ballogie  United Kingdom 1,207 Sunk
9 November 1917 Isabelle  France 2,466 Sunk
11 November 1917 Dana  Sweden 1,620 Sunk
12 November 1917 Huibertje  Netherlands 68 Sunk
14 March 1918 Jeanne Marie  France 2,971 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. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 47". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Paul Hundius (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Günther Wigankow". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  6. ^ "Revealing a WWI drama: How modern technology is shedding new light on the horrors of submarine warfare". MSN News. Retrieved 5 Aug 2020.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 47". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.

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.

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