SM UC-14

SM UC-14 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 23 November 1914, laid down on 28 January 1915, and was launched on 13 May 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 June 1915 as SM UC-14.[Note 1] Mines laid by UC-14 in her 38 patrols were credited with sinking 16 ships, one of which was the Italian pre-dreadnought battleship Regina Margherita,[10] which at 13,427 tonnes (13,215 long tons) displacement was one of the largest ships sunk by U-boats during the war.[11] UC-14 was mined and sunk on 3 October 1917.[1]

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-14.
History
German Empire
NameUC-14
Ordered23 November 1914[1]
BuilderAG Weser, Bremen[2]
Yard number229[1]
Laid down28 January 1915[1]
Launched13 May 1915[1]
Commissioned5 June 1915[1]
FateSunk by mine, 3 October 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC I submarine
Displacement
  • 168 t (165 long tons), surfaced
  • 182 t (179 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)
Draft3.06 m (10 ft 0 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 6.49 knots (12.02 km/h; 7.47 mph), surfaced
  • 5.67 knots (10.50 km/h; 6.52 mph), submerged
Range
  • 910 nmi (1,690 km; 1,050 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
Part of:
  • Pola Flotilla
  • 5 June 1915 – 9 October 1916
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 11 January 1917 – 3 October 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Cäsar Bauer[4]
  • 5 June 1915 - 6 January 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Franz Becker[5]
  • 7 January – 30 June 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Alfred Klatt[6]
  • 1 July – 9 October 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Ulrich Pilzecker[7]
  • 11 January - 6 July 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmut Lorenz[8]
  • 7 July – 13 September 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Adolf Feddersen[9]
  • 14 September – 3 October 1917
Operations: 38 patrols
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk
    (6,478 GRT)
  • 2 warships sunk
    (14,107 tons)
  • 10 auxiliary warships sunk
    (1,704 GRT)

The submarine's wreck was finally located in September 2023

Design

A German Type UC I submarine, UC-14 had a displacement of 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 182 tonnes (179 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 3.06 m (10 ft 0 in). The submarine was powered by one Benz six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 80 metric horsepower (59 kW; 79 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 6.49 knots (12.02 km/h; 7.47 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.67 knots (10.50 km/h; 6.52 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 910 nautical miles (1,690 km; 1,050 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UC-14 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 Weser Bremen and her complement was fourteen crew members.[3]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[12]
4 December 1915 Intrepido  Regia Marina 680 Sunk
4 December 1915 Re Umberto  Kingdom of Italy 2,952 Sunk
8 January 1916 Citta Di Palermo  Regia Marina 3,415 Sunk
8 January 1916 HMD Freuchny  Royal Navy 84 Sunk
8 January 1916 HMD Morning Star  Royal Navy 97 Sunk
20 February 1916 HMD Gavenwood  Royal Navy 88 Sunk
20 March 1916 Ginette  French Navy 272 Sunk
26 November 1916 HMD Finross  Royal Navy 78 Sunk
26 November 1916 HMD Michaelmas Daisy  Royal Navy 99 Sunk
12 December 1916 Regina Margherita  Regia Marina 13,427 Sunk
30 March 1917 HMT Christopher  Royal Navy 316 Sunk
9 April 1917 HMT Orthos  Royal Navy 218 Sunk
23 May 1917 HMT Tettenhall  Royal Navy 227 Sunk
10 September 1917 HMT Loch Ard  Royal Navy 225 Sunk
2 October 1917 Willing Boys  United Kingdom 51 Sunk
7 October 1917 Reliance  United Kingdom 60 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. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 14". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 20 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 30–31.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Cäsar Bauer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Franz Becker (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Alfred Klatt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Ulrich Pilzecker". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Helmut Lorenz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Adolf Feddersen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  10. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Regina Margherita". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
  11. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Largest Ships sunk or damaged". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
  12. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 14". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 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, ed. (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.

51°19′N 2°43′E

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