SM UC-79

SM UC-79 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-79.

History
German Empire
NameUC-79
Ordered12 January 1916[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg[2]
Yard number84[1]
Launched19 December 1916[1]
Commissioned22 January 1917[1]
FateSunk by mine off Cap Gris Nez, March – April 1918[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 410 t (400 long tons), surfaced
  • 493 t (485 long tons), submerged
Length
Beam
  • 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.65 m (12 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph), surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph), submerged
Range
  • 8,660–10,230 nmi (16,040–18,950 km; 9,970–11,770 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 52 nmi (96 km; 60 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:
  • Baltic Flotilla
  • 1 April – 7 August 1917
  • Flandern / Flandern I Flotilla
  • 7 August 1917 – 5 April 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Erich Haecker[4]
  • 22 January – 23 September 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Werner Löwe[5]
  • 24 September 1917 – 6 February 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Alfred Krameyer[6]
  • 7 February – 5 April 1918
Operations: 11 patrols
Victories:
  • 6 merchant ships sunk
    (11,163 GRT)
  • 4 auxiliary warships sunk
    (1,078 GRT)
  • 14 merchant ships taken as prize
    (10,961 GRT)

Design

A German Type UC II submarine, UC-79 had a displacement of 410 tonnes (400 long tons) when at the surface and 493 tonnes (485 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 50.45 m (165 ft 6 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.65 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 290–300 metric horsepower (210–220 kW; 290–300 shp) (a total of 580–600 metric horsepower (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 30 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 52 nautical miles (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,660 to 10,230 nautical miles (16,040 to 18,950 km; 9,970 to 11,770 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-79 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]

History

UC-79 was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 19 December 1916. She was commissioned into the Imperial German Navy on 22 January 1917 as SM UC-79.[Note 1] In eleven patrols UC-79 was credited with sinking 10 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid.[1] On 28 April 1917, she captured the Danish coaster Laura in the Skagerrak.[7] UC-79 was sunk by a mine off Cap Gris Nez, France in late March or early April 1918. Royal Navy divers located the wreck in that area in August 1918.[1]

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[8]
23 April 1917 Ydun  Denmark 645 Captured as prize
24 April 1917 Harald Haarfager  Norway 475 Captured as prize
28 April 1917 Laura  Denmark 787 Captured as prize
28 April 1917 Storebelt  Denmark 599 Captured as prize
15 May 1917 Ellen  Denmark 786 Captured as prize
16 May 1917 Thorunn  Norway 990 Captured as prize
17 May 1917 Alexander Shukoff  Denmark 1,652 Captured as prize
18 May 1917 Magnus  Denmark 1,297 Captured as prize
20 May 1917 Otto  Denmark 152 Captured as prize
20 May 1917 Pomona  Netherlands 789 Captured as prize
6 July 1917 Rhone  Denmark 1,050 Captured as prize
8 July 1917 Eos  Denmark 838 Captured as prize
8 July 1917 Nyhamn  Sweden 302 Captured as prize
8 July 1917 Storebelt  Denmark 599 Captured as prize
13 August 1917 Emilie Galline  France 1,944 Sunk
15 October 1917 Garthclyde  United Kingdom 2,124 Sunk
17 October 1917 HMT Ruby  Royal Navy 251 Sunk
19 October 1917 Renard  French Navy 285 Sunk
19 October 1917 Cupica  Newfoundland 1,240 Sunk
21 October 1917 Tom Roper  United Kingdom 120 Sunk
19 November 1917 Jutland  United Kingdom 2,824 Sunk
24 November 1917 Pomone  France 2,911 Sunk
31 January 1918 Elephant  French Navy 286 Sunk
2 February 1918 HMT Remindo  Royal Navy 256 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 79". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  2. Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Haecker". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Werner Löwe". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Alfred Krameyer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Laura". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 79". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 March 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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