Type UE II submarine
SM U-117 at Cape Charles | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders |
|
| Operators | |
| Subclasses | U-122 |
| Built | 1917–1918 |
| In commission | 1917–1918 |
| Completed | 10 |
| Lost | 4 |
| Scrapped | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Ocean-going mine-laying submarine |
| Displacement | 1,164 t (1,146 long tons) surfaced; 1,512 t (1,488 long tons) submerged |
| Length | 81.52 or 82 m (267 ft 5 in or 269 ft 0 in) |
| Beam | 7.42 m (24 ft 4 in) |
| Draft | 4.22 m (13 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power | |
| Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 diesel engines, 2 electric motors |
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 75 m (246 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 36 enlisted men |
| Sensors & processing systems | 2 periscopes |
| Armament |
|
The Type UE II submarines were a class of submarines built by the German Empire during World War I as long-range mine-layers.
UE II boats carried 14 torpedoes and were armed with one 150 mm deck gun. They carried a crew of 40 and had a cruising range of about 9,400 miles. Nine were built between 1917 and 1918.[1]
The UE IIs joined the conflict in the middle of 1917, at a time when the tide of the war was turning against Germany. In the months beforehand, the United States Navy was added to the ranks of their enemies; and the convoy system was introduced, making it difficult to engage enemy merchant shipping without being spotted by destroyer escorts.[2] Because they entered service late in the war, the UE IIs only sank 23 ships and damaged 4 others before the end of hostilities. SM U-117 was by far the most successful U-boat, taking credit for 20 ships sunk out of the total of 23 for the entire type.[3] The UE II's were the last of the UE class U-boats built by the German Imperial Navy; the last of the class, U-126, was commissioned on 3 October 1918, a little over a month before the armistice at Compiègne.[4]
Post-war years
[edit | edit source]Following the end of the war, all of the Type UE II submarines were handed over to the allies as part of the Treaty of Versailles. SM U-117 was handed over to the United States where she remained in the Philadelphia Navy Yard along with other U-boats. In June 1921 she was taken out to sea and sunk as a target for aerial bombing tests conducted by the Navy and Army.[3] SM U-118 was turned over to France but broke her tow and was washed ashore at Hastings in Sussex where she remained until being finally broken up in December 1919.[5] SM U-119 was surrendered to France in November 1918. She was renamed the René Audry and saw service in the French Navy and was eventually broken up in October 1937.[6] SM U-120 was transferred to Italy in November 1918. She was broken up soon after in April 1919.[7] SM U-122 was surrendered to England on 26 November 1918. She later ran aground on the English east coast while on her journey to Scapa Flow.[8] Like SM U-122, SM U-123 also ran aground on the English coast where she was broken up.[9] SM U-124 was surrendered in December 1918 and was later broken up in Swansea in 1921.[10] SM U-125 surrendered to Japan in late November 1918. She served in the Japanese Navy as the O1 in 1920-21. between January and March 1921, U-125 was dismantled at Yokosuka Navy Yard.[11] SM U-126 was handed over to the allies in November 1918 and later broken up at Upnor in 1923.[4]
Ships sunk or damaged by Type UE II submarines
[edit | edit source]Ships in class
[edit | edit source]There were 9 Type UE II submarines commissioned into the Kaiserliche Marine.
One submarine was not completed before the armistice.
Notes
[edit | edit source]- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
References
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Bibliography
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