The SM UB-48 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. It was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 June 1917 as SM UB-48.[Note 1]
 UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-48.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | UB-48 |
| Ordered | 20 May 1916[1] |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Cost | 3,276,000 German Papiermark |
| Yard number | 293 |
| Launched | 6 January 1917[2] |
| Commissioned | 11 June 1917[2] |
| Fate | Scuttled at Pola on 28 October 1918 following the surrender of Austria-Hungary.[2] |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type | Type UB III submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 55.30 m (181 ft 5 in) (o/a) |
| Beam | 5.80 m (19 ft) |
| Draught | 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Complement | 3 officers, 31 men[2] |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
|
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: | 9 patrols |
| Victories: | |
The submarine conducted nine patrols and sank 35 ships during the war for a total loss of 107,795 gross register tons (GRT) and one destroyer.[3] It operated as part of the Pola Flotilla and later the II Mediterranean U-boat Flotilla based in Cattaro.[3] UB-48 was one of the most successful U-boats serving in the Mediterranean. The boat was assigned the number U-79 in the Austro-Hungarian Navy.[2] It was scuttled in Pola after the surrender of Austria-Hungary on 28 October 1918.[2]
Construction
editUB-48 was ordered by the GIN on 20 May 1916 and built by Blohm & Voss of Hamburg. Following less than a year of construction, it was launched at Hamburg on 6 January 1917. UB-48 was commissioned later that same year under the command of Wolfgang Steinbauer.[3] Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-48 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-48 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,090 nautical miles (16,830 km; 10,460 mi). UB-48 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 651 t (641 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.6 knots (25.2 km/h; 15.7 mph) when surfaced and 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) when submerged.
Summary of raiding history
edit
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 August 1917 | Roanoke |  United Kingdom
|
4,803 | Sunk |
| 14 August 1917 | HMS Prize |  Royal Navy
|
199 | Sunk |
| 18 August 1917 | Kongsli |  Norway
|
5,826 | Sunk |
| 20 August 1917 | Serra Do Marco |  Portugal
|
74 | Sunk |
| 20 August 1917 | Serra Do Pilar | Portugal
|
65 | Sunk |
| 23 August 1917 | Winlaton | United Kingdom
|
3,270 | Sunk |
| 27 August 1917 | Hathor | United Kingdom
|
3,823 | Sunk |
| 2 October 1917 | Imera |  Italy
|
1,172 | Sunk |
| 6 October 1917 | Citta Di Bari | Italy
|
1,489 | Sunk |
| 9 October 1917 | Niki |  Greece
|
511 | Sunk |
| 14 October 1917 | Valparaiso | Italy
|
4,930 | Sunk |
| 19 October 1917 | Pera | United Kingdom
|
7,635 | Sunk |
| 20 October 1917 | Collegian | United Kingdom
|
7,520 | Sunk |
| 27 November 1917 | Glenbridge | United Kingdom
|
3,845 | Damaged |
| 4 December 1917 | Dowlais | United Kingdom
|
3,016 | Sunk |
| 4 December 1917 | Gerasimos | Greece
|
3,845 | Sunk |
| 8 December 1917 | Consols | United Kingdom
|
3,756 | Sunk |
| 27 January 1918 | Volonta Di Dio | Italy
|
43 | Sunk |
| 30 January 1918 | Harlaw | Italy
|
821 | Sunk |
| 2 February 1918 | Celia | United Kingdom
|
5,004 | Sunk |
| 2 February 1918 | Edilio | Italy
|
4,719 | Sunk |
| 2 February 1918 | Newminster Abbey | United Kingdom
|
3,114 | Sunk |
| 3 February 1918 | Aboukir | United Kingdom
|
3,660 | Sunk |
| 7 February 1918 | Sturton | United Kingdom
|
4,406 | Sunk |
| 26 April 1918 | Upada | United Kingdom
|
5,257 | Damaged |
| 26 April 1918 | Leopold D’or |  France
|
2,300 | Sunk |
| 27 April 1918 | Romany | United Kingdom
|
3,983 | Sunk |
| 27 April 1918 | Saint Jean |  French Navy
|
287 | Damaged |
| 29 April 1918 | Kingstonian | United Kingdom
|
6,564 | Sunk |
| 29 April 1918 | HMT Dalkeith | Royal Navy
|
748 | Sunk |
| 29 April 1918 | Monte Bianco | France
|
988 | Damaged |
| 29 April 1918 | HMT Moose | Royal Navy
|
208 | Damaged |
| 2 May 1918 | Franklyn | United Kingdom
|
4,919 | Sunk |
| 2 May 1918 | Tyler |  United States
|
3,928 | Sunk |
| 5 May 1918 | Clan Ross | United Kingdom
|
5,971 | Damaged |
| 2 June 1918 | San Antonio | Italy
|
389 | Sunk |
| 6 June 1918 | Christophero Colombo | Italy
|
264 | Sunk |
| 10 June 1918 | Nivernais | France
|
2,555 | Sunk |
| 13 June 1918 | Penhallow | United Kingdom
|
4,318 | Sunk |
| 16 August 1918 | Balkan | France
|
1,709 | Sunk |
| 18 August 1918 | Nordboen |  Denmark
|
2,417 | Sunk |
| 1 September 1918 | Baron Minto | United Kingdom
|
4,537 | Damaged |
| 1 September 1918 | Monviso | Italy
|
4,020 | Damaged |
| 18 October 1918 | Voltaire | French Navy
|
18,400 | Damaged |
References
editNotes
edit- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
edit- ^ Rössler 1979, p. 65.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
- ^ a b c d Bendert 2000, p. 123.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 48". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
Bibliography
edit- Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Rössler, Eberhard (1979). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: eine Bilddokumentation über den deutschen U-Bootbau; in zwei Bänden (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.