SM UC-18

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For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-18.

History
German Empire
NameUC-18
Ordered29 August 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[2]
Yard number268[1]
Launched4 March 1916[1]
Commissioned15 August 1916[1]
FateSunk by British Q ship, 19 February 1917[1]
General characteristics [3]
Class and typeGerman Type UC II submarine
Displacement
  • 417 t (410 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
Draught3.68 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph), surfaced
  • 7.0 knots (13.0 km/h; 8.1 mph), submerged
Range
  • 9,430 nautical miles (17,460 km; 10,850 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph), surfaced
  • 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph), submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement26
Armament
Notes35-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 19 October 1916 – 19 February 1917
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Wilhelm Kiel[4]
  • 15 August 1916 – 19 February 1917
Operations: 6 patrols
Victories:
  • 30 merchant ships sunk
    (32,684 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (432 tons)
  • 3 auxiliary warships sunk
    (1,227 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (21,157 GRT)

SM UC-18 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 29 August 1915 and was launched on 4 March 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 15 August 1916 as SM UC-18.[Note 1] In 6 patrols UC-18 was credited with sinking 34 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-18 was sunk by the British Q ship HMS Lady Olive on 19 February 1917.[1]

Design[edit]

Like all pre-UC-25 German Type UC II submarines, UC-18 had a displacement of 417 tonnes (410 long tons) when at the surface and 493 tonnes (485 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 49.35 m (161 ft 11 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 250 metric horsepower (180 kW; 250 shp) (a total of 500 metric horsepower (370 kW; 490 shp)), two electric motors producing 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 35 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph) and a submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,430 nautical miles (17,460 km; 10,850 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-18 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]

Discovery[edit]

In March 2024, it was announced that the wreck of UC-18 had been discovered by a team of divers off the island of Guernsey at a depth of 70 m (230 ft), some 64 km (40 mi) further west than the historical accounts of the battle described which was originally believed to have been 13 km (8 mi) west of the coast of Jersey.[5]

Summary of raiding history[edit]

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
3 November 1916 HMT Glenprosen  Royal Navy 224 Sunk
5 November 1916 HMT Cantatrice  Royal Navy 302 Sunk
9 November 1916 HMS Fair Maid  Royal Navy 432 Sunk
9 November 1916 Marga  United Kingdom 674 Sunk
10 November 1916 H.m.w.  United Kingdom 93 Sunk
13 November 1916 Lilloise  France 165 Sunk
15 November 1916 Lake Michigan  United Kingdom 9,288 Damaged
16 November 1916 Trevarrack  United Kingdom 4,199 Sunk
11 December 1916 Inger  Denmark 786 Sunk
14 December 1916 Glencoe  United Kingdom 2,560 Sunk
14 December 1916 Leca  Portugal 1,911 Sunk
15 December 1916 Rogn  Norway 1,028 Sunk
17 December 1916 Cascais  Portugal 835 Sunk
17 December 1916 Immaculee Conception  France 246 Sunk
17 December 1916 Prima  Norway 1,233 Sunk
17 December 1916 Prosper Leon  France 42 Sunk
17 December 1916 Saint Yves  France 325 Sunk
18 December 1916 Kansan  United States 7,913 Damaged
22 December 1916 Amedee  France 130 Sunk
22 December 1916 Dansborg  Denmark 2,242 Sunk
22 December 1916 Hroptatyr  Denmark 1,300 Sunk
12 January 1917 Saint Michel  France 419 Sunk
13 January 1917 Toftwood  United Kingdom 3,082 Sunk
14 January 1917 Martin  United Kingdom 1,904 Sunk
15 January 1917 Bernadette  France 128 Sunk
15 January 1917 Otto  Norway 401 Sunk
16 January 1917 City of Tampico  Norway 1,513 Sunk
17 January 1917 Jeune France  France 126 Sunk
17 January 1917 Valle  Spain 2,365 Sunk
18 January 1917 Louis Joseph  France 197 Sunk
18 January 1917 Louise  France 101 Sunk
19 January 1917 Klampenborg  Denmark 1,785 Sunk
19 January 1917 Parahyba  Uruguay 2,606 Sunk
20 January 1917 Phoebe  France 3,956 Damaged
22 January 1917 Aurelie  France 89 Sunk
18 February 1917 Netherton  United Kingdom 199 Sunk
19 February 1917 HMS Lady Olive  Royal Navy 701 Sunk

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

  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[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 18". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
  2. ^ Tarrant, p. 173.
  3. ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Kiel". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Mystery solved after Guernsey divers find missing German U-boat". BBC News. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC-18". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.

Bibliography[edit]

  • 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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