SM UB-22[Note 1] was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 9 October 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 2 March 1915 as SM UB-22. The submarine sank 27 ships in 18 patrols for a total of 16,645 gross register tons (GRT).[5] UB-22 was mined and sunk in the same incident with the torpedoboat SMS S16 in the North Sea at 54°40′N 6°32′E / 54.667°N 6.533°E / 54.667; 6.533 on 19 January 1918 in a British minefield.

SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-22
History
German Empire
NameUB-22
Ordered30 April 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Yard number252[1]
Launched9 October 1915[1]
Completed1 March 1916[1]
Commissioned2 March 1916
FateSunk by mine 19 January 1918
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 263 t (259 long tons) surfaced
  • 292 t (287 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (13 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) surfaced
  • 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph) submerged
Range
  • 6,450 nmi (11,950 km; 7,420 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) surfaced
  • 45 nmi (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes45-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 14 April 1916 – 1 February 1917
  • II Flotilla
  • 1 February – 22 September 1917
  • V Flotilla
  • 22 September 1917 – 19 January 1918
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Bernhard Putzier[3]
  • 2 March 1916 – 16 April 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Karl Wacker[4]
  • 17 April 1917 – 19 January 1918
Operations: 18 patrols
Victories: 27 merchant ships sunk
(16,645 GRT)

Design

edit

A Type UB II submarine, UB-22 had a displacement of 263 tonnes (259 long tons) when at the surface and 292 tonnes (287 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.13 m (118 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in). The submarine was powered by two Körting six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engines each producing a total 280 metric horsepower (280 shp; 210 kW), a Siemens-Schuckert electric motor producing 206 kilowatts (276 shp; 280 PS), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 6,650 nautical miles (12,320 km; 7,650 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-22 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 5 cm (2.0 in) SK L/40 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 45-second dive time.[2]

Summary of raiding history

edit
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
20 October 1916 Drafn   Norway 774 Sunk
21 October 1916 Antoinette   Sweden 912 Sunk
21 October 1916 Theodor   Norway 234 Sunk
22 October 1916 Caerloch   Norway 659 Sunk
22 October 1916 Gunn   Norway 483 Sunk
27 October 1916 Sif   Denmark 377 Sunk
29 October 1916 Falkefjell   Norway 1,131 Sunk
5 February 1917 Resolute   United Kingdom 125 Sunk
6 February 1917 Adelaide   United Kingdom 133 Sunk
6 February 1917 Romeo   United Kingdom 114 Sunk
6 February 1917 Rupert   United Kingdom 114 Sunk
7 February 1917 Boyne Castle   United Kingdom 245 Sunk
7 February 1917 Shakespeare   United Kingdom 210 Sunk
9 February 1917 Benbow   United Kingdom 172 Sunk
9 February 1917 Duke of York   United Kingdom 150 Sunk
10 February 1917 Athenian   United Kingdom 171 Sunk
10 February 1917 Bellax   Norway 1,107 Sunk
10 February 1917 Ireland   United Kingdom 152 Sunk
28 March 1917 Oakwell   United Kingdom 248 Sunk
29 April 1917 Dilston Castle   United Kingdom 129 Sunk
30 April 1917 Argo   United Kingdom 131 Sunk
16 June 1917 Inge   Denmark 336 Sunk
4 August 1917 Azira   United Kingdom 1,144 Sunk
6 August 1917 Jenny   Denmark 293 Sunk
6 August 1917 Narcissus   United Kingdom 58 Sunk
7 November 1917 Suntrap   United Kingdom 1,353 Sunk
13 December 1917 Garthwaite   United Kingdom 5,690 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. ^ Tonnages are in gross register tons

Citations

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. ^ a b c Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Bernhard Putzier". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Wacker". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  5. ^ Bendert 2000, p. 195.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-22". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.

Bibliography

edit