SM U-5 (Germany)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-5.

SM U-5 was a German Type U 5 U-boat built for the Imperial German Navy. She was commissioned 2 July 1910 in Germaniawerft in Kiel. She served in World War I under the command of Kptlt. Johannes Lemmer, with no recorded sinkings of enemy ships on two patrols. She was lost in an accident off the Belgian coast on 18 December 1914, and sank with no survivors - all of her 29 crew members died.

SM U-5 in the Harbour of Kiel (second boat left)
History
German Empire
Name	U-5[1]
Ordered	8 April 1908[1]
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel[1]
Cost	2,540,000 Goldmark
Yard number	147[1]
Laid down	24 August 1908[1]
Launched	8 January 1910[1]
Commissioned	2 July 1910[1]
Fate	Sunk 18 December 1914
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	German Type U 5 submarine
Displacement	505 t (497 long tons) surfaced 636 t (626 long tons) submerged
Length	57.30 m (188 ft 0 in) (o/a) 43.10 m (141 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Beam	5.60 m (18 ft 4 in) (o/a) 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in) (pressure hull)
Draught	3.55 m (11 ft 8 in)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × Körting 6-cylinder and 2 ×  Körting 8-cylinder two stroke Kerosene motors with 900 PS (660 kW; 890 shp) 2 × Siemens-Schuckert electric motors with 1,040 PS (760 kW; 1,030 shp) 550 rpm surfaced 600 rpm submerged
Speed	13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced 10.2 knots (18.9 km/h; 11.7 mph) submerged
Range	3,300 nmi (6,100 km; 3,800 mi) at 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) surfaced 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph)
Test depth	30 m (98 ft)
Boats & landing craft carried	1 dingi
Complement	4 officers, 24 men
Armament	4 × 45 cm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 each bow and stern) with 6 torpedoes 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Hotchkiss gun
Service record
Part of:	I Flotilla 1 August – 18 December 1914
Commanders:	Kptlt. Johannes Lemmer[3] 1 August – 18 December 1914
Operations:	2 patrols
Victories:	None

On 4 September 2023, it was announced that the wreck of U-5 was successfully identified.^[4]

References

1. Rössler 1985, p. 26.
2. Gröner 1991, pp. 4–6.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johannes Lemmer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
4. NWS, VRT (4 September 2023). "Gezonken Duitse duikboten na 100 jaar geïdentificeerd: bemanning nog aan boord". vrtnws.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 September 2023.

Bibliography

• 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 (1985). Die deutschen U-Boote und ihre Werften: U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkriegs, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935–1945 [The German Submarines and Their Shipyards: Submarine Construction Until the End of the First World War] (in German). Vol. I. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7.
• Kemp, Paul (1997). U-boats destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour Press. p. 9. ISBN 1-85409-321-5.
• Stern, Robert C (2002). Battle Beneath the Waves: U-boats at War. Cassell Military Paperbacks. ISBN 0-304-36228-X.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 5". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 27 February 2007.

51°23′N 3°11′E