SM UB-119

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-119.

SM UB-119 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 9 February 1918 as SM UB-119.^{[Note 1]}

UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-119.
History
German Empire
Name	UB-119
Ordered	6 / 8 February 1917[1]
Builder	AG Weser, Bremen
Cost	3,654,000 German Papiermark
Yard number	292
Laid down	10 April 1917[2]
Launched	13 December 1917[3]
Commissioned	9 February 1918[3]
Fate	Missing after 5 May 1918
General characteristics [3]
Class & type	Type UB III submarine
Displacement	512 t (504 long tons) surfaced 643 t (633 long tons) submerged
Length	55.85 m (183 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam	5.80 m (19 ft)
Draught	3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shaft 2 × Daimler four-stroke 6-cylinder diesel engines, 1,050 bhp (780 kW) 2 × Siemens-Schuckert electric motors, 780 shp (580 kW)
Speed	13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	7,280 nmi (13,480 km; 8,380 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	3 officers, 31 men[3]
Armament	5 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 10 torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun
Service record
Part of	III Flotilla 20 April – 5 May 1918
Commanders	Oblt.z.S. Walter Kolbe[4] 9 February – 5 May 1918
Operations	1 patrol
Victories	None

UB-119 went missing after 5 May 1918; last contact was off the northern coast of Ireland.

Construction

Main article: Type UB III submarine

She was built by AG Weser of Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 13 December 1917. UB-119 was commissioned early the next year under the command of Oblt.z.S. Walter Kolbe. Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-119 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-119 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 7,280 nautical miles (13,480 km; 8,380 mi). UB-119 had a displacement of 512 t (504 long tons) while surfaced and 643 t (633 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.9 knots (25.7 km/h; 16.0 mph) when surfaced and 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) when submerged.

Previously recorded fate

UB-119 was previously thought to have been rammed by Green Island at 55°16′N 6°24′W between Rathlin Island and the Irish coast.^[3] Research by Pamela Armstrong established that UB-119 attacked the steamer Wheatear by gunfire in the same area four hours after the Green Island incident.^[5]