SM UB-30

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-30.

SM UB-30^{[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 22 July 1915 and launched on 16 November 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 March 1916 as SM UB-30.

SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-30
History
German Empire
Name	UB-30
Ordered	22 July 1915[1]
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Cost	1,152,000 German Papiermark[2]
Yard number	254[1]
Launched	16 November 1915[1]
Completed	16 March 1916[1]
Commissioned	18 March 1916[2]
Fate	Sunk 13 August 1918 by British warships[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Type UB II submarine
Displacement	274 t (270 long tons) surfaced 303 t (298 long tons) submerged
Length	36.90 m (121 ft 1 in) o/a 27.90 m (91 ft 6 in) pressure hull
Beam	4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Draught	3.69 m (12 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	1 × propeller shaft 2 × 6-cylinder diesel engine, 270 PS (200 kW; 270 bhp) 2 × electric motor, 280 PS (210 kW; 280 shp)
Speed	9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) surfaced 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 mph) submerged
Range	7,030 nmi (13,020 km; 8,090 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 depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	2 officers, 21 men
Armament	2 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes 4 × torpedoes (later 6) 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun
Notes	42-second diving time
Service record
Part of:	Baltic Flotilla 8 May 1916 – 23 February 1917 Flandern Flotilla 23 February 1917 – 13 August 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Kurt Schapler[3] 18 March – 1 October 1916 Oblt.z.S. Freiherr Cassius von Montigny[4] 2 October 1916 – 7 August 1917 Kptlt. Wilhelm Rhein[5] 8 August 1917 – 21 April 1918 Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Steir[6] 22 April – 13 August 1918
Operations:	19 patrols
Victories:	18 merchant ships sunk (19,650 GRT) 2 merchant ships damaged (12,007 GRT)

The submarine sank 18 ships in 19 patrols. They included the William Cory & Son collier SS Vernon in the North Sea off Spurn on 31 August 1917^[7] and the Witherington and Everett Steam Ship Company collier SS Lightfoot in the English Channel off Selsey Bill on 16 March 1918.^[8]

UB-30 was sunk by two depth charges from HMS Landrail south of Goodwin Sands at 51°9′N 1°46′E on 13 August 1918.^[2]

Design

A Type UB II submarine, UB-30 had a displacement of 274 tonnes (270 long tons) when at the surface and 303 tonnes (298 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 36.90 m (121 ft 1 in), a beam of 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.69 m (12 ft 1 in). The submarine was powered by two Benz six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total 270 metric horsepower (270 shp; 200 kW), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), 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 9.06 knots (16.78 km/h; 10.43 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.71 knots (10.57 km/h; 6.57 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 7,030 nautical miles (13,020 km; 8,090 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-30 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.^[2]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage[Note 2]	Fate[9]
21 October 1916	August	Sweden	346	Sunk
23 October 1916	Elly	Sweden	88	Sunk
24 October 1916	Elin	Russian Empire	127	Sunk
24 October 1916	Ingersoll	Russian Empire	239	Sunk
24 October 1916	Jenny Lind	Russian Empire	53	Sunk
24 October 1916	Urpo	Russian Empire	111	Sunk
31 August 1917	Vernon	United Kingdom	982	Sunk
3 September 1917	Ragnhild	United Kingdom	1,495	Sunk
26 September 1917	S.N.A. 3	France	1,709	Sunk
12 November 1917	Morning Star	United Kingdom	129	Sunk
3 January 1918	Gartland	United Kingdom	2,613	Sunk
5 January 1918	Glenarm Head	United Kingdom	3,908	Sunk
12 January 1918	Whorlton	United Kingdom	1,469	Sunk
2 February 1918	Jaffa	United Kingdom	1,383	Sunk
9 February 1918	Armenia	United States	5,463	Damaged
5 March 1918	Clan Mackenzie	United Kingdom	6,544	Damaged
7 March 1918	Braatt II	Norway	1,834	Sunk
16 March 1918	Lightfoot	United Kingdom	1,873	Sunk
18 June 1918	Norfolk Coast	United Kingdom	782	Sunk
10 August 1918	Madame Renee	United Kingdom	509	Sunk

References

Notes

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

1. Rössler 1979, p. 64.
2. Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Schapler". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Freiherr Cassius von Montigny". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Rhein (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Rudolf Steir". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Vernon". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
8. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Lightfoot". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-30". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.

Bibliography

• 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). 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.
• 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.