SM UC-50

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-50.

SM UC-50 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 20 November 1915 and was launched on 23 November 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 21 December 1916 as SM UC-50.^{[Note 1]} In nine patrols UC-50 was credited with sinking 29 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid.^[1] UC-50 was sunk by depth charges from British destroyer Zubian in the Dover Strait off Dungeness on 4 February 1918.^[3]

History
German Empire
Name	UC-50
Ordered	12 January 1916[1]
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel[2]
Yard number	266[1]
Launched	23 November 1916[1]
Commissioned	21 December 1916[1]
Fate	Depth Charged by HMS Zubian, 4 February 1918[3]
General characteristics [4]
Class and type	Type UC II submarine
Displacement	434 t (427 long tons), surfaced 511 t (503 long tons), submerged
Length	52.69 m (172 ft 10 in) o/a 40.96 m (134 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Beam	5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught	3.64 m (11 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shafts 2 × 6-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engines, 580–600 PS (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp) 2 × electric motors, 620 PS (460 kW; 610 shp)
Speed	11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph), surfaced 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph), submerged
Range	8,820–9,450 nmi (16,330–17,500 km; 10,150–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (160 ft)
Complement	26
Armament	6 × 100 cm (39.4 in) mine tubes 18 × UC 200 mines 3 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 bow/external; one stern) 7 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun
Notes	30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:	I Flotilla 18 February - 6 July 1917 Flandern / Flandern II Flotilla 6 July 1917 – 7 January 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Rudolf Seuffer[5] 21 December 1916 – 7 January 1918
Operations:	9 patrols
Victories:	25 merchant ships sunk (42,005 GRT) 4 auxiliary warships sunk (866 GRT) 1 auxiliary warship damaged (270 GRT)

Design

A Type UC II submarine, UC-50 had a displacement of 434 tonnes (427 long tons) when at the surface and 511 tonnes (503 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 52.69 m (172 ft 10 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 290–300 metric horsepower (210–220 kW; 290–300 shp) (a total of 580–600 metric horsepower (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).^[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,820 to 9,450 nautical miles (16,330 to 17,500 km; 10,150 to 10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-50 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.^[4]

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage[Note 2]	Fate[6]
13 March 1917	La Campine	Netherlands	2,557	Sunk
16 March 1917	Gudbrand	Norway	1,860	Sunk
17 March 1917	Caledonia	United Kingdom	161	Sunk
17 March 1917	Expedit	Norway	680	Sunk
17 March 1917	Gowan	United Kingdom	25	Sunk
17 March 1917	Kestrel	United Kingdom	181	Sunk
20 March 1917	Frisk	Norway	1,038	Sunk
22 March 1917	Rio Colorado	United Kingdom	3,565	Sunk
14 April 1917	Venus	Norway	725	Sunk
18 April 1917	Witham	United Kingdom	144	Sunk
20 April 1917	HMT Ruthin Castle	Royal Navy	275	Sunk
24 April 1917	HMT Margate	Royal Navy	162	Sunk
24 April 1917	Mayfly	United Kingdom	199	Sunk
24 April 1917	HMT Gaul	Royal Navy	270	Damaged
26 April 1917	Active	United Kingdom	149	Sunk
26 April 1917	Telefon	Norway	777	Sunk
27 May 1917	Dartmoor	United Kingdom	2,870	Sunk
30 May 1917	HMT Ina William	Royal Navy	337	Sunk
26 July 1917	Carmarthen	United Kingdom	4,262	Sunk
3 September 1917	La Negra	United Kingdom	8,312	Sunk
5 September 1917	Emma	United Kingdom	73	Sunk
5 September 1917	Florence Muspratt[7]	United Kingdom	79	Sunk
5 September 1917	Frances	United Kingdom	89	Sunk
5 September 1917	Theodor	United Kingdom	230	Sunk
6 September 1917	Alesia	France	6,006	Sunk
7 September 1917	Versailles	France	70	Sunk
26 September 1917	HMD Ocean Star	Royal Navy	92	Sunk
11 October 1917	Baychattan	United Kingdom	3,758	Sunk
11 October 1917	Mira	United Kingdom	3,700	Sunk
12 December 1917	Emlyndene	United Kingdom	495	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. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 50". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
2. Tarrant, p. 173.
3. Messimer, p. 290.
4. Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Rudolf Seuffer". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC 50". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
7. "schooner Florence Muspratt". Burton Upon Hather Heritage Group. Retrieved 27 February 2015.

Bibliography

• 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.
• Messimer, Dwight R. (2002). Verschollen: World War I U-boat Losses. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-475-3. OCLC 231973419.
• Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC 20338385.