SMU-19, was the lead ship of the Type U 19 class of submarines; launched in 1912 and served in the First World War until surrendered on 24 November 1918
During the First World War, Germany also had these submarines with similar names:
From 1 August 1914, to 15 March 1916, U-19 was commanded by Constantin Kolbe. During this period she had the unfortunate distinction of becoming the first U-boat casualty of World War I when she was rammed by HMSBadger on 24 October 1914. Her hull was badly damaged, but she survived and was repaired.
On the 22nd of January 1915 the Durward was near the Maas lightship when they saw the U19 on the surface. They tried to escape, but as they could only manage 12 knots they were unable to do so. The mate of the Durward, who was later interviewed by the Daily Mail's special correspondent in Rotterdam related how the second officer, who spoke excellent English, had ordered them to lower a boat and come to talk to them. The captain and crew were given ten minutes to leave the ship. The mate asked the second officer whether he could return to the ship to collect his clothes. He replied 'Sorry, old man, it can't be done. I am in the mercantile marine myself, having been in the North German Lloyd service but now I am doing a bit for my country.' The commander of the U-boat towed the lifeboat to within 100 yards of the Maas lightship, even stopping at one stage to repair the tow when it parted,after which the crew of the Durward said goodbye to the submarine and rowed to the lightship.
U-19 conducted 20 patrols, sinking 15 ships totalling 35,871gross register tons(GRT). On 1 May 1940, U-19 was withdrawn from combat duty and used for training and as a school boat. She returned to active duty in the 30th U-boat Flotilla on 1 May 1942, after having been transported overland and along the Danube to the Black Sea.
Design
German Type IIB submarines were enlarged versions of the original Type IIs. U-19 had a displacement of 279 tonnes (275 long tons) when at the surface and 328 tonnes (323 long tons) while submerged. Officially, the standard tonnage was 250 long tons (250t), however. The U-boat had a total length of 42.70m (140ft 1in), a pressure hull length of 28.20m (92ft 6in), a beam of 4.08m (13ft 5in), a height of 8.60m (28ft 3in), and a draught of 3.90m (12ft 10in). The submarine was powered by two MWM RS 127 S four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines of 700 metric horsepower (510kW; 690shp) for cruising, two Siemens-Schuckert PG VV 322/36 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 460 metric horsepower (340kW; 450shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 0.85m (3ft)propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 80–150 metres (260–490ft).
U-boat is the anglicised version of the German word U-Boot[ˈuːboːt], a shortening of Unterseeboot, literally "undersea boat". While the German term refers to any submarine, the English one (in common with several other languages) refers specifically to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role (commerce raiding), enforcing a naval blockade against enemy shipping. The primary targets of the U-boat campaigns in both wars were the merchant convoys bringing supplies from Canada, the British Empire, and the United States to the United Kingdom and (during the Second World War) to the Soviet Union and the Allied territories in the Mediterranean.
The first submarine built in Germany was the three-man Brandtaucher, which sank to the bottom of Kiel harbor during its first test dive. The vessel was designed in 1850 by the inventor and engineerWilhelm Bauer and built by Schweffel & Howaldt in Kiel. Brandtaucher was later rediscovered during dredging operations in 1887, and raised sixteen years later and placed in a museum in Germany.
SM UC-15 was a German Type UC Iminelayersubmarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German:Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 23 November 1914, laid down on 28 January 1915, and was launched on 19 May 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 28 June 1915 as SM UC-15.Mines laid by UC-15 during her eight patrols are credited with sinking 3 ships. UC-15 disappeared in November 1916.
Design
A German Type UC I submarine, UC-15 had a displacement of 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 182 tonnes (179 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 33.99m (111ft 6in), a beam of 3.15m (10ft 4in), and a draught of3.06m (10ft 0in). The submarine was powered by one Benz six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 80 metric horsepower (59kW; 79shp), an electric motor producing 175 metric horsepower (129kW; 173shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160ft).
About 3,200 soldiers from 14 countries are taking part in the German-led Northern Coasts 23 exercise, the German navy said in a statement. The exercise will involve 30 ships, submarines, up to 19 aircraft and various landing units, it said.
19, 1942 – Off the North American coast, German submarines sank three ships and damaged a fourth, killing 337 crew ... 21, 1942 – Off the North American coast, German submarines sank two ships, killing 24.
Biltmore Beacon
19 Jan 2023
Biltmore Beacon
19 Jan 2023