SM U-124[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-124 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic under the command of Kapitänleutnant Rolf Carls (later a Generaladmiral in the Kriegsmarine).[3]
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Name | U-124 |
| Ordered | 27 May 1916 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Yard number | 301 |
| Launched | 28 March 1918 |
| Commissioned | 12 July 1918 |
| Fate | Surrendered 1 December 1918; scrapped Swansea 1920 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type | Type UE II submarine |
| Type | Coastal minelaying submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 7.42 m (24 ft 4 in) |
| Height | 10.16 m (33 ft 4 in) |
| Draught | 4.22 m (13 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 shafts, 2 × 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) propellers |
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 75 m (246 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 36 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record | |
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: | None |
| Victories: | None |
She was interned at Karlskrona on 13 November 1918, but then surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 1 December 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. Lying at Portland, she was sold to James Dredging Co. on 3 March 1919 for £3,000, but then re-sold to George Cohen, who towed the boat to Swansea for scrapping. However, U-124 foundered there in October 1920, although was later salvaged and finally broken up.[4]
Design
editType UE II submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-124 had a displacement of 1,163 tonnes (1,145 long tons) when at the surface and 1,468 tonnes (1,445 long tons) while submerged.[1] She had a total length of 82 metres (269 ft), a beam of 7.4 m (24 ft 3 in), a height of 10.16 m (33 ft 4 in), and a draught of 4.22 m (13 ft 10 in). The submarine was powered by two 2,400 metric horsepower (1,800 kW; 2,400 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 1,235 metric horsepower (908 kW; 1,218 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.61 m (5.3 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 75 metres (246 ft).[1]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 14.7 knots (27.2 km/h; 16.9 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph).[1] When submerged, she could operate for 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 11,470 nautical miles (21,240 km; 13,200 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). U-124 was fitted with four 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (fitted at its bow), twelve torpedoes, two 100 centimetres (39 in) mine chutes (fitted at its stern), forty-two mines, one 15 cm (5.9 in) SK L/45 deck machine gun, and 494 rounds. She had a complement of forty (thirty-six crew members and four officers).[1]
References
editNotes
edit- ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
Citations
edit- ^ a b c d e Gröner 1991, p. 15.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Rolf Carls". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 124". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
- ^ Dodson, Aidan; Cant, Serena (2020). Spoils of War: the fate of enemy fleets after the two World Wars. Barnsley: Seaforth. p. 125. ISBN 978-1-5267-4198-1.
Bibliography
edit- 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.