SM UB-19[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 30 April 1915 and launched on 2 September 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 16 December 1915 as SM UB-19. The submarine sank 13 ships in 15 patrols for a total of 10,040 gross register tons (GRT). UB-19 was sunk in the English Channel at 49°56′N 2°45′W / 49.933°N 2.750°W / 49.933; -2.750 on 30 November 1916 by British Q ship HMS Penshurst (Q 7).[2]

SM UB-45, a U-boat similar to UB-19
History
German Empire
NameUB-19
Ordered30 April 1915[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Yard number249[1]
Launched2 September 1915[1]
Commissioned16 December 1915[1]
FateSunk by British Q ship, 30 November 1916
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType UB II submarine
Displacement
  • 263 t (259 long tons) surfaced
  • 292 t (287 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.36 m (14 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 3.85 m (13 ft) pressure hull
Draught3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph) surfaced
  • 5.81 knots (10.76 km/h; 6.69 mph) submerged
Range
  • 6,650 nmi (12,320 km; 7,650 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 depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement2 officers, 21 men
Armament
Notes45-second diving time
Service record
Part of:
  • Flandern Flotilla
  • 1 March – 30 November 1916
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Walter Gustav Becker[3]
  • 17 December 1915 – 3 November 1916
  • Oblt.z.S. Erich Noodt[4]
  • 4 – 30 November 1916
Operations: 15 patrols
Victories:
  • 13 merchant ships sunk
    (10,040 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (3,020 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (1,970 GRT)

Design

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A Type UB II submarine, ‘’UB-19’’ had a displacement of 263 tonnes (259 long tons) when at the surface and 292 tonnes (287 long tons) while submerged. They had a length overall of 36.13 m (118 ft 6 in), a beam of 4.54 m (14 ft 11 in), and a draught of 3.70 m (12 ft 2 in). The submarine was powered by two Daimler six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 284 metric horsepower (209 kW; 280 shp) (a total of 600 metric horsepower (440 kW; 590 shp)), two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing 280 metric horsepower (210 kW; 280 shp), and one propeller shaft. She had a dive time of 32 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine's top submerged speed was 5.81 knots and its top surface speed was 9.15 knots (16.95 km/h; 10.53 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph); when surfaced she could travel 6,650 nautical miles (12,320 km; 7,650 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UB-19 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes in the bow, four torpedoes, and one 5 cm (2.0 in) Tk L/40 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-three crew members.[2]

Summary of raiding history

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Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[5]
18 May 1916 Osprey   United Kingdom 18 Sunk
24 July 1916 Mars   Norway 106 Sunk
10 August 1916 San Bernardo   United Kingdom 3,803 Sunk
4 October 1916 Jennie Bullas   United Kingdom 26 Sunk
4 October 1916 Jersey   United Kingdom 162 Sunk
4 October 1916 Rado   United Kingdom 182 Sunk
5 October 1916 Rover   United Kingdom 42 Sunk
25 October 1916 Comtesse De Flandre   Belgium 1,810 Sunk
26 October 1916 Iduna   France 165 Sunk
10 November 1916 Koningin Regentes   Netherlands 1,970 Captured as prize
23 November 1916 Ernaston   United Kingdom 3,020 Damaged
24 November 1916 Jerseyman   United Kingdom 358 Sunk
27 November 1916 Belle Ile   Norway 1,884 Sunk
27 November 1916 Visborg   Norway 1,343 Sunk
30 November 1916 Behrend   United Kingdom 141 Sunk

References

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Notes

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  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

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  1. ^ a b c d e Rössler 1979, p. 64.
  2. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 23–25.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Gustav Becker". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Noodt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB-19". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2015.

Bibliography

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