SM U-71

SM U-71 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-71 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-71.

History
German Empire
Name: U-71
Ordered: 6 January 1915
Builder: AG Vulkan, Hamburg ( 55)
Launched: 31 October 1915
Commissioned: 20 December 1915
Fate: 23 February 1919 - Surrendered to France. Broken up at Cherburg in 1921.[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: German Type UE I submarine
Displacement:
  • 755 t (743 long tons) surfaced
  • 832 t (819 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in) (o/a)
  • 5.00 m (16 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Height: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught: 4.86 m (15 ft 11 in)
Installed power:
  • 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) submerged
Propulsion: 2 shafts
Speed:
  • 10.6 knots (19.6 km/h; 12.2 mph) surfaced
  • 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 7,880 nmi (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced
  • 83 nmi (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement: 4 officers, 28 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hugo Schmidt[3]
  • 20 December 1915 – 19 April 1917
  • Kptlt. Walter Gude[4]
  • 20 April – 27 November 1917
  • Kptlt. Otto Dröscher[5]
  • 28 November 1917 – 27 January 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Richard Scheurlen[6]
  • 28 January – 29 July 1918
  • Oblt.z.S. Kurt Slevogt[7]
  • 30 July – 14 October 1918
Operations: 12 patrols
Victories:
  • 17 merchant ships sunk (14,964 GRT)
  • 1 ship damaged (3,230 GRT)
  • 1 ship taken as prize (82 GRT)
  • 4 warships sunk (3,790 tons)[1]
  • 1 warship damaged (820 tons)

Design

German Type UE I submarines were preceded by the longer Type U 66 submarines. U-71 had a displacement of 755 tonnes (743 long tons) when at the surface and 832 tonnes (819 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 56.80 m (186 ft 4 in), a pressure hull length of 46.66 m (153 ft 1 in), a beam of 5.90 m (19 ft 4 in), a height of 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in), and a draught of 4.86 m (15 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two 900 metric horsepower (660 kW; 890 shp) engines for use while surfaced, and two 900 metric horsepower (660 kW; 890 shp) engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 metres (160 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 10.6 knots (19.6 km/h; 12.2 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.9 knots (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph).[2] When submerged, she could operate for 83 nautical miles (154 km; 96 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 7,880 nautical miles (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). U-71 was fitted with two 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), four torpedoes, and one 8.8 centimetres (3.5 in) deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-two (twenty-eight crew members and four officers).[2]

Operations

U-71 came off the stocks at Hamburg (Vulcan) in January 1916, and joined the Kiel School where she remained until 7 April 1916, when she entered the North Sea to join the 1st Half Flotilla.[8]

  • 12 April - ? 21 April 1916. Apparently cruising in North Sea.
  • 21 June – 8 July 1916. Northabout. Laid mines off Skerryvore.
  • 14 October – 4 November 1916. Skagerrak. Sank 3 S.S., 1 sailing vessel.
  • 11–23 December 1916. North Sea. Sank 2 S.S., 2 sailing vessels.
  • 10–22 January 1917. Minelaying in North Sea, St. Magnus Bay, Shetland Isles. Returned owing to bad weather and overheating of engine.
  • 6–21 February 1917. ? Laid mines in Loch Ewe, North Minch, off Butt of Lewis, Broad Bay and Firth of Lorne.
  • At sea 16 May 1917 – 8 June 1917. Possible laid mines off Tory I. Sank 1 S.S., 2 sailing vessels.
  • 7–26 July 1917. North Sea. Locality of her mines not fixed. Sank 223 tons.
  • 1/5 September 1917. Went out 3 times and returned, the last time with defects.
  • 10–14 October 1917. In Baltic. Returned with defects.
  • 20–24 December 1917. Laid mines off Dutch coast.
  • 29 December 1917 – 2 January 1918. Laid mines off Dutch coast. ? Took 1 prize.
  • 18–23 January 1918. Laid mines off Dutch coast.
  • 4–15 February 1918. Laid mines off Dutch coast. Emerged from Skagerrak and returned by Sound.
  • 18–29 March 1918. Laid mines off Dutch coast. Went out by Skagerrak. Returned to Bight.
  • 23 April – 2 May 1918. Laid mines off Firth of Forth.
  • 18–24 June 1918. Laid mines off Aberdeen.
  • Early in July – 22 July 1918. Laid mines off Firth of Forth.
  • ? 29 September – 11 October 1918. ? Dutch coast. Submarine reports "Task given up".
  • 23 February 1919. Surrendered at Harwich.

Summary of raiding history
Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[9]
18 October 1916 Greta  Sweden 1,370 Sunk
19 October 1916 Mercur  Sweden 711 Sunk
19 October 1916 Normandie  Sweden 1,342 Sunk
21 October 1916 Rönnaug  Norway 1,331 Sunk
13 December 1916 Solon  Denmark 137 Sunk
17 December 1916 Sjofna  Norway 528 Sunk
18 December 1916 Herø  Norway 1,106 Sunk
18 December 1916 Sieka  Netherlands 119 Sunk
19 February 1917 Halcyon  United Kingdom 190 Sunk
4 June 1917 Orion  Denmark 1,870 Sunk
5 June 1917 C. Thorén  Sweden 269 Sunk
5 June 1917 Götha  Sweden 232 Sunk
20 July 1917 Sirra  Netherlands 223 Sunk
26 July 1917 Flore  France 3,553 Sunk
26 July 1917 Ethelwynne  United Kingdom 3,230 Damaged
14 August 1917 Majorka  Norway 1,684 Sunk
31 August 1917 Taurus  United Kingdom 128 Sunk
20 October 1917 HMT Thomas Stratten  Royal Navy 309 Sunk
12 December 1917 Amadavat  United Kingdom 171 Sunk
31 December 1917 De Hoop  Netherlands 82 Captured as a prize
1 May 1918 HMS Blackmorevale  Royal Navy 750 Sunk
15 August 1918 HMS Scott  Royal Navy 1,801 Sunk
15 August 1918 HMS Ulleswater  Royal Navy 930 Sunk
20 August 1918 HMS Shirley  Royal Navy 820 Damaged

References

Notes
  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 71". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 10–11.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hugo Schmidt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Walter Gude". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Dröscher (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Richard Scheurlen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Kurt Slevogt". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  8. HW 7/3, Room 40, History of German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. National Archives, Kew.
  9. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 71". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 13 January 2015.

Bibliography
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
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