SM U-47 (Germany)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-47.
History
German Empire
NameU-47
Ordered4 August 1914
BuilderKaiserliche Werft Danzig
Yard number25
Launched16 August 1915
Commissioned28 February 1916
FateScuttled on 28 October 1918
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType U-43 submarine
Displacement
  • 725 t (714 long tons) surfaced
  • 940 t (930 long tons) submerged
Length65.00 m (213 ft 3 in) (o/a)
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) (oa)
  • 4.18 m (13 ft 9 in) (pressure hull)
Height9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught3.74 m (12 ft 3 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 2,000 PS (1,471 kW; 1,973 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed
  • 15.2 knots (28.2 km/h; 17.5 mph) surfaced
  • 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) submerged
Range
  • 11,400 nmi (21,100 km; 13,100 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 51 nmi (94 km; 59 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement36
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • III Flotilla
  • 8 May – 27 December 1916
  • Pola / Mittelmeer Flotilla
  • 27 December 1916 – 28 October 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Metzger[2]
  • 28 February 1916 – 27 August 1917
  • Kptlt. Johannes Feldkirchner[3]
  • 28 August – 29 October 1917
  • Oblt.z.S. Otto Gerke[4]
  • 30 October 1917 – 10 March 1918
  • Kptlt. Wilhelm Canaris[5]
  • 14 January – 14 June 1918
  • Kptlt. Adolf Franz[6]
  • 11–31 March 1918
  • Kptlt. Erich Gerth[7]
  • 15 June – 11 September 1918
  • Kptlt. Carl Bünte[8]
  • 12 September – 28 October 1918
Operations: 2 patrols
Victories:
  • 14 merchant ships sunk
    (23,932 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (9,351 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (149 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (1,046 GRT)

SM U-47 was a Type U-43 submarine of the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine.). She engaged in commerce raiding during the First World War.

Career

U-47 entered service in early 1916, serving initially with the III Flotilla, and from 27 December 1916 with the Pola Flotilla. Her captain between 14 January and 14 June 1918 was Wilhelm Canaris.

She carried out two war patrols and succeeded in sinking 14 ships for a total of 23,932 gross register tons (GRT). In addition to this she damaged three ships for 9,500 GRT and captured another ship as a prize. Engine troubles meant she could not be used from June 1918, and was finally scuttled at Pula on 28 October 1918 during the evacuation.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[9]
15 August 1916 Presto  Sweden 1,046 Captured as prize
30 August 1916 Wellamo  Finland 1,050 Sunk
16 November 1916 Dolfijn  Netherlands 140 Sunk
16 November 1916 Parnass  Norway 646 Sunk
1 December 1916 Kediri  Netherlands 3,781 Sunk
4 December 1916 Beira  Portugal 463 Attack with no results
4 December 1916 Ibo  Portugal 492 Attack with no results
7 December 1916 Spyros  Greece 3,357 Sunk
13 December 1916 Salamis  Greece 3,638 Sunk
19 December 1916 Sno  Norway 1,823 Sunk
8 May 1917 Madeleine III  French Navy 149 Damaged
11 May 1917 Hindoo  United Kingdom 4,915 Damaged
13 May 1917 L’Indipendente F.  Kingdom of Italy 182 Sunk
15 May 1917 Pancras  United Kingdom 4,436 Damaged
17 May 1917 Eirini  Greece 2,662 Sunk
18 May 1917 Frances M.  United States 1,228 Sunk
22 May 1917 Lapa  Brazil 1,366 Sunk
24 May 1917 Barbara  United States 838 Sunk
25 May 1917 Magnus Manson  United States 1,751 Sunk
3 June 1917 Vulcanus  France 1,470 Sunk

References

Notes

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

Citations

  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Heinrich Metzger". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Johannes Feldkirchner". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Gerke". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Wilhelm Canaris". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Adolf Franz". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erich Gerth". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  8. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Carl Bünte". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  9. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 47". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

Bibliography

  • 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.