SM U-23 (Germany)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-23.
History
German Empire
NameU-23
Ordered18 March 1911
BuilderFriedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel
Cost2,808,000 Goldmark
Yard number177
Laid down21 December 1911
Launched12 April 1913
Commissioned11 September 1913
Fate20 July 1915 - torpedoed and sunk off Fair Isle, Scotland, by HMS C27
General characteristics Ocean-going diesel submarine
Class and typeGerman Type U 23 submarine
Displacement
  • 669 t (658 long tons) surfaced
  • 864 t (850 long tons) submerged
Length64.70 m (212.3 ft)
Beam6.32 m (20 ft 9 in)
Draught3.45 m (11 ft 4 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts
  • 2 × Germania 6-cylinder two stroke diesel motors with 1,800 PS (1,320 kW; 1,780 shp)
  • 2 × SSW double Motordynamos with 1,200 PS (880 kW; 1,180 shp)
  • 450rpm surfaced
  • 330 rpm submerged
Speed
  • 16.7 knots (30.9 km/h; 19.2 mph) surfaced
  • 10.3 knots (19.1 km/h; 11.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 9,910 nmi (18,350 km; 11,400 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced
  • 85 nmi (157 km; 98 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depthabout 50 m (160 ft)
Boats & landing
craft carried		1 dinghy
Complement4 officers, 31 men
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • IV Flotilla
  • 1 August 1914 - Unknown end
  • III Flotilla
  • Unknown start – 20 July 1915
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Erwin Weisbach[1]
  • 1 August – 25 November 1914
  • Kptlt. Hans Adam[2]
  • 26 November – 17 December 1914
  • Kptlt. Egewolf Freiherr von Berckheim[3]
  • 18 December 1914 – 12 January 1915
  • Kptlt. Hans Schultheß[4]
  • 13 January – 20 July 1915
Operations: 3 patrols
Victories: 7 merchant ships sunk
(8,822 GRT)

SM U-23[Note 1] was one of the 329 U-boats serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.

U-23 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

U-23 served on three war patrols, sinking a total of seven ships for 8,822 gross register tons (GRT). She was baited by the Q ship Princess Louise and torpedoed by HMS C27 at 58°55′N 0°14′E / 58.917°N 0.233°E / 58.917; 0.233, off Fair Isle, in Shetland, Scotland. Twenty four men died and 10 survived.

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Erwin Weisbach". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Adam (Pour le Mérite)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Egewolf Freiherr von Berckheim (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Hans Schultheß". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2015.


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