SM U-75

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-75.

History
German Empire
NameU-75
Ordered9 March 1915
BuilderAG Vulkan, Hamburg
Yard number57
Launched30 January 1916
Commissioned26 March 1916
Fate13 December 1917 - Struck a mine off Terschelling. 23 dead, unknown number of survivors.[1]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeType 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)
Height8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught4.86 m (15 ft 11 in)
Installed power
  • 2 × 900 PS (662 kW; 888 shp) surfaced
  • 2 × 800 PS (588 kW; 789 shp) submerged
Propulsion2 shafts, 2× 1.38 m (4 ft 6 in) propellers
Speed
  • 9.9 knots (18.3 km/h; 11.4 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 depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement4 officers, 28 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • I Flotilla
  • 29 June 1916 – 13 December 1917
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Curt Beitzen[3]
  • 26 March 1916 – 1 May 1917
  • Kptlt. Fritz Schmolling[4]
  • 2 May – 13 December 1917
Operations: 7 patrols
Victories:
  • 8 merchant ships sunk
    (16,913 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (10,850 tons)[1]
  • 3 auxiliary warships sunk
    (1,434 GRT)
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    (7,548 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (194 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship taken as prize
    (1,700 GRT)

SM U-75 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-75 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. On her first mission, U-75 laid the mine that sank the cruiser HMS Hampshire during her voyage to Russia carrying British Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener. The cruiser sank at 59°07′N 03°24′W / 59.117°N 3.400°W / 59.117; -3.400 west of the Orkney Islands with nearly total loss of life in a force 9 gale.

  1. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 75". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  2. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 10–11.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Curt Beitzen". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Fritz Schmolling". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.