| History | |
|---|---|
| .svg.png.webp) German Empire | |
| Name | UC-16 | 
| Ordered | 29 August 1915[1] | 
| Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg[2] | 
| Yard number | 266[1] | 
| Launched | 1 February 1916[1] | 
| Commissioned | 18 June 1916[1] | 
| Fate | Probably sunk by mine in 4 October 1917[1] | 
| General characteristics [3] | |
| Class and type | German Type UC II submarine | 
| Displacement | 
 | 
| Length | 
 | 
| Beam | 
 | 
| Draught | 3.68 m (12 ft 1 in) | 
| Propulsion | 
 | 
| Speed | 
 | 
| Range | 
 | 
| Test depth | 50 m (160 ft) | 
| Complement | 26 | 
| Armament | 
 | 
| Notes | 35-second diving time | 
| Service record | |
| Part of: | 
 | 
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: | 13 patrols | 
| Victories: | |
SM UC-16 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 29 August 1915 and was launched on 1 February 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 June 1916 as SM UC-16.[Note 1] In 13 patrols UC-16 was credited with sinking 43 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-16 disappeared in October 1917. A postwar German study concluded that UC-16 probably sank after striking a mine off Zeebrugge[1]
Design
Like all pre-UC-25 German Type UC II submarines, UC-16 had a displacement of 417 tonnes (410 long tons) when at the surface and 493 tonnes (485 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 49.35 m (161 ft 11 in), beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.65 m (12 ft). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 500 metric horsepower (370 kW; 490 shp) (a total of 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp)), two electric motors producing 460 metric horsepower (340 kW; 450 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 35 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).[3]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph) and a submerged speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 55 nautical miles (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 9,430 nautical miles (17,460 km; 10,850 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-16 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes,[3] eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.[3]
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 2] | Fate[6] | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 September 1916 | Andromeda |  United Kingdom | 149 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Beechwold |  United Kingdom | 129 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Britannia III |  United Kingdom | 138 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Cockatrice |  United Kingdom | 115 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Mercury |  United Kingdom | 183 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Phoenix |  United Kingdom | 117 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Refino |  United Kingdom | 182 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Rego |  United Kingdom | 176 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Restless |  United Kingdom | 125 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Viella |  United Kingdom | 144 | Sunk | 
| 23 September 1916 | Weelsby |  United Kingdom | 122 | Sunk | 
| 19 October 1916 | Alaunia |  United Kingdom | 13,405 | Sunk | 
| 22 October 1916 | Fortuna |  Netherlands | 1,254 | Sunk | 
| 11 November 1916 | Daphne |  Norway | 1,388 | Sunk | 
| 11 November 1916 | Veronica |  United Kingdom | 27 | Sunk | 
| 13 November 1916 | Marie Therese |  France | 156 | Sunk | 
| 14 November 1916 | N.D. De Bon Secours |  France | 81 | Sunk | 
| 14 November 1916 | Nominoe |  France | 327 | Sunk | 
| 14 November 1916 | Salangane |  France | 125 | Sunk | 
| 16 November 1916 | Lelia |  France | 79 | Sunk | 
| 16 November 1916 | Vasco |  United Kingdom | 1,914 | Sunk | 
| 26 November 1916 | Caloric |  Norway | 7,012 | Damaged | 
| 28 December 1916 | Suffolk |  United Kingdom | 7,573 | Damaged | 
| 30 December 1916 | Aspenleaf |  United Kingdom | 7,535 | Damaged | 
| 18 January 1917 | Taormina | _crowned.svg.png.webp) Kingdom of Italy | 2,457 | Sunk | 
| 19 January 1917 | Anna |  Norway | 1,237 | Sunk | 
| 19 January 1917 | Reinunga |  Norway | 1,147 | Sunk | 
| 19 January 1917 | Theresdal |  Norway | 1,762 | Sunk | 
| 21 January 1917 | Couronne |  France | 169 | Sunk | 
| 22 January 1917 | Juno |  Netherlands | 2,345 | Damaged | 
| 23 January 1917 | Ymer |  Norway | 1,123 | Sunk | 
| 15 February 1917 | Leven |  United Kingdom | 775 | Sunk | 
| 26 February 1917 | Sea Gull |  United Kingdom | 144 | Sunk | 
| 26 February 1917 | HMT St. Germain |  Royal Navy | 307 | Damaged | 
| 15 March 1917 | Coonagh |  United Kingdom | 1,412 | Sunk | 
| 20 April 1917 | HMS Glen |  Royal Navy | 112 | Damaged | 
| 27 July 1917 | Dirk |  Netherlands | 81 | Sunk | 
| 27 July 1917 | Dirk van Duyne |  Netherlands | 116 | Sunk | 
| 27 July 1917 | Jan |  Netherlands | 104 | Sunk | 
| 27 July 1917 | Majoor Thomson |  Netherlands | 110 | Sunk | 
| 27 July 1917 | President Commissaris van den Burgh |  Netherlands | 111 | Sunk | 
| 27 July 1917 | Sterna III |  Netherlands | 111 | Sunk | 
| 28 July 1917 | Neptunus I |  Netherlands | 80 | Sunk | 
| 16 August 1917 | Manchester Engineer |  United Kingdom | 4,465 | Sunk | 
| 17 August 1917 | Susie |  United Kingdom | 41 | Sunk | 
| 18 August 1917 | Ardens |  United Kingdom | 1,274 | Sunk | 
| 4 September 1917 | Bishopston |  United Kingdom | 2,513 | Sunk | 
| 7 September 1917 | Hinemoa |  United Kingdom | 2,283 | Sunk | 
| 7 September 1917 | Vestfjeld |  Norway | 2,063 | Sunk | 
References
Notes
- ↑ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
- ↑ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: UC 16". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
- ↑ Tarrant, p. 173.
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 31–32.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Egon von Werner (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Georg Reimarus". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UC-16". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
Bibliography
- Bendert, Harald (2001). Die UC-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine 1914-1918. Minenkrieg mit U-Booten (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0758-7.
- 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.
- Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-907-8. OCLC 12119866.
- Tarrant, V. E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive: 1914–1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-764-7. OCLC 20338385.