| SM U-32 (Germany) | |
|---|---|
| Career (German Empire) |  |
| Name: | U-28 |
| Ordered: | 29 March 1912 |
| Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Laid down: | 8 November 1912 |
| Launched: | 28 January 1914 |
| Commissioned: | 3 September 1914 |
| Fate: | Sunk 8 May 1918 north-west of Malta. 41 dead. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | German Type U 31 submarine |
| Displacement: |
685 tons (surfaced) 878 tons (submerged) 971 tons (total) |
| Length: |
64.70 m (overall) 52.36 m (pressure hull) |
| Beam: |
6.32 m (overall) 4.05 m (pressure hull) |
| Height: | 7.68 m |
| Draught: | 3.56 m |
| Propulsion: |
Diesel (2 x 950 PS) Electric (2 x 600 PS) 1850 hp (surfaced) 1200 hp (submerged) |
| Speed: |
16.4 knots (surfaced) 9.7 knots (submerged) |
| Range: | 8790 miles @ 8 kn (surfaced) 80 miles @ 5 kn(submerged)[1] |
| Test depth: | 50 m |
| Complement: |
4 officers 31 crewmen |
| Armament: |
|
| Service record | |
|---|---|
| Part of: | Imperial German Navy |
| Commanders: |
Edgar von Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim[1] Kurt Hartwig[2] Kurt Albrecht[3] |
| Operations: | 11 patrols |
| Victories: | 37 ships sunk for a total of 105.740 tons |
SM U-32 was a German Type U 31 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy.
_sinking_9_January_1917.jpg){kind=link}
Cornwallis sinking in the Mediterranean Sea on 9 January 1917 after being torpedoed by the U-32.
Her construction was ordered on 29 March 1912 and her keel was laid down on 8 November 1912 by Germaniawerft of Kiel. She was launched on 28 January 1914 and commissioned on 3 September 1914 under the command of Edgar von Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim. On 1 February 1916 Spiegel was relieved by Kurt Hartwig who commanded the boat until 16 February 1918 when Karl Albrecht took over. Albrecht commanded her until her loss.
U-32 conducted 11 patrols, sinking 37 ships totalling 105,740 tons. On 9 January 1917, to the East of Malta, U-32 sank the British pre-dreadnought HMS Cornwallis (1901), with the loss of 15 lives.
Fate[]
On 8 May 1918 north-west of Malta she was shelled and then depth charged by HMS Wallflower and sunk with all hands, 41 dead.
Original documents from Room 40[]
The following is a verbatim transcription of the recorded activities of SM U-32 known to British Naval Intelligence, Room 40 O.B.:[4]
"SM U-32.
Oberlt.z.S. Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim, later to U-93. Kaptlt. Hartwig October 1916 to Sept/October 1918, then to U-63. Kaptlt. Karl Albrecht, lost with her. Came off the stocks at Kiel about the end of October 1914 and did trials at Kiel School, leaving for the North Sea on 27th November. In December 1914 and January 1915, and February 1915, she was occasionally employed on patrol in the Bight, and was twice in dockyard hands with engine or other trouble. She was attached to the 4th Half Flotilla.
- 3rd April - 17th April 1915. Channel via Dover. Home northabout 1 S.S., 1 sailing vessel sunk, in Channel.
- 12th June - 24th June 1915. North Sea, 1 prize taken in.
- 9th August - 13th August 1915. Bight patrol.
- 14th - ? 16th August 1915. Bight anti-air raid patrol.
- 22nd – 27th August 1915. North Sea. Returned owing to compass failure.
- 11th September – 13th September 1915. To Flanders (Ostend).
- 19th September - 21st September 1915. Ostend to Emden.
- ? 2nd October 1915 - ? 4th October 1915. Bight patrol.
- 20th October 1915. Emden to List.
- 24th October - 27th October 1915. North Sea.
- 29th December 1915 - 2nd January 1916. ? North Sea patrol.
- 17th January 1916. On Bight patrol.
- 23rd January - 3rd February 1916. On Bight patrol.
- 11th February - 14th February 1916. On Bight patrol.
- 26th February - 17th March 1916. Northabout to Channel approach. Sank 2 S.S., 2 sailing vessels.
- 16th April - 18th April 1916. Bight patrol.
- 22nd April 1916. Bight patrol.
- 27th April - 8th May 1916. North Sea patrol.
- 16th May - 3rd June 1916. North Sea patrol (Jutland Battle).
- 24th August - 25th August 1916. Bight patrol.
- 28th August – 1st September 1916. North Sea patrol.
- 20th September - 1st October 1916. ? North Sea.
- 16th October - 7/8th November 1916. Northabout to Mediterranean. Arrived Cattaro 7/8th November. Sank 2 S.S. and was fired at by S.S. ARLINGTON COURT on 30th October. When in Mediterranean she was with Pola-Cattaro Flotilla.
- End of November - Middle of December 1916. Proceeded out from Cattaro and cruised in Mediterranean (central). Sank 6 S.S., 9 sailing vessels (including the French S.S. KARNAK). U-32 with another submarine seems to have been concerned in attack on British S.S. NAGOYA but was driven off by gunfire.
- 2nd January 1917 - 18th January 1917. On a cruise in central Mediterranean. Sank 2 S.S., 1 sailing vessel, and H.M.S. CORNWALLIS.
- February 1917 – March 1918. Operating in Mediterranean.
- 16th April 1918. Left Cattaro and cruised in western Mediterranean. Sank 1 S.S. and missed another by torpedo. On 24th April was sighted 50 miles N. of Algiers. She was sunk on May 8th, 1918 by H.M.S. WALLFLOWER in 36°8'N., 13°30'E., apparently while returning from this cruise."
Note: S.S. = Steam Ship; S.V. = Sailing Vessel; northabout, Muckle Flugga, Fair I. = around Scotland; Sound, Belts, Kattegat = via North of Denmark to/from German Baltic ports; Bight = to/from German North Sea ports; success = sinking of ships
See also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ type U31
- ↑ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. "U-Boats (1905-18)", in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare, "(Phoebus Publishing, 1978), Volume 23, p.2534.
- ↑ Fitzsimons, p.2575; he mistakenly identifies it as 86mm p.2534.
- ↑ National Archives, Kew: HW 7/3, Room 40, History of German Naval Warfare 1914-1918 (Published below - Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918)
References[]
- Spindler, Arno (1932,1933,1934,1941/1964,1966). Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten. 5 Vols. Berlin: Mittler & Sohn. Vols. 4+5, dealing with 1917+18, are very hard to find: Guildhall Library, London, has them all, also Vol. 1-3 in an English translation: The submarine war against commerce.
- Beesly, Patrick (1982). Room 40: British Naval Intelligence 1914-1918. London: H Hamilton. ISBN 978-0-241-10864-2.
- Halpern, Paul G. (1995). A Naval History of World War I. New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-85728-498-0.
- Roessler, Eberhard (1997). Die Unterseeboote der Kaiserlichen Marine. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 978-3-7637-5963-7.
- Schroeder, Joachim (2002). Die U-Boote des Kaisers. Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 978-3-7637-6235-4.
- Koerver, Hans Joachim (2008). Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol I., The Fleet in Action. Steinbach: LIS Reinisch. ISBN 978-3-902433-76-3.
- Koerver, Hans Joachim (2009). Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol II., The Fleet in Being. Steinbach: LIS Reinisch. ISBN 978-3-902433-77-0.
External links[]
- Photos of cruises of German submarine U-54 in 1916-1918. Great photo quality, comments in German.
- A 44 min. film from 1917 about a cruise of the German submarine U-35. A German propaganda film without dead or wounded; many details about submarine warfare in World War I.
- Uboat.net: More detailed information about U-32.
- Room 40: original documents, photos and maps about World War I German submarine warfare and British Room 40 Intelligence from The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, UK.
Coordinates: 36°04′12″N 13°16′48″E / 36.07°N 13.28°E
The original article can be found at SM U-32 (Germany) and the edit history here.