SM U-52
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SM U-52 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-52 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.
SM U-52 (right) meeting U-35 (left) | |
History | |
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German Empire | |
Name | U-52 |
Ordered | 23 August 1914 |
Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
Yard number | 234 |
Laid down | 13 March 1915 |
Launched | 8 December 1915 |
Commissioned | 16 March 1916 |
Fate | 21 November 1918 - Surrendered. Broken up at Swansea in 1919. |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class and type | Type U 51 submarine |
Displacement |
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Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 7.82 m (25 ft 8 in) |
Draught | 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in) |
Installed power | |
Propulsion | 2 shafts |
Speed |
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Range |
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Test depth | 50 m (164 ft 1 in) |
Complement | 36 |
Armament |
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Service record | |
Part of: |
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Commanders: | |
Operations: | 4 patrols |
Victories: |
U-52 was noted for sinking two notable warships, the first notable warship (and second kill) being the Royal Navy's light cruiser HMS Nottingham, sunk in the North Sea on 19 August 1916 at 55°34′N 00°12′E. Thirty-eight men were lost.[8]
The sinking of Nottingham was an important event in the German Imperial Navy's action of August 19.[9]
At that time Otto Ciliax was watch officer on board the submarine. He later became an admiral in the Kriegsmarine.[10]
U-52's second notable warship kill was the French battleship Suffren, sunk 90 miles (140 km) west of Portugal at 39°30′N 11°00′W.[11] on 26 November 1916. All 648 men were lost as the torpedo ignited a magazine and the ship sank within seconds.[12]
U-52 was surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 21 November 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. She was sold by the British Admiralty to George Cohen on 3 March 1919 for £2,400 (£117,300 in 2024) (excluding her engines), and was broken up at Swansea.[13]