SM U-23[Note 1] was one of the 329 U-boats serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.
Quick Facts History, German Empire ...
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| History |
|---|
 German Empire |
|---|
| Name | U-23 |
| Ordered | 18 March 1911 |
| Builder | Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Cost | 2,808,000 Goldmark |
| Yard number | 177 |
| Laid down | 21 December 1911 |
| Launched | 12 April 1913 |
| Commissioned | 11 September 1913 |
| Fate | 20 July 1915 - torpedoed and sunk off Fair Isle, Scotland, by HMS C27 |
| General characteristics Ocean-going diesel submarine |
|---|
| Class and type | German Type U 23 submarine |
| Displacement |
- 669 t (658 long tons) surfaced
- 864 t (850 long tons) submerged
|
| Length | 64.70 m (212.3 ft) |
| Beam | 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 3.45 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 depth | about 50 m (160 ft) |
Boats & landing
craft carried | 1 dinghy |
| Complement | 4 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) |
Close
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, off Fair Isle, in Shetland, Scotland. Twenty four men died and 10 survived.
