UB-148 at sea, a U-boat similar to UB-73.
History
German Empire
NameUB-73
Ordered23 September 1916[1]
BuilderAG Vulcan, Hamburg
Cost3,337,000 German Papiermark
Yard number97
Launched11 August 1917[2]
Commissioned2 October 1917[2]
FateSurrendered to the French on 21 November 1918, broken up at Brest July 1921.[2]
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeGerman Type UB III submarine
Displacement
  • 508 t (500 long tons) surfaced
  • 639 t (629 long tons) submerged
Length55.52 m (182 ft 2 in) (o/a)
Beam5.76 m (18 ft 11 in)
Draught3.70 m (12 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,420 nmi (15,590 km; 9,690 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) surfaced
  • 55 nmi (102 km; 63 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth50 m (160 ft)
Complement3 officers, 31 men[2]
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • V Flotilla
  • 30 November 1917 – 2 May 1918
  • I Flotilla
  • 2 May – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Woldemar Adam[3]
  • 2 October 1917 – 28 February 1918
  • Kptlt. Karl Neureuther[4]
  • 1 March – 7 July 1918
  • Kptlt. Max Bräutigam[5]
  • 8 July – 11 November 1918
Operations: 6 patrols
Victories:
  • 8 merchant ships sunk
    (18,806 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (495 tons)

SM UB-73 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 2 October 1917 as SM UB-73.[Note 1]

UB-73 was serving in the Mediterranean. On 21 November 1918 she was surrendered to France as required by the regulations of the Armistice with Germany.[2]

Construction

UB-72 was ordered by the GIN on 23 September 1916.

She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 11 August 1917. UB-73 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-73 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-73 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 8,420 nautical miles (15,590 km; 9,690 mi). UB-73 had a displacement of 508 t (500 long tons) while surfaced and 639 t (629 long tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) when submerged.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 2] Fate[6]
7 April 1918 Catriena  Netherlands 115 Sunk
11 April 1918 Myrtle Branch  United Kingdom 3,741 Sunk
14 April 1918 Chelford  United Kingdom 2,995 Sunk
16 April 1918 Ladoga  United Kingdom 1,917 Sunk
16 April 1918 Lodaner  United Kingdom 3,291 Sunk
18 April 1918 Dalegarth Force  United Kingdom 684 Sunk
23 June 1918 Mountain Laurel  Norway 705 Sunk
24 June 1918 HMS D6  Royal Navy 495 Sunk
25 June 1918 Orissa  United Kingdom 5,358 Sunk

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. ↑ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. ↑ Rössler 1979, p. 61.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gröner 1991, pp. 25–30.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Woldemar Adam". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Karl Neureuther". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Max Bräutigam". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by UB 73". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 4 February 2015.

Bibliography

  • Bendert, Harald (2000). Die UB-Boote der Kaiserlichen Marine, 1914-1918. Einsätze, Erfolge, Schicksal (in German). Hamburg: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH. ISBN 3-8132-0713-7.
  • 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.
  • Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 – 1945 (in German). Vol. I. Munich: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

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