SM U-38
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP  SM U-38 with crew | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 German Empire | |
| Ordered: | 12 June 1912 |
| Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number: | 198 |
| Laid down: | 25 February 1913 |
| Launched: | 9 September 1914 |
| Commissioned: | 15 December 1914 |
| Fate: | Surrendered 23 February 1919. Broken up at Brest 1921 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | German Type U 31 submarine |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: |
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| Beam: |
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| Draught: | 3.56 m (11 ft 8 in) |
| Installed power: |
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| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: |
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| Range: |
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| Test depth: | 50 m (164 ft 1 in) |
| Boats & landing craft carried: | 1 dinghy |
| Complement: | 4 officers, 31 enlisted |
| Armament: |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Commanders: |
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| Operations: | 17 patrols |
| Victories: |
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SM U-38 was a German Type U 31 U-boat which operated in the Mediterranean Sea during World War I. It ended up being the third most successful U-boat participating in the war, sinking 138 ships sunk for a total of 299.985 tons.
Its longest serving captain was Kptlt. Max Valentiner, who was awarded the Pour le Mérite while in command of U-38. Valentiner was in command of U-38 in November and December 1915 when she sank the passenger liners Ancona and Persia; both were controversial since the ships were sunk by torpedoes without warning, in defiance of the then-current Prize rules, which stated that merchant vessels carrying passengers be given an opportunity to evacuate their passengers before being sunk.
In 1917 Valentiner was succeeded as commander of U-38 by Kptlt. Wilhelm Canaris, who decades later became an Admiral and head of the Abwehr (German Military Intelligence), in 1935-44.
Contents
1 Design
2 Fate
3 Summary of raiding history
4 See also
5 References
5.1 Notes
5.2 Citations
6 Bibliography
7 External links
Design
German Type U 31 submarines were double-hulled ocean-going submarines similar to Type 23 and Type 27 subs in dimensions and differed only slightly in propulsion and speed. They were considered very good high sea boats with average manoeuvrability and good surface steering.[1]
U-38 had an overall length of 64.70 m (212 ft 3 in), her pressure hull was 52.36 m (171 ft 9 in) long. The boat's beam was 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) (o/a), while the pressure hull measured 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in). Type 31s had a draught of 3.56 m (11 ft 8 in) with a total height of 7.68–8.04 m (25 ft 2 in–26 ft 5 in). The boats displaced a total of 971 tonnes (956 long tons); 685 t (674 long tons) when surfaced and 878 t (864 long tons) when submerged.[1]
U-38 was fitted with two Germania 6-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines with a total of 1,850 metric horsepower (1,361 kW; 1,825 bhp) for use on the surface and two Siemens-Schuckert double-acting electric motors with a total of 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts each with a 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) propeller, which gave the boat a top surface speed of 16.4 knots (30.4 km/h; 18.9 mph), and 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) when submerged. Cruising range was 8,790 nautical miles (16,280 km; 10,120 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface, and 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) under water. Diving depth was 50 m (164 ft 1 in).[1]
The U-boat was armed with four 50 cm (20 in) torpedo tubes, two fitted in the bow and two in the stern, and carried 6 torpedoes. Additionally U-38 was equipped in 1915 with one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun, which was replaced with a 10.5 cm (4.1 in) gun in 1916/17.
The boat's complement was 4 officers and 31 enlisted.[1]
Fate
After World War I ended, U-38 was surrendered to France and docked in Brest in 1919, and then broken up.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 April 1915 | Brilliant |  Norway | 1,441 | Captured as a prize |
| 22 April 1915 | Eva | Norway | 312 | Sunk |
| 22 April 1915 | Oscar | Norway | 766 | Sunk |
| 24 April 1915 | Nidaros |  Denmark | 1,024 | Captured as a prize |
| 27 April 1915 | Torwald |  Sweden | 1,085 | Captured as a prize |
| 30 April 1915 | Elida | Sweden | 1,693 | Sunk |
| 20 June 1915 | HMS Roxburgh |  Royal Navy | 10,850 | Damaged |
| 21 June 1915 | Carisbrook |  United Kingdom | 2,352 | Sunk |
| 22 June 1915 | Leo |  Russian Empire | 269 | Sunk |
| 23 June 1915 | Truma | Norway | 1,557 | Sunk |
| 23 June 1915 | Elizabeth | United Kingdom | 94 | Sunk |
| 23 June 1915 | Four | United Kingdom | 84 | Sunk |
| 23 June 1915 | Josephine | United Kingdom | 85 | Sunk |
| 23 June 1915 | Piscatorial | United Kingdom | 84 | Sunk |
| 23 June 1915 | Research | United Kingdom | 89 | Sunk |
| 23 June 1915 | Uffa | United Kingdom | 79 | Sunk |
| 23 June 1915 | Ugiebrae | United Kingdom | 79 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1915 | Commander | United Kingdom | 149 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1915 | J. M. S. | United Kingdom | 78 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1915 | Lebanon | United Kingdom | 111 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1915 | Monarda | United Kingdom | 87 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1915 | Primrose | United Kingdom | 91 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1915 | Quiet Waters | United Kingdom | 63 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1915 | Star of Bethlehem | United Kingdom | 77 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1915 | Viceroy | United Kingdom | 150 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1915 | Vine | United Kingdom | 110 | Sunk |
| 5 August 1915 | Hans Emil | Denmark | 106 | Sunk |
| 5 August 1915 | Vanadis | Norway | 484 | Sunk |
| 6 August 1915 | Ocean Queen | United Kingdom | 185 | Sunk |
| 6 August 1915 | Westminster | United Kingdom | 252 | Sunk |
| 9 August 1915 | Thrush | United Kingdom | 264 | Sunk |
| 10 August 1915 | Oakwood | United Kingdom | 4,279 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | Bonny | United Kingdom | 2,702 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | George Baker | United Kingdom | 91 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | Glenby | United Kingdom | 2,196 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | Isidoro |  Spain | 2,044 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | Kirkby | United Kingdom | 3,034 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | Maggie | United Kingdom | 269 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | Paros | United Kingdom | 3,596 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | Repeat | United Kingdom | 107 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | The Queen | United Kingdom | 557 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1915 | Thornfield | United Kingdom | 488 | Sunk |
| 19 August 1915 | Baron Erskine | United Kingdom | 5,585 | Sunk |
| 19 August 1915 | Restormel | United Kingdom | 2,118 | Sunk |
| 19 August 1915 | Samara | United Kingdom | 3,172 | Sunk |
| 20 August 1915 | Bittern | United Kingdom | 1,797 | Sunk |
| 20 August 1915 | Carterswell | United Kingdom | 4,308 | Sunk |
| 20 August 1915 | Daghestan |  Belgium | 2,817 | Sunk |
| 20 August 1915 | Martha Edmonds | United Kingdom | 182 | Sunk |
| 21 August 1915 | Cober | United Kingdom | 3,060 | Sunk |
| 21 August 1915 | Ruel | United Kingdom | 4,029 | Sunk |
| 21 August 1915 | San Melito | United Kingdom | 10,160 | Damaged |
| 21 August 1915 | Windsor | United Kingdom | 6,055 | Sunk |
| 22 August 1915 | Diomed | United Kingdom | 4,672 | Sunk |
| 22 August 1915 | Palmgrove | United Kingdom | 3,100 | Sunk |
| 23 August 1915 | Silvia | United Kingdom | 5,268 | Sunk |
| 23 August 1915 | Trafalgar | United Kingdom | 4,572 | Sunk |
| 3 November 1915 | Woodfield | United Kingdom | 3,584 | Sunk |
| 3 November 1915 | Yasukuni Maru |  Japan | 5,118 | Sunk |
| 4 November 1915 | Dahra |  France | 2,127 | Sunk |
| 4 November 1915 | Ionia |  Kingdom of Italy | 1,816 | Sunk |
| 4 November 1915 | Le Calvados | France | 1,658 | Sunk, 740 people killed |
| 4 November 1915 | Mercian | United Kingdom | 6,305 | Damaged |
| 5 November 1915 | Buresk | United Kingdom | 3,673 | Sunk |
| 5 November 1915 | Sidi Ferruch | France | 2,797 | Sunk |
| 6 November 1915 | Elisa Francesca | Kingdom of Italy | 208 | Sunk |
| 6 November 1915 | Glenmoor | United Kingdom | 3,075 | Sunk |
| 6 November 1915 | Ticino | Kingdom of Italy | 1,470 | Sunk |
| 6 November 1915 | Yser | France | 3,545 | Sunk |
| 7 November 1915 | France IV | France | 4,025 | Sunk |
| 8 November 1915 | Ancona | Kingdom of Italy | 8,210 | Sunk, 206 people killed |
| 9 November 1915 | Firenze | Kingdom of Italy | 3,960 | Sunk |
| 21 December 1915 | Yasaka Maru | Japan | 10,932 | Sunk |
| 30 December 1915 | Clan Macfarlane | United Kingdom | 4,823 | Sunk |
| 30 December 1915 | Persia | United Kingdom | 7,951 | Sunk, 343 people killed |
| 9 February 1916 | Springwell | United Kingdom | 5,593 | Sunk |
| 23 February 1916 | Diadem | United Kingdom | 3,752 | Sunk |
| 23 February 1916 | Roubine | France | 327 | Sunk |
| 24 February 1916 | Denaby | United Kingdom | 2,987 | Sunk |
| 24 February 1916 | Fastnet | United Kingdom | 2,227 | Sunk |
| 24 February 1916 | Torborg | Sweden | 1,266 | Sunk |
| 29 February 1916 | Alexander Wentzel | Russian Empire | 2,832 | Sunk |
| 29 February 1916 | Elisa S | Kingdom of Italy | 209 | Sunk |
| 1 March 1916 | Kilbride | United Kingdom | 3,712 | Sunk |
| 16 May 1916 | Clifford | United Kingdom | 487 | Sunk |
| 8 June 1916 | Malorossija | Russian Empire | 893 | Damaged |
| 8 June 1916 | Cementcrug | Russian Empire | 1,086 | Sunk |
| 8 June 1916 | Ekaterina | Russian Empire | 70 | Sunk |
| 8 June 1916 | Vera | Russian Empire | 1,231 | Damaged |
| 10 June 1916 | Orion | Russian Empire | 429 | Sunk |
| 2 July 1916 | Rockcliffe | United Kingdom | 3,073 | Sunk |
| 9 July 1916 | Vperied | Russian Empire | 859 | Sunk |
| 10 July 1916 | Florida | Russian Empire | 3,238 | Sunk |
| 14 August 1916 | Remembrance | United Kingdom | 3,660 | Sunk |
| 19 August 1916 | Dea | Kingdom of Italy | 166 | Sunk |
| 23 August 1916 | Elios | Kingdom of Italy | 190 | Sunk |
| 23 August 1916 | Maria Brizzolari | Kingdom of Italy | 152 | Sunk |
| 23 August 1916 | Tanina | Kingdom of Italy | 138 | Sunk |
| 24 August 1916 | Isdalen | Norway | 2,275 | Sunk |
| 24 August 1916 | Liegeoise | Belgium | 3,895 | Sunk |
| 25 August 1916 | Leandros |  Greece | 1,658 | Sunk |
| 25 August 1916 | Nostra Signora Del Carmine | Kingdom of Italy | 1,575 | Sunk |
| 26 August 1916 | Atlantico | Kingdom of Italy | 3,069 | Sunk |
| 29 August 1916 | Antigoon | Belgium | 1,884 | Sunk |
| 29 August 1916 | Francois Joseph | France | 114 | Sunk |
| 29 August 1916 | Stella Del Mare | Kingdom of Italy | 1,166 | Sunk |
| 30 August 1916 | Nostra Signora Della Guardia | Kingdom of Italy | 1,588 | Sunk |
| 31 August 1916 | Bacchus | France | 3,583 | Sunk |
| 31 August 1916 | Duart | United Kingdom | 3,108 | Sunk |
| 31 August 1916 | Piero Maroncelli | Kingdom of Italy | 3,225 | Sunk |
| 1 September 1916 | San Francesco Di Paola | Kingdom of Italy | 68 | Sunk |
| 1 September 1916 | Swift Wings | United Kingdom | 4,465 | Sunk |
| 2 September 1916 | Strathallan | United Kingdom | 4,404 | Sunk |
| 2 September 1916 | Uranie | France | 109 | Sunk |
| 3 September 1916 | Villa D’Oro | Kingdom of Italy | 134 | Sunk |
| 4 September 1916 | Laristan | United Kingdom | 3,675 | Sunk |
| 5 September 1916 | Saint Marc | France | 5,818 | Sunk |
| 25 November 1916 | Michael | Greece | 2,410 | Sunk |
| 26 November 1916 | Chemung |  United States | 3,062 | Sunk |
| 3 December 1916 | Dacia | United Kingdom | 1,856 | Sunk |
| 3 December 1916 | Kanguroo | France | 2,493 | Sunk |
| 3 December 1916 | Surprise |  French Navy | 680 | Sunk |
| 8 December 1916 | Brask | Norway | 1,464 | Sunk |
| 8 December 1916 | Britannia | United Kingdom | 1,814 | Sunk |
| 9 December 1916 | Brizella |  Portugal | 282 | Sunk |
| 10 December 1916 | Esemplare | Kingdom of Italy | 2,595 | Sunk |
| 13 December 1916 | Angelo Parodi | Kingdom of Italy | 3,825 | Sunk |
| 13 December 1916 | Kaupanger | Norway | 3,354 | Sunk |
| 15 December 1916 | Emmanuele Accame | Kingdom of Italy | 3,242 | Sunk |
| 17 December 1916 | Tripoli | Kingdom of Italy | 56 | Sunk |
| 20 December 1916 | Itonus | United Kingdom | 5,340 | Sunk |
| 25 January 1917 | Sylvie | France | 2,591 | Sunk |
| 7 February 1917 | Aphrodite | France | 130 | Sunk |
| 14 February 1917 | Trowbridge | United Kingdom | 3,712 | Damaged |
| 14 February 1917 | Michele | Kingdom of Italy | 41 | Sunk |
| 12 May 1917 | Egyptian Prince | United Kingdom | 3,117 | Sunk |
| 13 May 1917 | Rio Amazonas | Kingdom of Italy | 2,970 | Sunk |
| 25 May 1917 | Kohinur | United Kingdom | 2,265 | Sunk |
| 26 May 1917 | Holmesbank | United Kingdom | 3,051 | Sunk |
| 1 July 1917 | Corrado | Kingdom of Italy | 120 | Sunk |
| 1 July 1917 | Volto Santo G. | Kingdom of Italy | 225 | Sunk |
| 7 July 1917 | La Resolu | France | 186 | Sunk |
| 12 July 1917 | Claire | Belgium | 1,157 | Sunk |
| 15 July 1917 | Atalante | France | 124 | Sunk |
| 19 July 1917 | Eloby | United Kingdom | 6,545 | Sunk |
| 20 August 1917 | Incemore | United Kingdom | 3,060 | Sunk |
| 19 April 1918 | Salambo | France | 248 | Sunk |
| 5 May 1918 | Alberto Treves | Kingdom of Italy | 3,838 | Damaged |
| 8 May 1918 | Ingleside | United Kingdom | 3,736 | Sunk |
See also
- Room 40
References
Notes
^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
^ abcd Gröner 1991, p. 6.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 38". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 14 December 2014..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
Bibliography
.mw-parser-output .refbeginfont-size:90%;margin-bottom:0.5em.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ullist-style-type:none;margin-left:0.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>dl>ddmargin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em;list-style:none.mw-parser-output .refbegin-100font-size:100%
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.*Eberhard Rössler: Geschichte des deutschen U-Bootbaus – Band 1. Bernard & Graefe Verlag 1996,
ISBN 3-86047-153-8- Bodo Herzog: Deutsche U-Boote 1906-1966. Manfred Pawlak Verlags GmbH, Herrschingen 1990,
ISBN 3-88199-687-7
Spindler, Arno (1966) [1932]. 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. (1938). 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
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Unterseeboot 38 (1914). |
- Homepage for Christian August Max Ahlmann Valentiner:
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.
Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 38". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
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.