SM U-61
History | |
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![]() | |
Name | U-61 |
Ordered | 6 October 1914 |
Builder | AG Weser, Bremen |
Yard number | 216 |
Laid down | 22 June 1915 |
Launched | 22 July 1916 |
Commissioned | 2 December 1916 |
Fate | Sunk in a depth charge attack by PC51 at coordinates 51°48′N 05°32′W / 51.800°N 5.533°W on 26 March 1918. 36 dead (all hands lost).[1] |
General characteristics [2] | |
Class and type | Type U 57 submarine |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 8.05 m (26 ft 5 in) |
Draught | 3.79 m (12 ft 5 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: |
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Operations: | 9 patrols |
Victories: |
SM U-61 was a German Type U 57 U-boat commissioned and deployed to operate off the coast of the British Isles and attack coastal shipping as part of the U-boat Campaign during World War I.
In a 15-month career spanning nine war patrols, U-61 plagued allied shipping in the Atlantic Ocean during the German war on Allied trade (Handelskrieg). She sank 33 Allied ships, totalling 84,564 gross register tons (GRT). She also damaged six merchant ships of 21,054 GRT, two auxiliary warships of 3,424 GRT and one warship of 1,020 tons (the US Navy destroyer USS Cassin before fleeing the fight). She went missing some time after March 23, 1918.
Summary of raiding history
[edit]Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[4] |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 March 1917 | Edvard Grieg | ![]() | 989 | Sunk |
3 March 1917 | Rosborg | ![]() | 1,877 | Sunk |
9 March 1917 | Spartan | ![]() | 2,287 | Sunk |
10 March 1917 | Angola | ![]() | 4,297 | Sunk |
13 March 1917 | Luciline | ![]() | 3,765 | Damaged |
13 March 1917 | Northwaite | ![]() | 3,626 | Sunk |
13 March 1917 | HMS Warner | ![]() | 1,273 | Sunk |
17 April 1917 | Aburi | ![]() | 3,730 | Sunk |
18 April 1917 | Castilian | ![]() | 1,923 | Sunk |
21 April 1917 | Skjold | ![]() | 1,592 | Sunk |
21 April 1917 | Telena | ![]() | 4,778 | Sunk |
23 April 1917 | Calluna | ![]() | 1,405 | Sunk |
23 April 1917 | Lena | ![]() | 2,463 | Sunk |
24 April 1917 | Metropolis | ![]() | 1,811 | Sunk |
24 April 1917 | Thirlby | ![]() | 2,009 | Damaged |
30 April 1917 | Jarstein | ![]() | 198 | Sunk |
9 June 1917 | Ada | ![]() | 2,370 | Sunk |
9 June 1917 | Dana | ![]() | 1,590 | Sunk |
10 June 1917 | Betty | ![]() | 2,683 | Sunk |
10 June 1917 | Ribera | ![]() | 3,511 | Sunk |
14 June 1917 | Widwud | ![]() | 299 | Damaged |
16 June 1917 | Fallodon | ![]() | 3,012 | Damaged |
17 June 1917 | Raloo | ![]() | 1,012 | Sunk |
19 June 1917 | Batoum | ![]() | 4,054 | Sunk |
20 June 1917 | Nitonian | ![]() | 6,381 | Damaged |
28 July 1917 | Comanchee | ![]() | 5,588 | Damaged |
2 August 1917 | Libia | ![]() | 2,416 | Sunk |
4 August 1917 | Countess Of Mar | ![]() | 2,234 | Sunk |
5 August 1917 | Sauternes | ![]() | 902 | Sunk |
5 August 1917 | Campo Libre | ![]() | 50 | Sunk |
6 August 1917 | Campana | ![]() | 3,675 | Sunk |
6 August 1917 | Jeanne Et Genevieve | ![]() | 695 | Damaged |
7 August 1917 | Trento | ![]() | 3,276 | Sunk |
29 September 1917 | Elmsgarth | ![]() | 3,503 | Sunk |
11 October 1917 | Rhodesia | ![]() | 4,313 | Sunk |
16 October 1917 | USS Cassin | ![]() | 1,020 | Damaged |
27 December 1917 | USS Santee | ![]() | 2,729 | Damaged |
3 January 1918 | Birchwood | ![]() | 2,756 | Sunk |
5 January 1918 | Rose Marie | ![]() | 2,220 | Sunk |
6 January 1918 | Halberdier | ![]() | 1,049 | Sunk |
6 January 1918 | Spenser | ![]() | 4,186 | Sunk |
23 March 1918 | Etonian | ![]() | 6,515 | Sunk |
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
[edit]- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 61". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 8–10.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boat commanders: Victor Dieckmann (Royal House Order of Hohenzollern)". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 61". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
Bibliography
[edit]- 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.