SM UB-40 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy () during World War I.
Design A Type UB II submarine, UB-40 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a beam of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two Körting six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total , two Siemens-Schuckert electric motors producing , and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, she could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . UB-40 was fitted with two torpedo tubes, four torpedoes, and one Uk L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of twenty-one crew members and two officers and a 42-second dive time.
Construction and career The U-boat was ordered on 22 July 1915 and launched on 25 April 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 17 August 1916 as SM UB-40."SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" () and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
The submarine sank 100 ships in 28 patrols. UB-40 was scuttled in Ostend when the German army retreated from Belgium on 5 October 1918.
The wreck of UB-40 has been located & identified by divers in the recent years.UB-40 (+1918) WreckSite
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageTonnages are in gross register tonsFate20 October 1916Barbara3,740Sunk21 October 1916Cock O’ the Walk111Sunk22 October 1916Maris Stella106Sunk22 October 1916Risøy1,129Sunk7 November 1916Reime1,913Sunk8 November 1916Killellan1,971Sunk16 November 1916Alphonse Marceline60Sunk16 November 1916Vanguard142Sunk17 November 1916Saint Rogatien1,581Sunk21 November 1916Alice822Sunk21 November 1916Palm Beach3,891Damaged22 November 1916Houlgate1,550Sunk22 November 1916City of Mexico1,511Sunk22 November 1916Grenada2,268Sunk28 December 1916Oldambt470Captured as prize5 February 1917Anna Prosper70Sunk5 February 1917Emerald57Sunk21 February 1917Alice709Sunk25 February 1917Maria Adriana88Sunk26 February 1917Tammerfors994Sunk28 February 1917Immaculee Conception36Sunk25 March 1917Etoile De La Mer43Sunk25 March 1917Felix Faure37Sunk25 March 1917Louise45Sunk25 March 1917Marie Louise34Sunk25 March 1917Saint Joseph35Sunk29 March 1917Conoid165Sunk29 March 1917Irma32Sunk30 March 1917Somme1,828Sunk15 April 1917Möhlenpris638Sunk16 April 1917Cairndhu4,109Sunk16 April 1917Victoria165Sunk17 April 19176,287Sunk19 April 1917Limeleaf7,339Damaged3 May 1917Clodmoor3,753Sunk15 May 1917Cuba271Sunk16 May 1917Highland Corrie7,583Sunk16 May 1917Pagenturm5,000Sunk17 May 1917Florence Louisa115Sunk20 May 1917Porthkerry1,920Sunk20 May 1917Tycho3,216Sunk21 May 1917Jupiter2,124Sunk7 June 1917Mahopac3,216Damaged7 June 1917Oldfield Grange4,653Damaged8 June 1917Phantom251Sunk9 June 1917Eugene Mathilde15Sunk9 June 1917Francois Georgette7Sunk10 June 1917Henri Jeanne9Sunk10 June 1917Madeleine7Sunk11 June 1917Eustace3,995Damaged11 June 1917Huntsholm2,073Sunk11 June 1917Margarita2,788Damaged12 June 1917Alfred130Sunk27 June 1917Solway Prince317Sunk28 June 1917Marguerite1,544Sunk28 June 1917Northfield2,099Damaged30 June 1917Borgund I764Sunk30 June 1917Chateau Yquem1,913Sunk15 July 1917Dinorwic124Sunk15 July 1917Ebenezer177Sunk20 July 1917L. H. Carl1,916Sunk20 July 1917Salsette5,842Sunk22 July 1917Rota2,171Sunk12 August 1917Marie Alfred159Sunk12 August 1917Pauline Louisa172Sunk14 August 1917Tuddal3,511Sunk15 August 1917Brodstone4,927Sunk16 August 1917Eastgate4,277Damaged19 August 1917Glocliffe2,211Sunk21 September 1917Radaas2,524Sunk22 September 1917Greleen2,286Sunk23 September 1917Rosehill2,788Sunk25 September 1917City of Swansea1,375Sunk19 October 1917Wellington5,600Damaged24 October 1917Gallia2,728Sunk25 October 1917Gefion1,123Sunk28 October 1917Redesmere2,123Sunk17 November 1917Abaris2,892Damaged17 November 1917Western Coast1,394Sunk19 November 1917Aparima5,704Sunk9 December 1917Sedbergh4,275Damaged27 January 1918Carolus1,041Sunk29 January 1918Butetown1,829Sunk20 February 1918Huntsmoor4,957Sunk25 February 1918Nyanza6,695Damaged16 March 1918Author5,586Damaged21 March 1918Ikeda6,311Sunk18 April 1918Pentyrch3,312Sunk26 May 1918Dayspring57Sunk26 May 1918Eclipse47Sunk26 May 1918Fortuna61Sunk31 May 1918Alert59Sunk3 June 1918Antiope3,004Damaged6 June 1918Active57Sunk6 June 1918Beryl57Sunk6 June 1918Dianthus51Sunk29 June 1918Grekland2,751Sunk29 June 1918Florentia3,688Sunk1 July 1918Charing Cross2,534Sunk2 July 1918Admiral102Sunk2 July 1918Madeleine158Damaged2 July 1918Nord409Sunk7 July 1918Aby15Sunk7 July 1918Albion22Sunk7 July 1918Leeds161Damaged26 July 1918Boy Jack57Sunk26 July 1918Godesgenage40Sunk27 July 1918Counsellor56Sunk27 July 1918Fear Not59Sunk27 July 1918I’ll Try51Sunk27 July 1918Kirkham Abbey1,166Sunk27 July 1918Le Bijou46Sunk27 July 1918Paragon56Sunk27 July 1918Passion Flower46Sunk27 July 1918Success54Sunk27 July 1918Valour39Sunk28 July 1918Francis Robert44Sunk
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