UC5 - Cutaway drawing

[Gunner Bailey]

The Navy War is not my subject but I thought forum members might like to see this. This postcard was bought by my grandmother in 1916 and was passed to me with some old family photos (from a later period). It seems the Admiralty was not shy in telling the public a few German military secrets, even selling postcards! The reverse of the card is printer with Crown Copyright Reserved. Not to be reprinted without permission of Controller of H.M. Stationery Office.

Interesting range of ships in the background.

[Clio]

UC 5 was captured intact (See the book Silent Warriors by Ron Young which gives the story) and put on show at Harwich. Many photographs were taken of this prize.

[Gunner Bailey]

UC 5 was captured intact (See the book Silent Warriors by Ron Young which gives the story) and put on show at Harwich. Many photographs were taken of this prize.

Thanks Clio

Not a big boat by the look of it. I wonder whether it was sunk or broken up? Is that stated in the book?

Gunner Bailey

[Clio]

It was ultimately broken up

[Hagen]

Thats a really interesting postcard. I see no other weapons, ie torpedo tubes, deck gun, is this correct?

[Michael Lowrey]

Hagen,

Correct. The UCI class of minelaying submarines were just fitted with six mines chutes that held two mines each. A machine gun was also carried, but this was kept/carried internally when the boat was dived.

Note also that the UCI class was among the smallest of all U-boat types; the larger boats, minelaying or otherwise, were fitted with both torpedo tubes and a deck gun or deck guns.

Best wishes,

Michael

[Hagen]

Thanks Michael

A question about the mines. Would they just flood the tubes and the mines just simply fall out or were they "fired" out with compressed air?

Thanks again

[Michael Lowrey]

The mine chutes in the UC classes were free flooding (always wet), open at bottom and with only a grate at the top. The mines were simply released out of the bottom of the chute.

[Hagen]

Thanks Michael

I'm not bad with WW2 U-boats but lately my interest in WW1 boats has been piqued by a picture (reprint) I bought titled the 'Cruise of the U-53' the original is by Claus Bergen. Bergen went on a patrol with U-53 in 1917. A quick search told me the U-53 was commanded by Hans Rose who was a very capable U-boat skipper, and Germanys fifth leading skipper in tonnage sunk. So now I'm trying to learn all I can of the men and their boats.

Thanks again

Mike