1. Design

2. Fate

3. Summary of raiding history

4. Original documents from Room 40

5. See also

6. References
    Notes  Citations 

7. Bibliography

8. External links

SM U-32 was a German Type U 31 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy.

Her construction was ordered on 29 March 1912 and her keel was laid down on 8 November 1912 by Germaniawerft of Kiel. She was launched on 28 January 1914 and commissioned on 3 September 1914 under the command of Edgar von Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim. On 1 February 1916 Spiegel was relieved by Kurt Hartwig who commanded the boat until 16 February 1918 when Karl Albrecht took over. Albrecht commanded her until her loss.

U-32 conducted 11 patrols, sinking 37 ships totalling {{GRT|106,034|disp=long}}. On 9 January 1917, to the East of Malta, U-32 sank the British pre-dreadnought {{HMS|Cornwallis|1901|6}}, with the loss of 15 lives.

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.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=6}}

U-32 had an overall length of {{convert|64.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, her pressure hull was {{convert|52.36|m|ftin|abbr=on}} long. The boat's beam was {{convert|6.32|m|ftin|abbr=on}} (o/a), while the pressure hull measured {{convert|4.05|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. Type 31s had a draught of {{convert|3.56|m|ftin|abbr=on}} with a total height of {{convert|7.68|-|8.04|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The boats displaced a total of {{convert|971|t|LT}}; {{convert|685|t|LT|abbr=on}} when surfaced and {{convert|878|t|LT|abbr=on}} when submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=6}}

U-32 was fitted with two Germania 6-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines with a total of {{convert|1850|PS|kW bhp|0|lk=on}} for use on the surface and two Siemens-Schuckert double-acting electric motors with a total of {{convert|1200|PS|kW shp|0|abbr=on}} for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts each with a {{convert|1.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}} propeller, which gave the boat a top surface speed of {{convert|16.4|kn|lk=in}}, and {{convert|9.7|kn}} when submerged. Cruising range was {{convert|8790|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|8|kn}} on the surface, and {{convert|80|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|5|kn}} under water. Diving depth was {{convert|50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=6}}

The U-boat was armed with four {{convert|50|cm|in|sing=on|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes, two fitted in the bow and two in the stern, and carried 6 torpedoes. Additionally U-32 was equipped in 1915 with two {{convert|8.8|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} Uk L/30 deck guns.

The boat's complement was 4 officers and 31 enlisted.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=6}}

Fate

On 8 May 1918 north-west of Malta she was shelled and then depth charged by {{HMS|Wallflower}} and sunk with all hands, 41 dead.

Summary of raiding history

Original documents from Room 40

"SM U-32.

Oberlt.z.S. Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim, later to U-93. Kaptlt. Hartwig October 1916 to Sept/October 1918, then to U-63. Kaptlt. Karl Albrecht, lost with her. Came off the stocks at Kiel about the end of October 1914 and did trials at Kiel School, leaving for the North Sea on 27th November. In December 1914 and January 1915, and February 1915, she was occasionally employed on patrol in the Bight, and was twice in dockyard hands with engine or other trouble. She was attached to the 4th Half Flotilla.

• 3rd April – 17th April 1915. Channel via Dover. Home northabout 1 S.S., 1 sailing vessel sunk, in Channel.
• 12th June – 24th June 1915. North Sea, 1 prize taken in.
• 9th August – 13th August 1915. Bight patrol.
• 14th – ? 16th August 1915. Bight anti-air raid patrol.
• 22nd – 27th August 1915. North Sea. Returned owing to compass failure.
• 11th September – 13th September 1915. To Flanders (Ostend).
• 19th September – 21st September 1915. Ostend to Emden.
• ? 2nd October 1915 – ? 4th October 1915. Bight patrol.
• 20th October 1915. Emden to List.
• 24th October – 27th October 1915. North Sea.
• 29th December 1915 – 2nd January 1916. ? North Sea patrol.
• 17th January 1916. On Bight patrol.
• 23rd January – 3rd February 1916. On Bight patrol.
• 11th February – 14th February 1916. On Bight patrol.
• 26th February – 17th March 1916. Northabout to Channel approach. Sank 2 S.S., 2 sailing vessels.
• 16th April – 18th April 1916. Bight patrol.
• 22nd April 1916. Bight patrol.
• 27th April – 8th May 1916. North Sea patrol.
• 16th May – 3rd June 1916. North Sea patrol (Jutland Battle).
• 24th August – 25th August 1916. Bight patrol.
• 28th August – 1st September 1916. North Sea patrol.
• 20th September – 1st October 1916. ? North Sea.
• 16th October – 7/8th November 1916. Northabout to Mediterranean. Arrived Cattaro 7/8th November. Sank 2 S.S. and was fired at by S.S. ARLINGTON COURT on 30th October. When in Mediterranean she was with Pola-Cattaro Flotilla.
• End of November – Middle of December 1916. Proceeded out from Cattaro and cruised in Mediterranean (central). Sank 6 S.S., 9 sailing vessels (including the French S.S. KARNAK). U-32 with another submarine seems to have been concerned in attack on British S.S. NAGOYA but was driven off by gunfire.
• 2nd January 1917 – 18th January 1917. On a cruise in central Mediterranean. Sank 2 S.S., 1 sailing vessel, and H.M.S. CORNWALLIS.
• February 1917 – March 1918. Operating in Mediterranean.
• 16th April 1918. Left Cattaro and cruised in western Mediterranean. Sank 1 S.S. and missed another by torpedo. On 24th April was sighted 50 miles N. of Algiers. She was sunk on May 8th, 1918 by H.M.S. WALLFLOWER in 36°8'N., 13°30'E., apparently while returning from this cruise."

See also

• Room 40

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

• {{cite book

• {{cite book |title=Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten. 5 Vols |last=Spindler |first=Arno |orig-year=1932|year=1966|publisher= 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|location=Berlin }}
• {{cite book |title=Room 40: British Naval Intelligence 1914-1918|last=Beesly |first=Patrick |year=1982 |publisher= H Hamilton |location=London |isbn=978-0-241-10864-2 }}
• {{cite book |title=A Naval History of World War I|last=Halpern |first=Paul G. |year=1995 |publisher=Routledge |location=New York |isbn=978-1-85728-498-0 }}
• {{cite book |title=Die Unterseeboote der Kaiserlichen Marine |last=Roessler |first=Eberhard |year=1997 |publisher= Bernard & Graefe |location=Bonn |isbn=978-3-7637-5963-7 }}
• {{cite book |title=Die U-Boote des Kaisers |last=Schroeder |first=Joachim |year=2002 |publisher= Bernard & Graefe |location=Bonn |isbn=978-3-7637-6235-4 }}
• {{cite book |title=Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol I., The Fleet in Action|last=Koerver |first=Hans Joachim |year=2008 |publisher=LIS Reinisch |location=Steinbach |isbn=978-3-902433-76-3 }}
• {{cite book |title=Room 40: German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. Vol II., The Fleet in Being|last=Koerver |first=Hans Joachim |year=2009 |publisher=LIS Reinisch |location=Steinbach |isbn=978-3-902433-77-0 }}

External links

• Photos of cruises of German submarine U-54 in 1916-1918. Great photo quality, comments in German.
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091130023342/http://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/PY/269/see-the-film-the_enchanted_circle 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.
• {{cite 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.

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