SM U-71

For other ships of the same name, see German submarine U-71.

SM U-71
Career (German Empire)
Name:	U-71
Ordered:	6 January 1915
Builder:	AG Vulkan, Hamburg (Werk 55)
Launched:	31 October 1915
Commissioned:	20 December 1915
Fate:	23 February 1919 - Surrendered to France. Broken up at Cherburg in 1921.
General characteristics
Class & type:	German Type UE I submarine
Displacement:	755 tonnes (743 long tons) (surfaced) 832 tonnes (819 long tons) (submerged)
Length:	56.8 m (186 ft 4 in) (overall) 46.66 m (153 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Beam:	5.9 m (19 ft 4 in) (overall) 5 m (16 ft 5 in) (pressure hull)
Height:	8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught:	4.86 m (15 ft 11 in)
Propulsion:	900 hp (670 kW) (surfaced) 660 kW (890 hp) (submerged)
Speed:	10.6 knots (19.6 km/h; 12.2 mph) (surfaced) 7.9 kn (14.6 km/h; 9.1 mph) (submerged)
Range:	7,880 nmi (14,590 km; 9,070 mi) @ 7 kn(surfaced) 83 nmi (154 km; 96 mi) @ 4 kn (submerged)
Complement:	32 men
Armament:	One 50 cm (20 in) torpedo tubes forward and one 50 cm torpedo tubes aft with two torpedoes plus one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) deck gun two minelaying tubes for 38 mines

Service record
Part of:	Imperial German Navy
Commanders:	Hugo Schmidt [1] 20 Dec 1915 - 19 Apr 1917 Walter Gude [2] 20 Apr 1917 - 27 Nov 1917 Otto Dröscher [3] 28 Nov 1917 - 27 Jan 1918 Richard Scheurlen [4] 28 Jan 1918 - 29 Jul 1918 Kurt Slevogt [5] 30 Jul 1918 - 14 Oct 1918
Operations:	12 patrols 7 Apr 1916 - 11 Nov 1918 I Flotilla 18 ships sunk for a total of 15,273 tons. 1 ship damaged for a total of 3,230 tons. 1 ship taken as prize for a total of 140 tons. 1 warship sunk for a total of 750 tons.

SM U-71 was one of 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.

U-71 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.

Operations

SM U-71. Kaptlt. Gude. In August 1918 Kaptlt. Richard Scheurlen. Came off the stocks at Hamburg (Vulcan) in January 1916, and joined the Kiel School where she remained until 7 April 1916, when she entered the North Sea, to join the 1st Half Flotilla.

• 12 April - ? 21 April 1916. Apparently cruising in North Sea.
• 21 June - 8 July 1916. Northabout. Laid mines off Skerryvore.
• 14 October - 4 November 1916. Skagerrak. Sank 3 S.S., 1 sailing vessel.
• 11–23 December 1916. North Sea. Sank 2 S.S., 2 sailing vessels.
• 10–22 January 1917. Minelaying in North Sea, St. Magnus Bay, Shetland Isles. Returned owing to bad weather and overheating of engine.
• 6–21 February 1917. ? Laid mines in Loch Ewe, North Minch, off Butt of Lewis, Broad Bay and Firth of Lorne.
• At sea 16 May 1917 - 8 June 1917. Possible laid mines off Tory I. Sank 1 S.S., 2 sailing vessels.
• 7–26 July 1917. North Sea. Locality of her mines not fixed. Sank 223 tons.
• 1/5 September 1917. Went out 3 times and returned, the last time with defects.
• 10–14 October 1917. In Baltic. Returned with defects.
• 20–24 December 1917. Laid mines off Dutch coast.
• 29 December 1917 - 2 January 1918. Laid mines off Dutch coast. ? Took 1 prize.
• 18–23 January 1918. Laid mines off Dutch coast.
• 4–15 February 1918. Laid mines off Dutch coast. Emerged from Skagerrak and returned by Sound.
• 18–29 March 1918. Laid mines off Dutch coast. Went out by Skagerrak. Returned to Bight.
• 23 April - 2 May 1918. Laid mines off Firth of Forth.
• 18–24 June 1918. Laid mines off Aberdeen.
• Early in July - 22 July 1918. Laid mines off Firth of Forth.
• ? 29 September - 11 October 1918. ? Dutch coast. Submarine reports “Task given up.”
• 23 February 1919. Surrendered at Harwich.