SM U-38

SM U-38 was a German Type U 31 U-boat which operated in the Mediterranean Sea during World War I. It ended up being the third most successful U-boat participating in the war, sinking 134 merchant ships sunk for a total of 287,811 GRT.

Its longest serving captain was Kptlt. Max Valentiner, who was awarded the Pour le Mérite while in command of U-38. Valentiner was in command of U-38 in November and December 1915 when she sank the passenger liners and ; both were controversial since the ships were sunk by torpedoes without warning, in defiance of the then-current Prize rules, which stated that merchant vessels carrying passengers be given an opportunity to evacuate their passengers before being sunk.

In 1917 Valentiner was succeeded as commander of U-38 by Kptlt. Wilhelm Canaris, who decades later became an Admiral and head of the Abwehr (German Military Intelligence), in 1935–1944.

Design 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.

U-38 had an overall length of , her pressure hull was long. The boat's beam was (o/a), while the pressure hull measured . Type 31s had a draught of with a total height of . The boats displaced a total of ; when surfaced and when submerged.

U-38 was fitted with two Germania 6-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines with a total of for use on the surface and two Siemens-Schuckert double-acting electric motors with a total of for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts each with a propeller, which gave the boat a top surface speed of , and when submerged. Cruising range was at on the surface, and at under water. Diving depth was .

The U-boat was armed with four torpedo tubes, two fitted in the bow and two in the stern, and carried 6 torpedoes. Additionally U-38 was equipped in 1915 with one Uk L/30 deck gun, which was replaced with a gun in 1916/17. The boat's complement was 4 officers and 31 enlisted.

Fate After World War I ended, U-38 was surrendered to France and docked in Brest in 1919, and then broken up.

Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageMerchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.Fate18 April 1915Brilliant1,441Captured as prize22 April 1915Eva312Sunk22 April 1915Oscar766Sunk24 April 1915Nidaros1,024Captured as prize27 April 1915Torwald1,085Captured as prize30 April 1915Elida1,693Sunk20 June 191510,850Damaged21 June 1915Carisbrook2,352Sunk22 June 1915Leo269Sunk23 June 1915Truma1,557Sunk23 June 1915Elizabeth94Sunk23 June 1915Four84Sunk23 June 1915Josephine85Sunk23 June 1915Piscatorial84Sunk23 June 1915Research89Sunk23 June 1915Uffa79Sunk23 June 1915Ugiebrae79Sunk24 June 1915Commander149Sunk24 June 1915J. M. S.78Sunk24 June 1915Lebanon111Sunk24 June 1915Monarda87Sunk24 June 1915Primrose91Sunk24 June 1915Quiet Waters63Sunk24 June 1915Star of Bethlehem77Sunk24 June 1915Viceroy150Sunk24 June 1915Vine110Sunk5 August 1915Hans Emil106Sunk5 August 1915Vanadis484Sunk6 August 1915Ocean Queen185Sunk6 August 1915Westminster252Sunk9 August 1915Thrush264Sunk10 August 1915Oakwood4,279Sunk17 August 1915Bonny2,702Sunk17 August 1915George Baker91Sunk17 August 1915Glenby2,196Sunk17 August 1915Isidoro2,044Sunk17 August 1915Kirkby3,034Sunk17 August 1915Maggie269Sunk17 August 1915Paros3,596Sunk17 August 1915Repeat107Sunk17 August 1915The Queen557Sunk17 August 1915Thornfield488Sunk19 August 1915Baron Erskine5,585Sunk19 August 1915Restormel2,118Sunk19 August 1915Samara3,172Sunk20 August 1915Bittern1,797Sunk20 August 1915Carterswell4,308Sunk20 August 1915Daghestan2,817Sunk20 August 1915Martha Edmonds182Sunk21 August 1915Cober3,060Sunk21 August 1915Ruel4,029Sunk21 August 1915San Melito10,160Damaged21 August 1915Windsor6,055Sunk22 August 1915Diomed4,672Sunk22 August 1915Palmgrove3,100Sunk23 August 1915Silvia5,268Sunk23 August 1915Trafalgar4,572Sunk3 November 1915Woodfield3,584Sunk3 November 1915Yasukuni Maru5,118Sunk4 November 1915Dahra2,127Sunk4 November 1915Ionia1,816Sunk4 November 1915Le Calvados1,658Sunk, 740 people killed4 November 1915Mercian6,305Damaged5 November 1915Buresk3,673Sunk5 November 1915Sidi Ferruch2,797Sunk6 November 1915Elisa Francesca208Sunk6 November 1915Glenmoor3,075Sunk6 November 1915Ticino1,470Sunk6 November 1915Yser3,545Sunk7 November 1915France IV4,025Sunk8 November 19158,210Sunk, 206 people killed9 November 1915Firenze3,960Sunk21 December 1915Yasaka Maru10,932Sunk30 December 1915Clan Macfarlane4,823Sunk30 December 19157,951Sunk, 343 people killed9 February 1916Springwell5,593Sunk9 February 1916HMS Thornhill3,848Damaged23 February 1916Diadem3,752Sunk23 February 1916Roubine327Sunk24 February 1916Denaby2,987Sunk24 February 1916Fastnet2,227Sunk24 February 1916Torborg1,266Sunk29 February 1916Alexander Wentzel2,832Sunk29 February 1916Elisa S209Sunk1 March 1916Kilbride3,712Sunk16 May 1916HMS Clifford487Sunk8 June 1916Malorossija893Damaged8 June 1916Cementcrug1,086Sunk8 June 1916Ekaterina70Sunk8 June 1916Vera1,231Damaged10 June 1916Orion429Sunk2 July 1916Rockcliffe3,073Sunk9 July 1916Vperied859Sunk10 July 1916Florida3,238Sunk14 August 1916HMS Remembrance3,660Sunk19 August 1916Dea166Sunk23 August 1916Elios190Sunk23 August 1916Maria Brizzolari152Sunk23 August 1916Tanina138Sunk24 August 1916Isdalen2,275Sunk24 August 1916Liegeoise3,895Sunk25 August 1916Leandros1,658Sunk25 August 1916Nostra Signora Del Carmine1,575Sunk26 August 1916Atlantico3,069Sunk29 August 1916Antigoon1,884Sunk29 August 1916Francois Joseph114Sunk29 August 1916Stella Del Mare1,166Sunk30 August 1916Nostra Signora Della Guardia1,588Sunk31 August 1916Bacchus3,583Sunk31 August 1916Duart3,108Sunk31 August 1916Piero Maroncelli3,225Sunk1 September 1916S. Francesco Di Paola68Sunk1 September 1916Swift Wings4,465Sunk1 September 1916Antinous3,682Damaged2 September 1916Strathallan4,404Sunk2 September 1916Uranie117Sunk3 September 1916Villadoro134Sunk4 September 1916Laristan3,675Sunk5 September 1916Saint Marc5,818Sunk25 November 1916Michael2,410Sunk26 November 1916Chemung3,062Sunk3 December 1916Dacia1,856Sunk3 December 1916Kanguroo2,493Sunk3 December 1916Surprise680Sunk8 December 1916Brask1,464Sunk8 December 1916Britannia1,814Sunk9 December 1916Brizella282Sunk10 December 1916Esemplare2,595Sunk13 December 1916Angelo Parodi3,825Sunk13 December 1916Kaupanger3,354Sunk15 December 1916Emmanuele Accame3,242Sunk17 December 1916Tripoli56Sunk20 December 1916Itonus5,340Sunk25 January 1917Sylvie2,591Sunk7 February 1917Aphrodite130Sunk14 February 1917Trowbridge3,712Damaged14 February 1917Michele41Sunk12 May 1917Egyptian Prince3,117Sunk13 May 1917Rio Amazonas2,970Sunk25 May 1917Kohinur2,265Sunk26 May 1917Holmesbank3,051Sunk1 July 1917Corrado121Sunk1 July 1917Volto Santo G.225Sunk7 July 1917La Resolu186Sunk12 July 1917Claire1,157Sunk15 July 1917Atalante124Sunk19 July 1917Eloby6,545Sunk20 August 1917Incemore3,060Sunk19 April 1918Salambo248Sunk5 May 1918Alberto Treves3,838Damaged8 May 1918Ingleside3,736Sunk

SM U-38

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