SM UC-6 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy () during World War I. The U-boat had been ordered by November 1914 and was launched on 20 June 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 24 June 1915 as SM UC-6."SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" () and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine. Mines laid by UC-6 in her 89 patrols were credited with sinking 55 ships.
Design A Type UC I submarine, UC-6 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a length overall of , a beam of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by one Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing , an electric motor producing , and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at a depth of .
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 . UC-6 was fitted with six mine tubes, twelve UC 120 mines, and one machine gun. She was built by AG Vulcan Stettin and her complement was fourteen crew members.
Fate UC-6 sailed from Zeebrugge on 27 September 1917 to lay mines off the Kentish Knock and did not return. She was later reported by British patrols that strong explosions had occurred in explosive nets laid in the area that same day. Other sources, however, state that UC-6 was destroyed by a British seaplane on 28 September 1917.
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageMerchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.Fate14 August 1915HMT Worsley309Sunk16 August 1915HMT Japan205Sunk25 August 1915Disa788Sunk28 August 1915HMT Dane265Sunk29 August 1915Sir William Stephenson1,540Sunk16 September 1915Africa1,038Sunk18 September 1915HMT Lydian244Sunk18 September 1915San Zeferino6,430Damaged20 September 1915Horden1,434Sunk23 September 1915Groningen988Sunk24 September 1915HMD Great Heart78Sunk27 September 1915Nigretia3,187Damaged5 October 1915Alose214Sunk18 October 1915Aleppo3,870Damaged18 October 1915Salerno2,431Sunk21 October 1915Monitoria1,904Sunk31 October 1915HMY Aries268Sunk31 October 1915Eidsiva1,092Sunk31 October 1915HMT Othello II206Sunk31 October 1915Toward1,218Sunk3 November 1915Friargate264Sunk12 November 1915Moorside311Sunk12 November 1915Nigel1,400Sunk12 January 1916Traquair1,067Sunk12 February 1916Leicester1,001Sunk21 February 1916HMT Carlton267Sunk24 February 1916Trignac2,375Sunk27 February 1916Empress of Fort William2,181Sunk27 February 191612,431Sunk28 February 1916HMT Angelus304Sunk28 February 1916HMT Weigelia262Sunk4 March 1916HMT Flicker192Sunk23 March 1916HMT Corona212Sunk23 March 1916Sea Serpent902Sunk24 March 1916Christianssund1,017Sunk26 March 1916Saint Cecilia4,411Sunk7 April 1916Halcyon1,319Sunk14 April 1916Shenandoah3,886Sunk21 April 1916Estafette267Sunk29 April 1916Saint Corentin216Sunk16 May 1916Batavier V1,569Sunk26 May 1916Volharding1,000Sunk1 June 1916Excellenz Mehnert646Sunk8 June 1916HMT Kaphreda245Sunk19 June 1916Corton Light VesselunknownSunk19 June 1916Saint Jacques72Sunk21 June 1916Otis Tarda759Sunk23 June 1916Burma706Sunk27 June 1916Waalstroom1,441Sunk29 June 1916HMT Hirose275Sunk7 July 1916Gannet1,127Sunk10 July 1916Kara2,338Sunk3 September 1916Mascotte1,097Sunk2 October 1916HMD Girl Eva76Sunk29 December 1916Lonada1,286Sunk29 December 1916HMS Ludlow810Sunk29 December 1916HMS Totnes810Damaged22 February 1917Ashtabula7,025Damaged31 March 1917HMD Forward III89Sunk19 April 1917Lumina5,856Damaged12 May 1917Waterville1,968Damaged7 June 1917HMS Mercury378Damaged16 June 1917Roald Amundsen4,390Damaged18 June 1917Dorte Jensen2,086Sunk
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Bibliography
External links Knott, Peta (2015) 'UC-6 THames Estuary: Archaeological Report' Historic England Project to research First World War Submarines