SM UC-40 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy () during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 20 November 1915 and was launched on 5 September 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 1 October 1916 as SM UC-40."SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" () and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine. In 17 patrols UC-40 was credited with sinking 30 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-40 was being taken to surrender but foundered in the North Sea en route on 21 January 1919.
Design A Type UC II submarine, UC-40 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 two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing (a total of ), two electric motors producing , and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a submerged speed of . When submerged, she could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . UC-40 was fitted with six mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageMerchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.Fate22 January 1917Kamma1,516Sunk28 March 1917Hero66Sunk1 April 1917Bergenhus1,017Sunk6 April 1917Presto1,143Sunk10 May 1917HMT Lord Ridley215Sunk23 May 1917Gran1,153Sunk25 June 1917HMT Gelsina227Sunk30 July 1917Amor196Sunk6 August 1917Polanna2,345Sunk8 September 1917Family’s Pride39Sunk9 September 1917Swiftsure823Sunk10 September 1917Margarita2,788Damaged10 September 1917Parkmill1,316Sunk12 September 1917HMT Asia309Sunk12 September 1917Glenelg4,160Damaged11 October 1917Voronezh5,331Damaged19 October 1917Slavonic3,604Sunk21 October 1917Anglo Dane808Sunk21 October 1917Flynderborg1,400Sunk24 October 1917Novington3,442Damaged24 October 1917Woron3,342Sunk8 December 1917HMS Grive2,037Sunk12 December 1917Leonatus2,099Sunk8 March 1918Corsham2,760Sunk8 March 1918Intent1,564Sunk10 March 1918HMT Columba138Sunk14 March 1918Castleford1,741Sunk28 April 1918HMT Emley223Sunk28 April 1918Upcerne2,984Sunk8 June 1918Eros181Sunk12 June 1918Afrique2,457Sunk15 June 1918Cairnmona4,666Damaged16 June 1918Melanie2,996Sunk23 July 19181,300Damaged26 July 1918Blairhall2,549Sunk27 July 1918Crimdon1,599Sunk30 July 1918War Deer5,323Damaged3 August 1918Skjold166Damaged
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