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.
Design Type UE I submarines were preceded by the longer Type U 66 submarines. U-71 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two engines for use while surfaced, and two engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to .
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 . U-71 was fitted with two torpedo tubes (one at the starboard bow and one starboard stern), four torpedoes, and one deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-two (twenty-eight crew members and four officers).
Operations U-71 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.HW 7/3, Room 40, History of German Naval Warfare 1914-1918. National Archives, Kew. 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.
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageMerchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.Fate18 October 1916Greta1,370Sunk19 October 1916Mercur711Sunk19 October 1916Normandie1,342Sunk21 October 1916Rönnaug1,331Sunk13 December 1916Solon137Sunk17 December 1916Sjofna528Sunk18 December 1916Herø1,106Sunk18 December 1916Sieka119Sunk19 February 1917Halcyon190Sunk4 June 1917Orion1,870Sunk5 June 1917C. Thorén269Sunk5 June 1917Götha232Sunk20 July 1917Sirra223Sunk26 July 1917Flore3,553Sunk26 July 1917Ethelwynne3,230Damaged14 August 1917Majorka1,684Sunk31 August 1917Taurus128Sunk20 October 1917HMT Thomas Stratten309Sunk12 December 1917Amadavat171Sunk31 December 1917De Hoop82Captured as prize15 August 19181,801Sunk15 August 1918HMS UlleswaterAccording to other sources, HMS Ulleswater was sunk by .930Sunk20 August 1918HMS Shirley820Damaged
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