# SM UC-53

SM UC-53 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 27 February 1917. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 5 April 1917 as SM UC-53. In eight patrols UC-53 was credited with sinking 47 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-53 was scuttled at Pola on 28 October 1918 on the surrender of Austria-Hungary.

## Design

A Type UC II submarine, UC-53 had a displacement of 434 tonnes (427 long tons) when at the surface and 511 tonnes (503 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 52.69 m (172 ft 10 in), a beam of 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in), and a draught of 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in). The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing 290–300 metric horsepower (210–220 kW; 290–300 shp) (a total of 580–600 metric horsepower (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp)), two electric motors producing 620 metric horsepower (460 kW; 610 shp), and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 11.8 knots (21.9 km/h; 13.6 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 56 nautical miles (104 km; 64 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,820 to 9,450 nautical miles (16,330 to 17,500 km; 10,150 to 10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). UC-53 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three 50 centimetres (20 in) torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.

## Summary of raiding history

| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
| 4 June 1917 | City of Baroda | United Kingdom | 5,032 | Sunk |
| 9 June 1917 | Lilly | Denmark | 1,150 | Sunk |
| 9 June 1917 | Tordenvore | Norway | 1,565 | Sunk |
| 10 June 1917 | Ligeiro | Portugal | 285 | Damaged |
| 10 June 1917 | Santa Maria | Portugal | 204 | Sunk |
| 11 June 1917 | Sibens | Russian Empire | 323 | Sunk |
| 12 June 1917 | Symra | Norway | 3,005 | Sunk |
| 16 June 1917 | Esperanza | Spain | 98 | Sunk |
| 16 June 1917 | F.7.SB. | Spain | 50 | Sunk |
| 21 June 1917 | Nord | France | 3,193 | Damaged |
| 9 August 1917 | Canara | United Kingdom | 6,012 | Damaged |
| 10 August 1917 | Margherita | Kingdom of Italy | 66 | Sunk |
| 10 August 1917 | Tito Speri | Kingdom of Italy | 3,893 | Sunk |
| 13 August 1917 | Arcangelo Michele | Kingdom of Italy | 45 | Sunk |
| 12 August 1917 | Ansedonia | Kingdom of Italy | 270 | Sunk |
| 12 August 1917 | Ardita Carrara | Kingdom of Italy | 75 | Sunk |
| 13 August 1917 | Il Nuovo Leonardo | Kingdom of Italy | 34 | Sunk |
| 15 September 1917 | Cavi | Kingdom of Italy | 2,544 | Damaged |
| 18 September 1917 | Domenico Primo | Kingdom of Italy | 80 | Damaged |
| 19 September 1917 | Teresita | Kingdom of Italy | 136 | Sunk |
| 21 September 1917 | Christina | Kingdom of Italy | 32 | Sunk |
| 22 September 1917 | Primo | Kingdom of Italy | 65 | Sunk |
| 23 September 1917 | Argietta | Kingdom of Italy | 165 | Sunk |
| 23 September 1917 | Giuseppina Concettina | Kingdom of Italy | 31 | Sunk |
| 23 September 1917 | Irthington | United Kingdom | 2,845 | Sunk |
| 24 September 1917 | Nuova Francesca | Kingdom of Italy | 45 | Sunk |
| 24 September 1917 | S. Espedito | Kingdom of Italy | 31 | Sunk |
| 8 December 1917 | Giuseppe Naccari | Kingdom of Italy | 128 | Sunk |
| 9 December 1917 | Cerea | Kingdom of Italy | 4,295 | Damaged |
| 9 December 1917 | Costas | Greece | 3,278 | Sunk |
| 10 December 1917 | Antonio Magliulo | Kingdom of Italy | 520 | Sunk |
| 13 December 1917 | Karen | Norway | 1,689 | Sunk |
| 14 December 1917 | HMS Brig 1 | Royal Navy | 120 | Damaged |
| 25 December 1917 | Hekla | Denmark | 937 | Sunk |
| 25 January 1918 | Carignano | Kingdom of Italy | 2,688 | Sunk |
| 26 January 1918 | Asimina | Greece | 2,878 | Sunk |
| 29 January 1918 | Geo | United Kingdom | 3,048 | Sunk |
| 30 January 1918 | Fratelli Barrera | Kingdom of Italy | 88 | Sunk |
| 30 January 1918 | Michele Padre | Kingdom of Italy | 230 | Sunk |
| 24 March 1918 | La Nuova Felice | Kingdom of Italy | 72 | Sunk |
| 24 March 1918 | Nuovo Genio | Kingdom of Italy | 35 | Sunk |
| 24 March 1918 | Regina Immacolata | Kingdom of Italy | 36 | Sunk |
| 24 March 1918 | Tre Sorelle Salvo | Kingdom of Italy | 26 | Sunk |
| 27 March 1918 | Castrenzo Coppola | Kingdom of Italy | 94 | Sunk |
| 4 June 1918 | Michelangelo | Kingdom of Italy | 2,456 | Damaged |
| 8 June 1918 | Concettina | Kingdom of Italy | 1,271 | Sunk |
| 8 June 1918 | La Bayonnaise | France | 2,425 | Sunk |
| 10 June 1918 | Brodholme | United Kingdom | 5,747 | Damaged |
| 22 September 1918 | Gorsemore | United Kingdom | 3,079 | Sunk |
| 28 September 1918 | Caraibe | France | 2,976 | Damaged |
| 30 September 1918 | Francesco Padre | Kingdom of Italy | 101 | Sunk |
| 30 September 1918 | Gabriela Costela | Kingdom of Italy | 105 | Sunk |
| 30 September 1918 | Giovanni Costa | Kingdom of Italy | 102 | Sunk |
| 30 September 1918 | San Francesco P. | Kingdom of Italy | 41 | Sunk |
| 1 October 1918 | Giuseppino M. | Kingdom of Italy | 48 | Sunk |
| 1 October 1918 | S. Giuseppe A. | Kingdom of Italy | 56 | Sunk |
| 5 October 1918 | Rosa | Kingdom of Italy | 908 | Damaged |
| 20 November 1918 | War Typhoon | United Kingdom | 3,116 | Damaged |
| 15 January 1919 | Chaouia | France | 4,334 | Sunk |