# SM UC-6

SM UC-6 was a German Type UC I minelayer submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) 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. 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 168 tonnes (165 long tons) when at the surface and 183 tonnes (180 long tons) while submerged. She had a length overall of 33.99 m (111 ft 6 in), a beam of 3.15 m (10 ft 4 in), and a draught of 3.04 m (10 ft). The submarine was powered by one Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine producing 90 metric horsepower (66 kW; 89 shp), an electric motor producing 175 metric horsepower (129 kW; 173 shp), and one propeller shaft. She was capable of operating at a depth of 50 metres (160 ft).
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 6.20 knots (11.48 km/h; 7.13 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 5.22 knots (9.67 km/h; 6.01 mph). When submerged, she could operate for 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 780 nautical miles (1,440 km; 900 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph). UC-6 was fitted with six 100 centimetres (39 in) mine tubes, twelve UC 120 mines, and one 8 millimetres (0.31 in) 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

| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
| 14 August 1915 | HMT Worsley | Royal Navy | 309 | Sunk |
| 16 August 1915 | HMT Japan | Royal Navy | 205 | Sunk |
| 25 August 1915 | Disa | Sweden | 788 | Sunk |
| 28 August 1915 | HMT Dane | Royal Navy | 265 | Sunk |
| 29 August 1915 | Sir William Stephenson | United Kingdom | 1,540 | Sunk |
| 16 September 1915 | Africa | United Kingdom | 1,038 | Sunk |
| 18 September 1915 | HMT Lydian | Royal Navy | 244 | Sunk |
| 18 September 1915 | San Zeferino | United Kingdom | 6,430 | Damaged |
| 20 September 1915 | Horden | United Kingdom | 1,434 | Sunk |
| 23 September 1915 | Groningen | United Kingdom | 988 | Sunk |
| 24 September 1915 | HMD Great Heart | Royal Navy | 78 | Sunk |
| 27 September 1915 | Nigretia | United Kingdom | 3,187 | Damaged |
| 5 October 1915 | Alose | French Navy | 214 | Sunk |
| 18 October 1915 | Aleppo | United Kingdom | 3,870 | Damaged |
| 18 October 1915 | Salerno | Norway | 2,431 | Sunk |
| 21 October 1915 | Monitoria | United Kingdom | 1,904 | Sunk |
| 31 October 1915 | HMY Aries | Royal Navy | 268 | Sunk |
| 31 October 1915 | Eidsiva | Norway | 1,092 | Sunk |
| 31 October 1915 | HMT Othello II | Royal Navy | 206 | Sunk |
| 31 October 1915 | Toward | United Kingdom | 1,218 | Sunk |
| 3 November 1915 | Friargate | United Kingdom | 264 | Sunk |
| 12 November 1915 | Moorside | United Kingdom | 311 | Sunk |
| 12 November 1915 | Nigel | United Kingdom | 1,400 | Sunk |
| 12 January 1916 | Traquair | United Kingdom | 1,067 | Sunk |
| 12 February 1916 | Leicester | United Kingdom | 1,001 | Sunk |
| 21 February 1916 | HMT Carlton | Royal Navy | 267 | Sunk |
| 24 February 1916 | Trignac | France | 2,375 | Sunk |
| 27 February 1916 | Empress of Fort William | United Kingdom | 2,181 | Sunk |
| 27 February 1916 | Maloja | United Kingdom | 12,431 | Sunk |
| 28 February 1916 | HMT Angelus | Royal Navy | 304 | Sunk |
| 28 February 1916 | HMT Weigelia | Royal Navy | 262 | Sunk |
| 4 March 1916 | HMT Flicker | Royal Navy | 192 | Sunk |
| 23 March 1916 | HMT Corona | Royal Navy | 212 | Sunk |
| 23 March 1916 | Sea Serpent | United Kingdom | 902 | Sunk |
| 24 March 1916 | Christianssund | Denmark | 1,017 | Sunk |
| 26 March 1916 | Saint Cecilia | United Kingdom | 4,411 | Sunk |
| 7 April 1916 | Halcyon | United Kingdom | 1,319 | Sunk |
| 14 April 1916 | Shenandoah | United Kingdom | 3,886 | Sunk |
| 21 April 1916 | Estafette | French Navy | 267 | Sunk |
| 29 April 1916 | Saint Corentin | French Navy | 216 | Sunk |
| 16 May 1916 | Batavier V | Netherlands | 1,569 | Sunk |
| 26 May 1916 | Volharding | Belgium | 1,000 | Sunk |
| 1 June 1916 | Excellenz Mehnert | Norway | 646 | Sunk |
| 8 June 1916 | HMT Kaphreda | Royal Navy | 245 | Sunk |
| 19 June 1916 | Corton Light Vessel | United Kingdom | unknown | Sunk |
| 19 June 1916 | Saint Jacques | France | 72 | Sunk |
| 21 June 1916 | Otis Tarda | Netherlands | 759 | Sunk |
| 23 June 1916 | Burma | United Kingdom | 706 | Sunk |
| 27 June 1916 | Waalstroom | Netherlands | 1,441 | Sunk |
| 29 June 1916 | HMT Hirose | Royal Navy | 275 | Sunk |
| 7 July 1916 | Gannet | United Kingdom | 1,127 | Sunk |
| 10 July 1916 | Kara | United Kingdom | 2,338 | Sunk |
| 3 September 1916 | Mascotte | United Kingdom | 1,097 | Sunk |
| 2 October 1916 | HMD Girl Eva | Royal Navy | 76 | Sunk |
| 29 December 1916 | Lonada | United Kingdom | 1,286 | Sunk |
| 29 December 1916 | HMS Ludlow | Royal Navy | 810 | Sunk |
| 29 December 1916 | HMS Totnes | Royal Navy | 810 | Damaged |
| 22 February 1917 | Ashtabula | United Kingdom | 7,025 | Damaged |
| 31 March 1917 | HMD Forward III | Royal Navy | 89 | Sunk |
| 19 April 1917 | Lumina | United Kingdom | 5,856 | Damaged |
| 12 May 1917 | Waterville | United Kingdom | 1,968 | Damaged |
| 7 June 1917 | HMS Mercury | Royal Navy | 378 | Damaged |
| 16 June 1917 | Roald Amundsen | Norway | 4,390 | Damaged |
| 18 June 1917 | Dorte Jensen | Denmark | 2,086 | Sunk |