# SM U-32 (Germany)

SM U-32 was a German Type U 31 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy.
Her construction was ordered on 29 March 1912 and her keel was laid down on 8 November 1912 by Germaniawerft of Kiel. She was launched on 28 January 1914 and commissioned on 3 September 1914 under the command of Edgar von Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim. On 1 February 1916 Spiegel was relieved by Kurt Hartwig who commanded the boat until 16 February 1918 when Karl Albrecht took over. Albrecht commanded her until her loss.
U-32 conducted 11 patrols, sinking 37 merchant ships totalling 106,035 gross register tons (GRT) and one warship for 14,000 tons. On 9 January 1917, to the East of Malta, U-32 sank the British pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Cornwallis, with the loss of 15 lives.

## Design

Type U 31 submarines were double-hulled ocean-going submarines similar to Type 23 and Type 27 subs in dimensions and differed only slightly in propulsion and speed. They were considered very good high sea boats with average manoeuvrability and good surface steering.
U-32 had an overall length of 64.70 m (212 ft 3 in), her pressure hull was 52.36 m (171 ft 9 in) long. The boat's beam was 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) (o/a), while the pressure hull measured 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in). Type 31s had a draught of 3.56 m (11 ft 8 in) with a total height of 7.68–8.04 m (25 ft 2 in – 26 ft 5 in). The boats displaced a total of 971 tonnes (956 long tons); 685 t (674 long tons) when surfaced and 878 t (864 long tons) when submerged.
U-32 was fitted with two Germania 6-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines with a total of 1,850 metric horsepower (1,361 kW; 1,825 bhp) for use on the surface and two Siemens-Schuckert double-acting electric motors with a total of 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts each with a 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) propeller, which gave the boat a top surface speed of 16.4 knots (30.4 km/h; 18.9 mph), and 9.7 knots (18.0 km/h; 11.2 mph) when submerged. Cruising range was 8,790 nautical miles (16,280 km; 10,120 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface, and 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) under water. Diving depth was 50 m (164 ft 1 in).
The U-boat was armed with four 50 cm (20 in) torpedo tubes, two fitted in the bow and two in the stern, and carried 6 torpedoes. Additionally U-32 was equipped in 1915 with two 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck guns. The boat's complement was 4 officers and 31 enlisted.

## Fate

On 8 May 1918 north-west of Malta she was shelled and then depth charged by HMS Wallflower and sunk with all hands, 41 dead.

## Summary of raiding history

| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
| 8 April 1915 | Chateaubriand | France | 2,247 | Sunk |
| 11 April 1915 | Wayfarer | United Kingdom | 9,599 | Damaged |
| 22 June 1915 | Kiew | Denmark | 1,115 | Captured as prize |
| 4 March 1916 | Teutonian | United Kingdom | 4,824 | Sunk |
| 5 March 1916 | Rothesay | United Kingdom | 2,007 | Sunk |
| 6 March 1916 | Trois Freres | France | 107 | Sunk |
| 7 March 1916 | Ville Du Havre | France | 3,109 | Sunk |
| 18 October 1916 | Athene | Norway | 1,847 | Sunk |
| 30 October 1916 | Marquis Bacquehem | United Kingdom | 4,396 | Sunk |
| 30 October 1916 | Vertunno | Kingdom of Italy | 3,239 | Sunk |
| 27 November 1916 | City of Birmingham | United Kingdom | 7,498 | Sunk |
| 27 November 1916 | Karnak | France | 6,816 | Sunk |
| 30 November 1916 | S. Antonio | Kingdom of Italy | 611 | Sunk |
| 1 December 1916 | Cuore Di Gesu | Kingdom of Italy | 199 | Sunk |
| 1 December 1916 | Lampo | Kingdom of Italy | 59 | Sunk |
| 2 December 1916 | Angela Madre G. | Kingdom of Italy | 155 | Sunk |
| 3 December 1916 | Lucellum | United Kingdom | 5,184 | Damaged |
| 6 December 1916 | Campania | Kingdom of Italy | 4,297 | Sunk |
| 8 December 1916 | Carmelina Dominici | Kingdom of Italy | 94 | Sunk |
| 12 December 1916 | Saint Ursula | United Kingdom | 5,011 | Sunk |
| 7 January 1917 | Rosalia L. | Kingdom of Italy | 7,186 | Sunk |
| 9 January 1917 | HMS Cornwallis | Royal Navy | 14,000 | Sunk |
| 10 April 1917 | Porto Di Rodi | Kingdom of Italy | 2,480 | Sunk |
| 12 April 1917 | Kildale | United Kingdom | 3,830 | Sunk |
| 17 April 1917 | Costante | Kingdom of Italy | 3,479 | Sunk |
| 18 April 1917 | Rinaldo | United Kingdom | 4,321 | Sunk |
| 21 April 1917 | Giosue | Kingdom of Italy | 140 | Sunk |
| 12 May 1917 | Locksley Hall | United Kingdom | 3,635 | Sunk |
| 24 May 1917 | Biarritz | France | 2,758 | Sunk |
| 16 July 1917 | Khephren | United Kingdom | 2,774 | Sunk |
| 16 July 1917 | Porto Di Adalia | Kingdom of Italy | 4,073 | Sunk |
| 17 July 1917 | Virent | United Kingdom | 3,771 | Damaged |
| 19 July 1917 | Varvara | Greece | 1,316 | Sunk |
| 20 September 1917 | Kurdistan | United Kingdom | 3,720 | Sunk |
| 22 September 1917 | Caroline | France | 107 | Sunk |
| 24 September 1917 | Iriston | United Kingdom | 3,221 | Sunk |
| 29 September 1917 | Sanwen | United Kingdom | 3,689 | Sunk |
| 4 October 1917 | Constantinos Embiricos | Greece | 2,611 | Sunk |
| 4 October 1917 | Nicolaos Roussos | Greece | 2,421 | Sunk |
| 10 October 1917 | Transporteur | France | 1,812 | Sunk |
| 21 April 1918 | Bellview | United Kingdom | 3,567 | Sunk |
| 1 May 1918 | Era | Australia | 2,379 | Sunk |

## Original documents from Room 40

   The following is a verbatim transcription of the recorded activities of SM U-32 known to British Naval Intelligence, Room 40 O.B.:
      "SM U-32.
      Oberlt.z.S. Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim, later to U-93. Kaptlt. Hartwig October 1916 to Sept/October 1918, then to U-63. Kaptlt. Karl Albrecht, lost with her. Came off the stocks at Kiel about the end of October 1914 and did trials at Kiel School, leaving for the North Sea on 27 November. In December 1914 and January 1915, and February 1915, she was occasionally employed on patrol in the Bight, and was twice in dockyard hands with engine or other trouble. She was attached to the 4th Half Flotilla.
      * 3 – 17 April 1915. Channel via Dover. Home northabout 1 S.S., 1 sailing vessel sunk, in Channel.
      * 12 – 24 June 1915. North Sea, 1 prize taken in.
      * 9 – 13 August 1915. Bight patrol.
      * 14th – ? 16 August 1915. Bight anti-air raid patrol.
      * 22 – 27 August 1915. North Sea. Returned owing to compass failure.
      * 11 – 13 September 1915. To Flanders (Ostend).
      * 19 – 21 September 1915. Ostend to Emden.
      * ? 2 October 1915 – ? 4 October 1915. Bight patrol.
      * 20 October 1915. Emden to List.
      * 24 – 27 October 1915. North Sea.
      * 29 December 1915 – 2 January 1916. ? North Sea patrol.
      * 17 January 1916. On Bight patrol.
      * 23 January – 3 February 1916. On Bight patrol.
      * 11 – 14 February 1916. On Bight patrol.
      * 26 February – 17 March 1916. Northabout to Channel approach. Sank 2 S.S., 2 sailing vessels.
      * 16 – 18 April 1916. Bight patrol.
      * 22 April 1916. Bight patrol.
      * 27 April – 8 May 1916. North Sea patrol.
      * 16 May – 3 June 1916. North Sea patrol (Jutland Battle).
      * 24 – 25 August 1916. Bight patrol.
      * 28 August – 1 September 1916. North Sea patrol.
      * 20 September – 1 October 1916. ? North Sea.
      * 16 October – 7/8 November 1916. Northabout to Mediterranean. Arrived Cattaro 7/8 November. Sank 2 S.S. and was fired at by S.S. ARLINGTON COURT on 30 October. When in Mediterranean she was with Pola-Cattaro Flotilla.
      * End of November – Middle of December 1916. Proceeded out from Cattaro and cruised in Mediterranean (central). Sank 6 S.S., 9 sailing vessels (including the French S.S. KARNAK). U-32 with another submarine seems to have been concerned in attack on British S.S. NAGOYA but was driven off by gunfire.
      * 2 January 1917 – 18 January 1917. On a cruise in central Mediterranean. Sank 2 S.S., 1 sailing vessel, and H.M.S. CORNWALLIS.
      * February 1917 – March 1918. Operating in Mediterranean.
      * 16 April 1918. Left Cattaro and cruised in western Mediterranean. Sank 1 S.S. and missed another by torpedo. On 24 April was sighted 50 miles N. of Algiers. She was sunk on 8 May 1918 by H.M.S. WALLFLOWER in 36°8'N., 13°30'E., apparently while returning from this cruise."
   Note: S.S. = Steam Ship; S.V. = Sailing Vessel; northabout, Muckle Flugga, Fair I. = around Scotland; Sound, Belts, Kattegat = via North of Denmark to/from German Baltic ports; Bight = to/from German North Sea ports; success = sinking of ships