# SM UC-7

SM UC-7 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 6 July 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 9 July 1915 as SM UC-7. Mines laid by UC-7 in her 34 patrols were credited with sinking 32 ships.

## Design

A Type UC I submarine, UC-7 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-7 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-7 sailed from Zeebrugge on 3 July 1916 to lay mines off the English coast and failed to return. UB-12 sighted a submarine believed to be UC-7 on 5 July, west of the Bligh Bank, 46 km (29 mi) from Ostend. The submarine in question was reported to be on a course that would run it into a minefield, and Verschollen notes that the time and place would be correct if UC-7 were returning to base. The bodies of two crew members were later washed ashore on the coast of Flanders on 19 July. She was claimed that UC-7 was sunk by HMS Salmon on 7 July off Southwold, but this was doubted since the reported position was too far off UC-7's operating area.

## Summary of raiding history

| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
| 1 September 1915 | HMT Malta | Royal Navy | 138 | Sunk |
| 1 September 1915 | HMT Nadine | Royal Navy | 150 | Sunk |
| 1 September 1915 | Savona | United Kingdom | 1,180 | Sunk |
| 3 September 1915 | Churston | United Kingdom | 2,470 | Sunk |
| 22 September 1915 | Koningin Emma | Netherlands | 9,181 | Sunk |
| 26 September 1915 | Vigilant | United Kingdom | 69 | Sunk |
| 5 October 1915 | Novocastrian | United Kingdom | 1,151 | Sunk |
| 6 October 1915 | Texelstroom | Netherlands | 1,601 | Sunk |
| 28 November 1915 | HMT William Morrison | Royal Navy | 212 | Sunk |
| 8 December 1915 | Ignis | United Kingdom | 2,042 | Sunk |
| 10 December 1915 | Ingstad | Norway | 780 | Sunk |
| 21 December 1915 | Knarsdale | United Kingdom | 1,641 | Sunk |
| 31 December 1915 | HMT Speeton | Royal Navy | 205 | Sunk |
| 6 February 1916 | Balgownie | United Kingdom | 1,061 | Sunk |
| 8 February 1916 | Elswick Manor | United Kingdom | 3,943 | Damaged |
| 11 February 1916 | HMS Arethusa | Royal Navy | 3,520 | Sunk |
| 26 February 1916 | Dido | United Kingdom | 4,769 | Sunk |
| 27 February 1916 | Mecklenburg | Netherlands | 2,885 | Sunk |
| 9 March 1916 | HMS Fauvette | Royal Navy | 2,644 | Sunk |
| 18 March 1916 | HMT Ameer | Royal Navy | 216 | Sunk |
| 18 March 1916 | Lowlands | United Kingdom | 1,789 | Sunk |
| 19 March 1916 | HMT Valpa | Royal Navy | 230 | Sunk |
| 24 March 1916 | Fulmar | United Kingdom | 1,270 | Sunk |
| 25 March 1916 | HMD Hilary II | Royal Navy | 78 | Sunk |
| 26 March 1916 | Cerne | United Kingdom | 2,579 | Sunk |
| 2 April 1916 | Bourbaki | France | 2,208 | Damaged |
| 2 April 1916 | HMT Commandant | Royal Navy | 207 | Sunk |
| 9 April 1916 | Avon | United Kingdom | 1,574 | Sunk |
| 14 April 1916 | HMT Alberta | Royal Navy | 209 | Sunk |
| 14 April 1916 | HMT Orcades | Royal Navy | 270 | Sunk |
| 15 April 1916 | Tusnastabb | Norway | 859 | Sunk |
| 23 April 1916 | HMT Lena Melling | Royal Navy | 274 | Sunk |
| 10 May 1916 | Dolcoath | United Kingdom | 1,706 | Sunk |
| 18 June 1916 | Seaconnet | United States | 2,294 | Sunk |