SM U-124 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-124 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic under the command of Kapitänleutnant Rolf Carls (later a Generaladmiral in the Kriegsmarine). She was interned at Karlskrona on 13 November 1918, but then surrendered to the Allies at Harwich on 1 December 1918 in accordance with the requirements of the Armistice with Germany. Lying at Portland, she was sold to James Dredging Co. on 3 March 1919 for £3,000, but then re-sold to George Cohen, who towed the boat to Swansea for scrapping. However, U-124 foundered there in October 1920, although was later salvaged and finally broken up.

Design

Type UE II submarines were preceded by the shorter Type UE I submarines. U-124 had a displacement of 1163 t when at the surface and 1468 t while submerged. She had a total length of 82 m, a beam of 7.4 m, a height of 10.16 m, and a draught of 4.22 m. The submarine was powered by two 2400 PS engines for use while surfaced, and two 1235 PS engines for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.61 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 75 m. The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 14.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.2 kn. When submerged, she could operate for 35 nmi at 4.5 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 11470 nmi at 8 kn. U-124 was fitted with four 50 cm torpedo tubes (fitted at its bow), twelve torpedoes, two 100 cm mine chutes (fitted at its stern), forty-two mines, one 15 cm SK L/45 deck machine gun, and 494 rounds. She had a complement of forty (thirty-six crew members and four officers).

Citations