SM U-75 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-75 was engaged in naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic. On her first mission, U-75 laid the mine that sank the cruiser HMS Hampshire (1903) during her voyage to Russia carrying British Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener. The cruiser sank at 59.11667°N, -3.4°W west of the Orkney Islands with nearly total loss of life in a force 9 gale.

Design

Type UE I submarines were preceded by the longer Type U 66 submarines. U-75 had a displacement of 755 t when at the surface and 832 t while submerged. She had a total length of 56.80 m, a pressure hull length of 46.66 m, a beam of 5.90 m, a height of 8.25 m, and a draught of 4.86 m. The submarine was powered by two 900 PS engines for use while surfaced, and two 800 PS engines for use while submerged. She had two propeller shafts. She was capable of operating at depths of up to 50 m. The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 9.9 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.9 kn. When submerged, she could operate for 83 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 7880 nmi at 7 kn. U-75 was fitted with two 50 cm torpedo tubes (one at the port bow and one starboard stern), four torpedoes, and one 8.8 cm SK L/30 deck gun. She had a complement of thirty-two (twenty-eight crew members and four officers).

Summary of raiding history

Citations