Definition
SM U‑33 was a German Imperial‑navy submarine (U‑boat) of the Type U 31 class that served during the First World War.
Overview
SM U‑33 was constructed by the shipyard AG Weser in Bremen. She was launched on 26 September 1914 and commissioned into the Kaiserliche Marine on 4 December 1914. Throughout the war, U‑33 operated primarily with the 1st U‑boat Flotilla, conducting patrols in the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The boat sank a number of Allied merchant vessels and participated in several convoy attacks. Following Germany’s surrender, SM U‑33 was handed over to the Allies at Harwich on 21 November 1918 and was subsequently broken up in 1922.
Etymology/Origin
The designation “SM” stands for Seiner Majestät (“His Majesty’s”), a prefix used for ships of the Imperial German Navy. The “U‑33” identifier follows the German practice of numbering submarines sequentially; “U” is the abbreviation for Unterseeboot (“undersea boat”). Thus, SM U‑33 translates to “His Majesty’s Submarine 33.”
Characteristics
- Class & Type: Type U 31 coastal/sea‑going submarine
- Builder: AG Weser, Bremen (yard number 102)
- Displacement: Approximately 685 t surfaced, 878 t submerged
- Dimensions: Length 64.70 m, beam 6.32 m, draught 3.56 m
- Propulsion: Dual diesel engines for surface travel (≈ 1 900 PS) and electric motors for submerged operation (≈ 1 240 PS)
- Speed: About 16.4 knots surfaced, 9.7 knots submerged
- Range: Roughly 8 800 nm at 8 knots surfaced; 80 nm at 5 knots submerged
- Armament: Four 50 cm torpedo tubes (two bow, two stern) with a complement of six torpedoes; one 8.8 cm SK L/30 deck gun (added during the war)
- Crew: Typically 4 officers and 31 enlisted men
These specifications are consistent with the standard design of Type U 31 submarines; no reliable source indicates significant alterations specific to SM U‑33.
Related Topics
- German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) – the naval force of the German Empire (1871–1918).
- U‑boat campaign of World War I – the strategic use of submarines by Germany to disrupt Allied shipping.
- Type U 31 submarines – a class of 11 submarines built for the Imperial Navy, notable for their operational performance during the war.
- Harwich surrender – the location where German submarines were handed over to the Allies after the Armistice.
All information presented is derived from established historical records of Imperial German naval vessels.