SM U-157[Note 1] was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. U-157 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.[2]

History
German Empire
NameU-157
Ordered29 November 1916
BuilderH. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg
Launched23 May 1917
Commissioned22 September 1917
Fate11 November 1918 – Interned at Trondheim, Norway. Surrendered to France on 8 February 1919. Broken up at Brest during July 1921.
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeType U 151 submarine
Displacement
  • 1,512 tonnes (1,488 long tons) (surfaced)
  • 1,875 tonnes (1,845 long tons) (submerged)
  • 2,272 tonnes (2,236 long tons) (total)
Length
Beam
  • 8.90 m (29 ft 2 in) (o/a)
  • 5.80 m (19 ft) (pressure hull)
Height9.25 m (30 ft 4 in)
Draught5.30 m (17 ft 5 in)
Installed power
  • 800 PS (590 kW; 790 bhp) (surfaced)
  • 800 PS (590 kW; 790 bhp) (submerged)
Propulsion2 × shafts, 2 × 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) propellers
Speed
  • 12.4 knots (23.0 km/h; 14.3 mph) surfaced
  • 5.2 knots (9.6 km/h; 6.0 mph) submerged
Range25,000 nmi (46,000 km; 29,000 mi) at 5.5 knots (10.2 km/h; 6.3 mph) surfaced, 65 nmi (120 km; 75 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) submerged
Test depth50 metres (160 ft)
Complement6 officers, 50 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
  • U-Kreuzer Flotilla
  • 22 September 1917 – 11 November 1918
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Max Valentiner
  • 22 September 1917 – 20 July 1918
  • KrvKpt. Ortwin Rave
  • 21 July – 30 November 1918
Operations:2 patrols
Victories:15 merchant ships sunk
(15,905 GRT)

Summary of raiding history

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DateNameNationalityTonnage[Note 2]Fate[3]
26 December 1917Lidia  Portugal302Sunk
7 January 1918Oued Sebou  France1,540Sunk
10 January 1918Hulda Maersk  Denmark1,566Sunk
11 January 1918Norefos  Norway1,788Sunk
17 February 1918Estrella Da Bissao  Portugal129Sunk
20 February 1918Kithira  Greece2,240Sunk
14 March 1918Arpillao  Spain2,768Sunk
4 August 1918Remonstrant  Norway1,073Sunk
4 August 1918Don  Norway1,145Sunk
9 August 1918Orkney  Denmark291Sunk
15 August 1918Kalps  Russian SFSR284Sunk
27 August 1918Gloria  Portugal120Sunk
18 September 1918Ledaal  Norway2,257Sunk
22 September 1918Gaia  Portugal278Sunk
8 October 1918Hawanee  United Kingdom124Sunk

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ "SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" (English: His Majesty's) and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine.
  2. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

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  1. ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 20–21.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 157". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U 157". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 21 January 2015.

Bibliography

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  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Jung, Dieter (2004). Die Schiffe der Kaiserlichen Marine 1914-1918 und ihr Verbleib [German Imperial Navy ships 1914-1918 and their fate] (in German). Bonn: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-6247-7.