SM U-33 (Germany)
Introduction '''SM ''U-33''''' was a German Type U 31 U-boat of the Imperial German Navy.
Design German Type U 31 submarines were double-hulled ocean-going craft similar to Type 23 and Type 27 boats in dimensions, differing only slightly in propulsion and speed. They were considered very good high sea boats with average manoeuvrability and good surface steering. ''U-33'' had an overall length of , her pressure hull was  long. The boat's beam was  (o/a), while the pressure hull measured . Type 31s had a draught of  with a total height of . The boats displaced a total of ;  when surfaced and  when submerged. ''U-33'' was fitted with two Germania 6-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines with a total of  for use on the surface and two Siemens-Schuckert double-acting electric motors with a total of  for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts, each with a  propeller, which gave the boat a top surface speed of , and  when submerged. Cruising range was  at  on the surface, and  at  under water. Diving depth was .The U-boat was armed with four  torpedo tubes, two fitted in the bow and two in the stern, and carried six torpedoes. Additionally ''U-33'' was equipped in 1915 with one  Uk L/30 deck gun, which was later replaced with a  gun. The boat's complement was four officers and 31 enlisted.
Service history ===SS ''Brussels''===On 28 March 1915, ''U-33'' ordered the Great Eastern Railway's  to stop. Instead of doing so, her captain, Charles Fryatt, ordered full steam ahead and attempted to ram ''U-33'', which only just managed to dive in time.===Sinking of hospital ship===On 30 March, 1916 the Russian hospital ship ''Portugal'' was towing a string of small flat-bottomed boats to ferry wounded from the shore to the ship. Off Rizeh, on the Turkish coast of the Black Sea she had stopped as one of the small boats was sinking and repairs were being made. The ship was not carrying wounded at the time, but had a staff of Red Cross workers on board, as well as her usual crew. The ship's crew saw a periscope approaching the vessel but as the ship was a hospital ship and protected by the Hague conventions no evasive actions were taken. Without warning SM ''U-33'' fired a torpedo which missed. The submarine came around again fired a torpedo from a depth of 30 feet, which hit near the engine room, breaking the ship into two pieces. Of 273 persons on board, 158 were rescued.
Operations ''SM U-33'' ''Kptlt.'' Gausser until Autumn 1917, then to ''U-156''; next C.O. probably ''Kptlt.'' Siess. U-33 came off the stocks at Kiel about the end of November 1914, and joined the Kiel School for trials before proceeding to Emden on 12 January 1915.She was attached to the 4th Half Flotilla. 24–25 January 1915, it was on patrol in the Bight, an area where enemy battlecruisers were reported. On 30 January 1915, departed on "Special anti-submarine patrol" but returned owing to engine trouble.Further patrols in Bight were made on 18–20 February  and 21-22 February 1915l.From 27 February – 10 April 1915 U-33 passed through the English Channel and into the Atlantic. 2 S.S., 2 sailing vessels sunk.29–30 May 1915.North Sea returned owing to defective W/T.4–24 June 1915.Northabout to west coast of Scotland. Sank 2 S.S., 1 prize.14–17 August 1915.Bight Anti-air raid patrol.28 August – 15 September 1915.To Mediterranean northabout. Sank 5 S.S. Arrived Cattaro about 15 September and joined the Constantinople Half Flotilla.28 September – 9 October 1915.Cruise in eastern Mediterranean. Sank 10 S.S.16 November – 6 December 1915.Cruise in central Mediterranean. Sank 13 S.S. On 5 December was in action with drifter ''HOLLIBANK'' in the Straits of Otranto. Intercepted a neutral Greek ship between Piraeus and Messina and took as prisoner Stanley Wilson, a King's messenger.April 1916 – November 1916. ''U-33'' was operating chiefly in the eastern Black Sea and was based on Constantinople or Varna. By April 1917 she was back in the Adriatic.12 January – 10 February 1918.Left Cattaro and operated in eastern Mediterranean. Sank 2.S.S., 2 sailing vessels, and damaged but did not sink 2 S.S.1–17 May 1918.Left Cattaro for the east, and on 7 May was in area off Port Said. Sank 1 S.S., 1 sailing vessel, and attacked 2 ships and a convoy unsuccessfully. On May 8 was in action, and on 15 May broke off undertaking owing to defects.2 September to about 26 September. Left Cattaro for the east. Sank 1 S.S., 12 sailing vessels.On 19 October 1918. ''U-33'' left Cattaro for Kiel en route attacked by a naval trawler on 1 November at about 36°35'E. She steered northabout and by the Sound, at some time with ''UB-51'' and ''UB-105''. At the end of the war, U-33 was surrendered to British at Harwich January 16, 1919.
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageFate2 April 1915''Paquerette''399Sunk4 April 1915''Hermes''1,019Sunk4 April 1915''Olivine''634Sunk5 April 1915''Northlands''2,776Sunk10 June 1915''Dania''2,648Sunk14 June 1915''Davanger''2,256Sunk21 June 1915''Sigurd Hund''453Captured as prize1 September 1915''Whitefield''2,422Sunk4 September 1915''Cymbeline''4,505Sunk4 September 1915''Glimt''955Sunk4 September 1915''Mimosa''3,466Sunk4 September 1915''Storesand''1,639Sunk6 September 1915''John Hardie''4,372Sunk30 September 1915''Tobia''185Sunk1 October 1915''Provincia''3,523Sunk2 October 1915''Arabian''2,744Sunk2 October 1915''Sainte Marguerite''3,908Sunk3 October 1915''Antonie''2,698Sunk4 October 1915''Craigston''2,617Sunk4 October 1915''Yunnan''6,474Damaged5 October 1915''Burrsfield''4,037Sunk5 October 1915''X130''160Sunk6 October 1915''Dimitrios''2,508Sunk6 October 1915''Scawby''3,658Sunk6 October 1915''Silverash''3,753Sunk7 October 1915''Amiral Hamelin''5,051Sunk18 November 1915''Enosis''3,409Sunk19 November 1915''Senju Maru''4,340Sunk20 November 1915''Merganser''1,905Sunk23 November 1915''Tafna''1,444Damaged24 November 1915''Liguria''3,199Sunk25 November 1915''Algerien''1,767Sunk26 November 1915''Tringa''2,154Sunk27 November 1915''Kingsway''3,647Sunk27 November 1915''Omara''435Sunk27 November 1915''Tanis''3,655Sunk29 November 1915''Malinche''1,868Sunk29 November 1915''Zarifis''2,904Sunk30 November 1915''Colenso''3,861Sunk30 November 1915''Langton Hall''4,437Sunk1 December 1915''Clan Macleod''4,796Sunk1 December 1915''Umeta''5,312Sunk2 December 1915''Commodore''5,858Sunk30 March 1916''Portugal''5,358Sunk31 March 1916''Roi Albert''2,853Damaged31 March 1916''Unidentified Sailing Vessel''7Sunk3 April 1916''Enrichetta''442Sunk28 April 1916''Lyusya''50Sunk28 April 1916''Anzhelika''170Sunk28 April 1916''Unidentified sailing vessel''300Sunk18 September 1916''Unidentified Small Fishing Vessel (1 of 2)''unknownSunk18 September 1916''Unidentified Small Fishing Vessel (2 of 2)''unknownSunk15 April 1917''Cameronia''10,963Sunk16 April 1917''Sontay''7,247Sunk22 April 1917''Blaatind''1,641Sunk22 April 1917''Maria S.''133Sunk22 April 1917''Unione''207Sunk26 April 1917''Monitor''138Sunk27 April 1917''Mafalda''162Sunk27 April 1917''Margaret B. Rouss''701Sunk28 April 1917''Lisetta''40Sunk30 April 1917''Chrisomalli Th. Sifneo''2,415Sunk27 May 1917''Beatrice''106Sunk27 May 1917''Michele Costantino''51Sunk3 June 1917''Greenbank''3,881Sunk3 June 1917''Islandmore''3,046Sunk7 June 1917''Il Dionisio''97Sunk7 June 1917''San Antonio''13Sunk26 July 1917''Blanchette''280Sunk26 July 1917''Gesu E Maria''196Sunk27 July 1917''Frigido''59Sunk27 July 1917''Genova''3,486Sunk28 July 1917''Splendor''6,507Damaged1 August 1917''Llandudno''4,187Sunk4 August 1917''Angelina T.''146Sunk8 August 1917''Llanishen''3,837Sunk9 August 1917''Flora''125Sunk9 August 1917''Industria''51Sunk15 August 1917''Bandai Maru''3,227Sunk23 January 1918''Capri''3,899Damaged24 January 1918''Antonios J. Dracoulis''3,301Sunk25 January 1918''Apostoles Andreas''50Sunk29 January 1918''Taxiarchis''160Sunk31 January 1918''Eggesford''4,414Damaged1 February 1918''Glenamoy''7,269Damaged4 February 1918''Ravenshoe''3,592Damaged4 February 1918''Standish Hall''3,996Sunk20 March 1918''Saint Dimitrios''3,359Sunk20 March 1918''Samoset''5,251Sunk20 March 1918''Yochow''2,127Sunk20 March 1918''Antonios M. Theophilatos''2,282Sunk31 March 1918''La Loire''5,343Sunk5 May 1918''Aghios Johannis''20Sunk
See also *Room 40
References ===Notes======Citations===
Bibliography ********
External links * Photos of cruises of German submarine U-54 in 1916-1918.Great photo quality, comments in German. * A 44 min. film from 1917 about a cruise of the German submarine U-35.A German propaganda film without dead or wounded; many details about submarine warfare in World War I. ** Room 40:  original documents, photos and maps about World War I German submarine warfare and British Room 40 Intelligence from The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, UK.