The Type UE II submarines were a

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

submarine A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...

s built by the

German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

as long-range

mine-layer A minelayer is any warship, submarine or military aircraft deploying explosive mines. Since World War I the term "minelayer" refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines. "Mine planting" was the term for installing controll ...

s. UE II boats carried 14

torpedoes A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, su ...

and were armed with one 150 mm deck gun. They carried a crew of 40 and had a cruising range of about 9,400 miles. Nine were built between 1917 and 1918. The UE IIs joined the conflict in the middle of 1917, at a time when the tide of the war was turning against Germany. In the months beforehand, the United States Navy was added to the ranks of their enemies; and the convoy system was introduced, making it difficult to engage enemy merchant shipping without being spotted by destroyer escorts. Because they entered service late in the war, the UE IIs only sank 23 ships and damaged 4 others before the end of hostilities. '' SM U-117'' was by far the most successful U-boat, taking credit for 20 ships sunk out of the total of 23 for the entire type. The UE II's were the last of the UE class U-boats built by the German Imperial Navy; the last of the class, U-126, was commissioned on 3 October 1918, a little over a month before the armistice at Compiègne.

Post-war years

Following the end of the war, all of the Type UE II submarines were handed over to the allies as part of the

Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles (french: Traité de Versailles; german: Versailler Vertrag, ) was the most important of the peace treaties of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June ...

. ''SM U-117'' was handed over to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

where she remained in the Philadelphia Navy Yard along with other U-boats. In June 1921 she was taken out to sea and sunk as a target for aerial bombing tests conducted by the Navy and Army. ''SM U-118'' was turned over to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

but got washed ashore at

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

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where she remained until being finally broken up in December 1919. ''SM U-119'' was surrendered to France in November 1918. She was renamed the ''René Audry'' and saw service in the French Navy and was eventually broken up in October 1937. ''SM U-120'' was transferred to

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in November 1918. She was broken up soon after in April 1919. ''SM U-122'' was surrendered to England on 26 November 1918. She later ran aground on the English east coast while on her journey to

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. Like ''SM U-122'', ''SM U-123'' also ran aground on the English coast where she was broken up. ''SM U-124'' was surrendered in December 1918 and was later broken up in

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

in 1921. ''SM U-125'' Surrendered to Japan in late November 1918. She served in the Japanese Navy as the ''O1'' in 1920-21. between January and March 1921, U-125 was dismantled at Yokosuka Navy Yard. ''SM U-126'' was handed over to the allies in November 1918 and later broken up at Upnor in 1923.

Ships sunk or damaged by Type UE II submarines

Ships in class

There were 9 Type UE II submarines commissioned into the Kaiserliche Marine. * * * * * * * * * One submarine was not completed before the armistice. *

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Type UE 2 Submarine classes World War I submarines of Germany World War I minelayers of Germany