SM UC-56

	The damaged UC-56 at Santander, Spain, on 24 May 1918.
History
German Empire
Name	UC-56
Ordered	12 January 1916
Builder	Kaiserliche Werft, Danzig
Yard number	38
Laid down	4 March 1916
Launched	26 August 1916
Commissioned	18 December 1916
Fate	Interned at Santander, Spain, 24 May 1918
General characteristics
Class & type	Type UC II submarine
Displacement	415 t (408 long tons), surfaced; 498 t (490 long tons), submerged;
Length	52.69 m (172 ft 10 in) o/a; 40.96 m (134 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Beam	5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a; 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull;
Draught	3.61 m (11 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shafts; 2 × 6-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engines, 580–600 PS (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp); 2 × electric motors, 620 PS (460 kW; 610 shp);
Speed	11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph), surfaced; 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph), submerged;
Range	8,660–9,450 nmi (16,040–17,500 km; 9,970–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced; 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	50 meters (160 ft)
Complement	26
Armament	6 × 100 cm (39.4 in) mine tubes; 18 × UC 200 mines; 3 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 bow/external; one stern); 7 × torpedoes; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun;
Notes	30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:	Baltic Flotilla; 20 August – 10 December 1917; Flandern I Flotilla; 10 December 1917 – 24 May 1918;
Commanders:	Kptlt. Johannes Remy; 18 December 1916 – 31 January 1917; Kptlt. Wilhelm Kiesewetter; 1 February 1917 – 24 May 1918;
Operations:	6 patrols
Victories:	1 auxiliary warship sunk ; (6,824 GRT)

SM UC-56 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916, laid down on 4 March 1916, and was launched on 26 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 18 December 1916 as SM UC-56. In six patrols UC-56 was credited with sinking one ship by torpedo: the British hospital ship HMHS Glenart Castle. UC-56 suffered from mechanical breakdowns that prevented her from submerging. She put in at Santander, Spain, on 24 May 1918 and was interned there for the duration of the war.

History
The damaged UC-56 at Santander, Spain, on 24 May 1918.
German Empire
Name	UC-56
Ordered	12 January 1916
Builder	Kaiserliche Werft, Danzig
Yard number	38
Laid down	4 March 1916
Launched	26 August 1916
Commissioned	18 December 1916
Fate	Interned at Santander, Spain, 24 May 1918
General characteristics
Class & type	Type UC II submarine
Displacement	415 t (408 long tons), surfaced 498 t (490 long tons), submerged
Length	52.69 m (172 ft 10 in) o/a 40.96 m (134 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Beam	5.22 m (17 ft 2 in) o/a 3.65 m (12 ft) pressure hull
Draught	3.61 m (11 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	2 × propeller shafts 2 × 6-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engines, 580–600 PS (430–440 kW; 570–590 shp) 2 × electric motors, 620 PS (460 kW; 610 shp)
Speed	11.6 knots (21.5 km/h; 13.3 mph), surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph), submerged
Range	8,660–9,450 nmi (16,040–17,500 km; 9,970–10,870 mi) at 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) surfaced 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 meters (160 ft)
Complement	26
Armament	6 × 100 cm (39.4 in) mine tubes 18 × UC 200 mines 3 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (2 bow/external; one stern) 7 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) Uk L/30 deck gun
Notes	30-second diving time
Service record
Part of:	Baltic Flotilla 20 August – 10 December 1917 Flandern I Flotilla 10 December 1917 – 24 May 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Johannes Remy 18 December 1916 – 31 January 1917 Kptlt. Wilhelm Kiesewetter 1 February 1917 – 24 May 1918
Operations:	6 patrols
Victories:	1 auxiliary warship sunk (6,824 GRT)