SM UC-71 was a German Type UC II minelaying submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy () during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 12 January 1916 and was launched on 12 August 1916. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 28 November 1916 as SM UC-71."SM" stands for "Seiner Majestät" () and combined with the U for Unterseeboot would be translated as His Majesty's Submarine. In 19 patrols UC-71 was credited with sinking 63 ships, either by torpedo or by mines laid. UC-71 sank on 20 February 1919 in the North Sea while on her way to be surrendered. Discovery a century later of her wreck with all hatches open suggested she had been deliberately scuttled by her own crew (all of whom survived).
Design A Type UC II submarine, UC-71 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a length overall of , a beam of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines each producing (a total of ), two electric motors producing , and two propeller shafts. She had a dive time of 48 seconds and was capable of operating at a depth of .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a submerged speed of . When submerged, she could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . UC-71 was fitted with six mine tubes, eighteen UC 200 mines, three torpedo tubes (one on the stern and two on the bow), seven torpedoes, and one Uk L/30 deck gun. Her complement was twenty-six crew members.
Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageMerchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.Fate30 March 1917Edernian3,588Damaged30 March 1917Saint Louis III97Sunk30 March 1917Sarcelle49Sunk31 March 1917Primrose113Sunk3 April 1917Ellen James165Sunk4 April 1917Pensiero2,632Sunk5 April 1917Gower Coast804Sunk5 April 1917San Fulgencio1,558Sunk7 April 1917Caminha2,763Sunk9 April 1917Themistoclis1,895Sunk9 April 1917Valhall750Sunk10 April 1917Ranvik5,848Sunk12 April 1917Edelweiss192Sunk18 April 1917Heim1,669Sunk23 April 1917Cenobic16Sunk2 May 1917Westland108Sunk5 May 1917Simon150Sunk15 May 1917Boreas192Sunk16 May 1917Hendrika Johana134Sunk17 May 1917Jakoba107Sunk17 May 1917Mercurius80Sunk18 May 1917Annetta177Sunk14 June 1917Wega839Sunk15 June 1917Wapello5,576Sunk26 June 1917Normandy543Damaged28 June 1917Marne4,019Sunk29 June 1917Driskos2,833Sunk3 July 1917Orleans2,853Sunk4 July 1917Snetoppen2,349Sunk6 July 1917Løvstakken3,105Sunk6 July 1917Victoria 22,798Sunk8 July 1917Vendee1,295Sunk3 August 1917Aube1,837Sunk4 August 1917Afrique2,457Damaged4 August 1917Cairnstrath2,128Sunk7 August 1917Port Curtis4,710Sunk8 August 19173,117Sunk6 September 1917Elisabethville7,017Sunk7 September 1917Mont de Piete38Sunk7 September 1917Kleber277Damaged8 September 1917Setubal1,201Sunk9 September 1917HMS Myosotis1,250Damaged10 September 1917Vikholmen494Sunk22 September 1917Matti2,139Damaged22 September 1917Trongate2,553Sunk23 September 1917Hornsund3,646Sunk24 September 1917Leka1,845Sunk31 October 1917Estrellano1,161Sunk5 November 1917USS Alcedo983Sunk16 November 1917Naalso135Sunk6 December 1917HMT Apley222Sunk6 December 1917Wyndhurst570Sunk6 December 1917Braeside569Sunk24 December 1917Luciston2,877Sunk25 December 1917Espagne1,463Sunk25 December 1917Hyacinthus5,756Damaged27 December 1917P. L. M. 42,640Sunk28 December 1917Fallodon3,012Sunk28 December 1917HMD Piscatorial II93Sunk29 December 1917HMT Sapper276Sunk18 January 1918HMT Gambri274Sunk20 January 1918Harmonides3,521Damaged23 January 1918Aalesund414Sunk14 February 1918Atlas3,090Sunk19 February 1918Athenic4,078Damaged19 February 1918Commonwealth3,353Sunk8 March 1918Saba4,257Damaged12 March 1918Clarissa Radcliffe5,754Damaged12 March 1918Savan4,264Damaged13 March 1918Londonier1,870Sunk14 March 1918HMT Agate248Sunk14 March 1918Comrie Castle5,173Damaged7 April 1918Highland Brigade5,669Sunk12 April 1918Luis4,284Sunk10 May 1918Amplegarth3,707Sunk15 May 1918Pennyworth5,388Damaged20 May 1918Manchester Importer4,028Damaged26 June 1918Raranga10,040Damaged31 July 1918HMD City of Liverpool88Sunk4 August 1918Waipara6,994Damaged5 August 1918Polescar5,832Damaged
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