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Ub-63: North Sea
Submarine (20th Century)
Site Name Ub-63: North Sea
Classification Submarine (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Ub63; '15 1/2 Miles 16 Degrees From St Abbs Head'; Ub-63
Canmore ID 195778
Site Number NU09NW 8013
NGR NU 00 97
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/195778
- Council Maritime
- Parish Maritime - Offshore
- Former Region Not Applicable
- Former District Not Applicable
- Former County Not Applicable
NO71SW 8001 c. 74 10
N56 17 W2 25
NLO: Isle of May [name: NT 65 99].
See also NT49NE 8026.
Length: 182ft (55.5m)
Beam: 19ft (5.8m)
Displacement: 508-520/639-650 tons
Propulsion: diesel engines; two propellers; 1100/788 hp; 13.5/7.5 kts
Armament: 5 x 19.7in (500mm) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern); 1 3.4 or 4.1in (86 or 125mm) gun according to variations within class
Complement: 34
This boat was a unit of the 85-strong UBIII class of coastal submarine, and was built by Vulkan at Hamburg in 1917. She was sunk by trawlers in the Firth of Forth the subsequent year.
[Significant variations apparently existed within the class but are not individually cited in the available literature.]
H M Le Fleming 1961; [Jane] 2001.
(Date of loss cited as 28 January 1918). UB-63: this submarine was sunk in the Firth of Forth by the trawlers W S Bailey and Fort George.
Registration: German. 650 tons displacement. Length: 57m. Beam: 6m.
(Alternative locations cited at N56 10.00 W2 0.00 and N56 8.95 W1 54.48).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location, map sheet and quasi-administrative area assigned to this record are essentially arbitrary.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 10 September 2001.
Loss (28 January 1918)
(Date of loss cited as 28 January 1918). UB-63: this submarine was sunk in the Firth of Forth by the trawlers W S Bailey and Fort George.
Registration: German. 650 tons displacement. Length: 57m. Beam: 6m.
(Alternative locations cited at N56 10.00 W2 0.00 and N56 8.95 W1 54.48).
I G Whittaker 1998.
External Reference (2009)
(Location cited as c. N56 10 W2 0: '15 1/2 miles 16 degrees from St Abbs Head'. Depth cited as 182.2ft [55.5m]). This submarine was sunk by depth-charges dropped by HM trawlers on 28 January 1918. (Description of loss).
The location of the loss of this vessel was not recorded at the time of loss. (The significance of various suggested locations is considered).
B Baird 2009.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 2188
Name : UB-63
Latitude : 561000
Longitude : 20000
Registration : GERMAN
Type : SUBMARINE
Tonnage : 650
Tonnage Code : D
Length : 57
Beam : 6
Draught : 4m
Loss Day : 28
Loss Month : 1
Loss Year : 1918
Comment : Sunk in the Firth of Forth by trawlers W S BAILEY, FORT GEORGE. 33 dead.
Note (6 March 2012)
The location, map sheet and quasi-administrative area assigned to this record are essentially arbitrary, being derived from the unverified location of loss that is cited by Whittaker.
The loss of this vessel may have occurred within the area that is designated Maritime - Scottish Borders.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 6 March 2012.
Named Location (Nlo) (6 March 2012)
NLO: St Abbs Head [name: NT 911 694].
Possibly within Maritime - Scottish Borders.
For wrecks provisionally equated with this loss (but not substantuiated), see also NT49NE 8026 and NU09SE 8002.
External Reference
Length: 182ft (55.5m)
Beam: 19ft (5.8m)
Displacement: 508-520/639-650 tons
Propulsion: diesel engines; two propellers; 1100/788 hp; 13.5/7.5 kts
Armament: 5 x 19.7in (500mm) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern); 1 3.4 or 4.1in (86 or 125mm) gun according to variations within class
Complement: 34
This boat was a unit of the 85-strong UBIII class of coastal submarine, and was built by Vulkan at Hamburg in 1917. She was sunk by trawlers in the Firth of Forth the subsequent year.
[Significant variations apparently existed within the class but are not individually cited in the available literature.]
H M Le Fleming 1961; [Jane] 2001.
