Uc-42 Wreck

Field Value
Uc-42 Wreck Location
Marine Coordinates (DMM) 		51 45.215 N,8 12.909 W
Latitude, Longitude
Decimal Degrees
  • Latitude: 51.753590
  • Longitude: -8.215150
Name UC-42
Type submarine
Date Sunk Sep 10, 1917
Original Source Brady, McKeon, Lyttleton, Lawler 2012, 83-4; Grant 2002, 71; GSI Wreck Data; Kieran & Hayden 2011; Kemp 1997, 34; Mallmann Showell 2006, 136; Möller & Brack 2004, 58; Nolan & Nolan 2009, 235; Stokes 2004, 169-70; Stokes 2011; www.uboat.net.
WRECK MAP LOADING ... 51 45.215 N,8 12.909 W
Uc-42 on Wreck Map Uc-42 Wreck on Google Map
Wreck No: W05519, Place of Loss: Cork Harbour approaches, 5.25km SE of Roches Point. 51 45 12.91N, 008 12 54.54W, Source of Coordinate: GSI_275, Description: UC-42 is one of approximately 15 submarines sunk off the coast of Ireland during World War I. The submarine was built in the A.G. Vulcan shipyard in Hamburg and commissioned into service on 18 November 1916. It belonged to the UCII class of German U-boats: submarines that could attain a surface speed of 11.7 knots and cover a surface range of 9,410 nautical miles. These submarines ere equipped with a deck gun, seven torpedoes (two tubes at the bow and one at the stern), as well as six mine chutes carrying a total of 18 mines. At the time of its loss the UC-42 was manned by 26 or 27 crew members, who were commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Albrecht Müller. During World War I such submarines were active along the Irish coastline laying mines, a dangerous task that sometimes resulted in U-boats being accidentally sunk by their own deadly delivery. In the case of UC-42, this appears to have happened on 10 September 1917, while it was attempting to lay mines across the mouth of Cork harbour in an effort to hinder shipping in the area. The U-boat’s loss went unnoticed until 31 October, when British naval vessels minesweeping in the area detected a trail of oil floating on the sea surface just south of Roches Point. Following the detonation of a couple of depth charges, the seabed was inspected by divers on 2 November. They confirmed that there was indeed a German submarine below, which was identified as the wreck of UC-42. They found that the stern of the submarine had been destroyed when one of the mines it had been releasing detonated prematurely. The forward and conning tower hatches were open, possibly as a result of the crew trying to escape. Certain materials were recovered from the wreck, including the periscope, a telephone buoy and the vessel’s log, with the last entry recorded on 10 September. The sunken submarine remained a significant hazard to shipping in the area due to the mines and torpedoes contained within her hull, and in 1918 a number of attempts were made by divers to remove these armaments. In July 1919 an attempt was made to destroy the wreck of the submarine by explosive charges, and to disperse the remains with wire sweeps. Since the 1970s numerous attempts have been made by divers to locate UC-42, but it was not until 2010 that the wreck was finally discovered during a survey for the Kinsale Gas Storage Project, carried out by the Marine Institute and Hydrographic Surveys Ltd. The wreck was identified by Moore Marine 2.25km northwest of the reported location of its sinking during the archaeological assessment The wreck of the UC-42 measures 35m in length, 5m in width and 3.5m in maximum height. The vessel is lying on its port side and is orientated NW–SE on the seafloor, with its bow to the SE. At the time of its original discovery, in 1917, it was heavily depth charged and the results of that are still apparent on the wreck. While the inner pressure hull is essentially intact, almost all of the outer hull is gone bar the port saddle tank; however, towards the keel aft of this area the concussive effect of the depth charges on the steel can be seen very clearly. What survives of the steel plating looks more like a sheet of wax that has been softened and draped over the frames beneath. The six mine chutes are clearly visible, three still with deteriorating mines within, and the external port torpedo tube can be found at the bow with the skeletal port forward hydroplane nearby. Aft of the mine chutes the gun mount is visible, but the conning tower is missing and can now be found aft near the stern on the starboard side. A little judicious cleaning of the marine growth on the starboard propeller has revealed the identity of the U-boat and other details stamped in the bronze. Adjacent to the propellers the stump of the stern torpedo tube protrudes through the pressure hull. There are a number of openings in the pressure hull aft of the mine chutes and the batteries that lined the sides of the fo

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FAQ

Where is the UC-42 wreck located?

The UC-42 wreck is located at coordinates 51 45.215 N,8 12.909 W.

When did the UC-42 sink?

The UC-42 sank on Sep 10, 1917.

What type of wreck is the UC-42?

The UC-42 is classified as a submarine.

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