HM. submarine E-52 left Dover for a war patrol at 4.30pm. on 31.10.1917, but sighted nothing until the following day when at 1.12am., when a dark patch clear of the moon allowed her captain to sight the German submarine UC-63 off her port bow, only 1,200 yards distant. Within two minutes the E-52 managed to close the range to 500 yards when she fired two torpedoes at the enemy vessel. There was a huge explosion and flames and water reached to a height of 100 feet. The destruction of the UC-63 was so violent that the concussion of the explosion caused the beam torpedo tube of E-52 to discharge its weapon involuntarily. The only survivor was Petty Officer Fritz Marsal, who when questioned described how UC-63 had laid her cargo of mines inside the Isle of Wight, then proceeded to the Bay of Biscay. She then turned back for Zeebrugge, passing the Dover Barrier. Marsal was on the bridge with one officer and a lookout when she was attacked and sunk. Builder: A. G. Weser Engine HP: 500 Boilers: 0 Armament: 1 x 8.8cm. gun; 7 x 50cm. torpedoes; 18 x mines Owner: German Navy Master: Heydebreck Crew: 26 Crew Lost: 25 Passengers: 0 Date of Loss Qualifier: A Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index. The U-Boat, Rossler p53 & 332; BUB. p97-8; SUB. p24

Vertical Datum: LAT Quality of Depth: E Could be UC63 IN 50 50 00N 001 17 00E? 26-JUN-1919 Position 50 49 30N 001 16 00E reported spar on end apparently attached to submarine wreckage. 22-MAR-1928 Position 50 49 24N 001 15 24E. 03-MAR-1961 Outside survey area, not located, not investigated. 09-APR-1975 Outside survey area. Not searched for, not found. 13-OCT-1987 USC 20m shown on FR 6682 in 50 49 25N 001 15 30E. (2)

<1> United Kingdom shipwreck index, Page Nos. N/a (Bibliographic reference). SKE6340.

<2> Hydrographic Office wreck index (Bibliographic reference). SKE6339.