german destroyer type class destroyer built nazi_germany kriegsmarine mid-1930s days start world war unsuccessfully attacked destroyer polish ships anchored naval base early ship successful sorties english coast claimed merchant ships participated early stages transporting troops area early april ship fought naval battles days later scuttled exhausted ammunition design description overall length meters meters long waterline ship beam meters maximum draft meters displaced metric tons long tons standard metric tons long tons deep load wagner geared steam turbines designed produce metric horsepower shp propel ship knots mph steam provided turbines high pressure boilers carried maximum metric tons long tons fuel oil intended range nmi knots mph ship proved heavy service fuel retained ballast low ship effective range proved nmi knots mph carried guns single mounts gun shields superimposed fore aft fifth gun carried rear anti aircraft armament consisted guns twin mounts abreast rear funnel guns single mounts ship carried water centimeter torpedo tubes power operated mounts pair torpedoes provided mount depth charge throwers mounted sides rear supplemented racks individual depth charges sides stern depth charges carried patterns charges rails fitted rear deck maximum capacity mines german passive fitted detect submarines career ship ordered january laid kiel march yard number launched march completed july participated august 6th following fleet exercise morning september start world war destroyers command rear admiral attacked polish destroyer laid anchored naval base german ships opened fire range meters polish ships coast defense battery centimeter replied effectively forced german destroyers maneuvers lay smoke screen throw aim polish gunners centimeter shell struck killing men gun admiral ordered action broken minutes later german fire ineffective destroyers busy escorting german heavy ships laying minefields british coast played operations night january laid minefield sisters ships totaling gross register tons grt sunk minefield ships sortie night february area laid mines claimed ships totaling grt suffered ice damage mid february forced return prematurely escorting battleships attempted intercept british convoys scandinavia allocated group norwegian portion group task transport headquarters seize ships began loading troops april set sail day arrived west early morning april ships command commander ordered land troops northern branch order capture troops encountered little resistance loading slow single wooden pier available able partially refuel following night returned dawn shortly dawn april destroyers british 2nd surprised german ships harbor torpedoed destroyers badly damaged suffering minor damage beginning withdraw encountered destroyers alerted british began attack germans opened fire gunnery sides effective mist smoke screen laid british retreated german ships turn away avoid torpedoes fired destroyers commander ships low fuel running low ammunition decided continue pursuit british ships engaged destroyers group commander ordered afternoon april return germany ships evening sister ready sea slipped turned south visibility good evening spotted light cruiser escorting destroyers commander decided turn ships spotted british destroyers completed repairs april decided breakout attempt despite fog poor visibility night anchor briefly grounded night damaged port propeller limited speed knots mph attempt breakout night april night received word expect attack following day british capital ships escorted large number destroyers supported carrier aircraft repair torpedoes damaged destroyers battleship destroyers duly appeared april earlier commander expected caught germans position destroyers including charged harbor engaged british ships hits scored inflict splinter damage destroyers able torpedo attack driven torpedoes missed lack ammunition forced german ships retreat easternmost branch east attempt ambush pursuing british destroyers exhausted ammunition beached head crew placed demolition charges abandoned ship time british reached ship rolled
German destroyer Z9 Wolfgang Zenker