german destroyer type class destroyer built nazi_germany kriegsmarine late 1930s beginning world war ship german bight lay minefields german waters late ship successful sortie english coast claimed merchant ships returning sortie torpedoed british destroyer detected continued way early stages fought naval battles mid april sunk british destroyers second battle 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 nautical miles 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 august laid kiel yard number launched march completed march initially assigned 4th destroyer flotilla command commander months later ship escorted hamburg convoy returning spain world war began assigned german bight joined sisters laying defensive minefields ship patrolled inspect neutral shipping goods ship attempted lay minefield british coast night november turn escort germany suffered machinery days later destroyers escorting battleships north_sea breakout north_atlantic led commander flagship left port morning december lay minefield ship severe boiler problems ordered return port late afternoon continued mission spotted ships approached destination including destroyers spotted return german destroyers withdrew having laid mines spotted british destroyers range meters closed attack range dropped meters fired torpedoes leading british ship fired jersey torpedoes struck target hit jersey abreast aft torpedo mount torpedo detonated oil fuel tank started major fire british ship spotted german destroyers continued turned help sister british ships totalling sunk minefield refitted shipyard return december ship allocated group norwegian portion group task transport headquarters seize ships began loading troops april sailed day fell rest group result oil leaks machinery contaminated fuel oil fell lieutenant commander turned ship recover soldier washed overboard high seas little usable fuel left time forced continue slower speed conserve fuel ship arrived destination april landed troops northern branch reinforce troops previously landed order capture later day moved harbor able refuel ordered return dawn sisters shortly dawn april destroyers british 2nd surprised german ships harbor torpedoed destroyers badly damaged suffering minor damage beginning withdraw encountered destroyers german 4th flotilla alerted british began attack germans opened fire gunnery sides effective mist smoke screen laid british retreated german ships turn away avoid torpedoes fired destroyers low fuel running low ammunition commander decided continue pursuit british ships engaged destroyers group commander ordered afternoon april return germany ships evening ready sea slipped turned south visibility good night spotted light cruiser escorting destroyers commander decided turn ships spotted british destroyers completed repairs april decided breakout attempt despite fog poor visibility night attempt breakout night april possibly destroyers damaged earlier day ran aground night received word expect attack following day british capital ships escorted large number destroyers supported carrier aircraft reported capable knots mph torpedoes damaged destroyers battleship destroyers duly appeared april earlier commander expected caught germans position destroyers including charged harbor engaged british ships ship steam raised participate remained harbor attempted leave harbor british driven german ships port engine seized left dead water mouth harbor attempting repair engine approached destroyers fired torpedoes missed torpedoes equally unsuccessful hit seven shells ship times waterline wrecked fire control system severed main steam line started fires casualties aboard seven killed wounded meantime managed repair engine minutes work forward maximum speed knots mph engage remaining british destroyers closed point blank range forward gun turret knocked hit times reduced wreck finally sank shortly midnight eighty crew killed outright battle destroyer rescue men subsequently died wounds surviving crew members later testified fired drifting water ship remaining crewmen managed ashore way kilograms bronze salvaged wreck order displayed ship bell removed 1960s german destroyers sunk
German destroyer Z12 Erich Giese