german destroyer german destroyer type destroyer built kriegsmarine mid-1930s beginning world war ship initially deployed blockade polish coast quickly transferred german bight lay minefields german waters early stages fought naval battles beached allow crew abandon ship safely severely damaged british fire design description overall length meters meters long waterline ship beam meters maximum draft meters displaced long tons standard load long tons deep load wagner geared steam turbine sets driving propeller shaft designed produce shp steam provided high pressure wagner boilers ship designed speed knots mph maximum speed knots mph carried maximum metric tons long tons fuel oil intended range nautical miles speed knots mph ship proved heavy service fuel retained ballast low ship effective range proved nmi knots ship carried guns single mounts gun shields superimposed fore aft fifth gun carried aft superstructure anti aircraft armament consisted guns twin mounts abreast rear funnel guns single mounts 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 system passive designated fitted detect submarines crew numbered officers enlisted men plus additional officers enlisted men serving flotilla flagship construction career ship ordered july laid kiel october yard number launched august completed february ship named lieutenant commander commanded seventh torpedo boats battle october assigned 1st december port visit norway april sisters return taken hand bow rebuilt reduce water came bow head seas increased length meters ship participated august fleet review adolf hitler regent following fleet exercise december sisters sailed area iceland evaluate north_atlantic winter new bows march ship destroyers escorted hitler aboard pocket battleship occupy participated spring fleet exercise western mediterranean visits spanish ports april days outbreak world war early morning hours august accidentally collided sank torpedo boat tiger near bow severely damaged towed stern arrived took tow world war began initially deployed baltic operate enforce blockade poland soon transferred german bight joined sisters laying defensive minefields ship began refit late completed early april allocated group norwegian portion april group task transport headquarters seize ships began loading troops april set sail day german destroyers reached morning april commodore took flagship heavy allowed enter harbor challenge tie pier mountain troops immediately began ships spotted coast defense ship later ship immediately opened fire able fire approximately shells meters range sank norwegian ship torpedoes norwegian shells hit german destroyers darkness falling snow despite short range refuel single tanker safely later moved southern arm closer entrance shortly dawn april destroyers british 2nd surprised german destroyers 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 alerted coming engage british german destroyers crossed british flotilla able fire range meters engaged british flagship badly damaged forward guns knocked forward superstructure set hardy forced beach sink german ships switched fire ship line fire relatively ineffective sides fired torpedoes scoring hits pulled dropped rear fight pursuit ships placed lead quickly set fire german ships probably hit torpedo rammed ship lost steering control able hunter capsized shortly afterward remaining british ships able escape germans cover smoke screen badly damaged british ships hit seven times knocked forward gun fire control equipment flooded magazine started fires killed thirteen crewmen night april commander senior surviving german officer received word expect attack following day british capital ships escorted large number destroyers supported carrier aircraft guns ready remaining torpedoes time battleship destroyers duly appeared april earlier commander expected caught germans position destroyers including charged harbor engaged british ships hits scored inflict splinter damage destroyers lack ammunition forced german ships retreat easternmost branch east attempt ambush pursuing british destroyers ammunition torpedoes left took position narrows remaining destroyers time head pursuing british destroyers initially engaged ship exhausted retreated head switched german ship struck blow torpedoes blew bow return fire british ships started fires damaged heavily ship captain ordered run aground allow crew abandon ship safely fourteen men killed battle wounded surviving crew ship took land fighting following weeks served battalion commander marine regiment land battle awarded iron cross class knight following august leadership ship later broke capsized parts bow remain visible water day
German destroyer Z2 Georg Thiele