German destroyer Z13 Erich Koellner

Last updated

Paul Jakobi.jpg
Her sister ship Z5 Paul Jakobic. 1938
History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameErich Koellner
NamesakeErich Koellner
Ordered10 November 1934
Builder Germania, Kiel
Yard numberG539
Laid down12 October 1935
Launched18 March 1937
Completed28 August 1939
Fate Scuttled, 13 April 1940
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type Type 1934A-class destroyer
Displacement
Length
  • 119 m (390 ft 5 in) o/a
  • 114 m (374 ft 0 in) w/l
Beam11.30 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draft4.23 m (13 ft 11 in)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 × geared steam turbines
Speed36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range1,530  nmi (2,830 km; 1,760 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement325
Armament

Z13 Erich Koellner was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. At the beginning of World War II, the ship was still working up. In early 1940 she made two successful minelaying sorties off the English coast that claimed six merchant ships. During the early stages of the Norwegian Campaign, Erich Koellner fought in both naval Battles of Narvik in mid-April 1940 and was severely damaged by British ships during the Second Battle of Narvik. The ship was scuttled by her crew shortly afterwards.

Contents

Design and description

Erich Koellner had an overall length of 119 meters (390 ft 5 in) and was 114 meters (374 ft 0 in) long at the waterline. The ship had a beam of 11.30 meters (37 ft 1 in), and a maximum draft of 4.23 meters (13 ft 11 in). She displaced 2,171 metric tons (2,137 long tons) at standard and 3,190 metric tons (3,140 long tons) at deep load. The Wagner geared steam turbines were designed to produce 70,000 metric horsepower (51,000  kW ; 69,000  shp ) which would propel the ship at 36 knots (67  km/h ; 41  mph ). Steam was provided to the turbines by six high-pressure Benson boilers [1] with superheaters. Erich Koellner carried a maximum of 752 metric tons (740 long tons) of fuel oil which was intended to give a range of 4,400 nautical miles (8,100 km; 5,100 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph), but the ship proved top-heavy in service and 30% of the fuel had to be retained as ballast low in the ship. [2] The effective range proved to be only 1,530  nmi (2,830 km; 1,760 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). [3] The ship's crew consisted of 10 officers and 315 sailors. [1]

Erich Koellner carried five 12.7 cm SK C/34 guns in single mounts with gun shields, two each superimposed, fore and aft. The fifth gun was carried on top of the rear deckhouse. Her anti-aircraft armament consisted of four 3.7 cm SK C/30 guns in two twin mounts abreast the rear funnel and six 2 cm C/30 guns in single mounts. The ship carried eight above-water 53.3-centimeter (21.0 in) torpedo tubes in two power-operated mounts. A pair of reload torpedoes were provided for each mount. [1] [4] Four depth charge throwers were mounted on the sides of the rear deckhouse and they were supplemented by six racks for individual depth charges on the sides of the stern. Enough depth charges were carried for either two or four patterns of 16 charges each. [5] Mine rails could be fitted on the rear deck that had a maximum capacity of 60 mines. [1] 'GHG' (Gruppenhorchgerät) passive hydrophones were fitted to detect submarines. [6]

Career

The ship was ordered on 10 November 1934 and laid down at Germania, Kiel on 12 October 1935 as yard number G539. She was launched on 18 March 1937 and completed on 28 August 1939. [7] Erich Koellner was still on sea trials when World War II began and did not become operational until early January 1940 when she was assigned to the 8th Destroyer Division (8. Zerstörerdivision). [8] Led by Commander (Fregattenkapitän) Erich Bey, Erich Koellner and her sisters Bruno Heinemann, and Wolfgang Zenker laid a minefield off Cromer during the night of 11/12 January that sank three ships totalling 11,153 Gross Register Tons (GRT). [9] The same three ships laid 157 mines near the Haisborough Sands off Cromer on the night of 9/10 February. This minefield sank three ships of 11,885 GRT. [10] During Operation Wikinger, an attempt to capture British fishing trawlers operating off the Dogger Bank on 22 February, two German destroyers hit newly laid British mines in the supposedly mine-free channel and sank. [11] Koellner lost one man overboard while attempting to rescue sailors from the two sunken ships [8] and succeeded in rescuing 24 men. [12]

A map of the Ofotfjord UK-NWE-Norway-2.jpg
A map of the Ofotfjord

Under the command of Alfred Schulze-Hinrichs, the ship was allocated to Group 1 for the Norwegian portion of Operation Weserübung. The group's task was to transport the 139th Mountain Infantry Regiment (139. Gebirgsjäger Regiment) and the headquarters of the 3rd Mountain Division (3. Gebirgs-Division) to seize Narvik. The ships began loading troops on 6 April and sailed the next day. [13] Erich Koellner suffered storm damage en route and lost two men swept overboard. [Note 1] When the destroyers arrived at the Ofotfjord, west of Narvik, on the early morning of 9 April, the three ships of the 4th Flotilla, under the command of Commander Erich Bey, were ordered to land their troops in the Herjangsfjord (a northern branch of the Ofotfjord) in order to capture a Norwegian Army armory at Elvegårdsmoen. The troops encountered little resistance, but off-loading them was slow because there was only a single wooden pier available. Later in the day, Koellner moved to Narvik harbor, but was not able to refuel before she was ordered to return to the Herjangsfjord well before dawn together with her sisters Wolfgang Zenker and Erich Giese. [14]

Shortly before dawn on 10 April, the five destroyers of the British 2nd Destroyer Flotilla surprised the German ships in Narvik harbor. They torpedoed two destroyers and badly damaged the other three while suffering only minor damage themselves. As they were beginning to withdraw they encountered the three destroyers of the German 4th Flotilla which had been alerted when the British began their attack. The Germans opened fire first, but the gunnery for both sides was not effective due to the mist and the smoke screen laid by the British as they retreated down the Ofotfjord. The German ships had to turn away to avoid a salvo of three torpedoes fired by one of the destroyers in Narvik. Giese and Koellner were very low on fuel and all three were running low on ammunition, so Commander Bey decided not to continue the pursuit of the British ships since they were being engaged by the last two destroyers of Group 1. [15]

Commander Bey was ordered during the afternoon of 10 April to return to Germany with all seaworthy ships that evening, but Koellner needed more time to refuel and make repairs. They were completed the following day and the ship was ordered to patrol the mouth of the Ofotfjord that evening for picket duty. She ran aground shortly before midnight and started to take on water through damaged hull plating. She returned to Narvik on the morning of 12 April. Koellner could not be repaired with the resources available to the Germans so she was ordered to Tårstad, inside the Ramnes Narrows at the mouth of the Ofotfjord, to act as a floating battery in case of British attack. The water at Tårstad was too shallow to use torpedoes, so they were off-loaded and transferred to her sisters Bernd von Arnim and Theodor Riedel . Much of her fuel was also transferred to them and 90 men not needed were put ashore. [16]

That night he received word to expect an attack the following day by British capital ships escorted by a large number of destroyers and supported by carrier aircraft. The battleship HMS Warspite and nine destroyers duly appeared on 13 April, although earlier than Commander Bey had expected, and caught the Germans by surprise. Koellner had not been able to reach Tårstad and Lieutenant Commander (Fregattenkapitän) Alfred Schulze-Hinrichs, the ship's captain, had decided to anchor near Djupvik on the south side of the fjord instead. As the British ships approached, Koellner was spotted by the Supermarine Walrus amphibian from Warspite and the leading British destroyers were fully prepared when they came around the headland behind which Koellner was hiding. The range was so close, 2,500–2,500 meters (8,200–8,200 ft), that the three British ships were able to use their light automatic weapons to silence the German ship's guns and they set her on fire as well as blowing off her bow with a torpedo. The 15-inch (380 mm) semi-armor-piercing shells from Warspite went through the ship without detonating, but visibly tilted her over each time. [17] Thirty-one crewmen were killed, and 34 wounded, [12] but none of the British ships were even damaged. [17] Erich Koellner was scuttled shortly afterwards by detonating a depth charge in her auxiliary machinery spaces. [18] In the aftermath of the battle, 155 of the ship's crew, including Schulze-Hinrichs, were taken prisoner by Norwegian forces. The captured crewmen were first incarcerated in Vardøhus Fortress in Finnmark and later transferred to Skorpa prisoner of war camp in Troms until released after the end of the Norwegian Campaign. [19] The wreck was raised and scrapped in 1963. [20]

Notes

  1. ↑ Sources disagree on the number of men lost overboard. Koop and Schmolke say two men, [8] but Hildebrand, Röhr and Steinmetz say one, plus two badly injured. [12]

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gröner, p. 199
  2. ↑ Whitley, p. 18
  3. ↑ Koop and Schmolke, p. 26
  4. ↑ Whitley, p. 68
  5. ↑ Whitley, p. 215
  6. ↑ Whitley, pp. 71–72
  7. ↑ Whitley, p. 205
  8. 1 2 3 Koop and Schmolke, p. 92
  9. ↑ Whitley, p. 92
  10. ↑ Hervieux, p. 114
  11. ↑ Rohwer, p. 15
  12. 1 2 3 Hildebrand, Röhr and Steinmetz, p. 69
  13. ↑ Whitley, p. 96
  14. ↑ Haarr, pp. 323, 332, 335
  15. ↑ Haarr, pp. 339–43
  16. ↑ Haarr, pp. 354–56
  17. 1 2 Haarr, pp. 361–62
  18. ↑ Whitley, p. 102
  19. ↑ Steen, pp. 250–51
  20. ↑ Hildebrand, Röhr and Steinmetz, p. 68

Related Research Articles

German destroyer Z2 <i>Georg Thiele</i> Type 1934 class destroyer

The German destroyer Z2 Georg Thiele was one of four Type 1934-class destroyers built for the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during the mid-1930s. She was named after Georg Thiele, a Korvettenkapitän who commanded the Seventh Half Flotilla of torpedo boats. Completed in 1937, two years before the start of World War II, the ship spent most of her time training although she did participate in the occupation of Memel in early 1939.

German destroyer <i>Z4 Richard Beitzen</i> Type 1934 class destroyer

The German destroyer Z4 Richard Beitzen was one of four Type 1934 destroyers built for the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during the mid-1930s. Completed in 1937, the ship spent most of her time training although she did participate in the occupation of Memel in early 1939. At the beginning of World War II in September 1939, the ship was initially deployed to blockade the Polish coast, but was soon transferred to the Kattegat where she inspected neutral shipping for contraband goods. In late 1939 and early 1940, the ship laid two offensive minefields off the English coast that claimed 17 merchant ships. Z4 Richard Beitzen was in reserve during the Norwegian Campaign of early 1940 and was transferred to France later that year, where she made several attacks on British shipping.

The Type 1934A destroyers, also known as the Z5 class, were a group of twelve destroyers built in the mid-1930s for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. Five survived the war.

Z5 Paul Jacobi was a Type 1934A destroyer built for the Kriegsmarine in the mid-1930s. The ship was being refitted when World War II began on 1 September 1939 and was tasked to inspect neutral shipping for contraband goods in the Kattegat until early 1940. She participated in the early stages of the Norwegian Campaign by transporting troops to the Trondheim area in early April 1940 and was transferred to France later that year where she made several attacks on British shipping. Paul Jacobi spent most of 1941 under repair and returned to France in early 1942 to successfully escort two German battleships and a heavy cruiser home through the English Channel. The following month, the ship helped to escort another German battleship to northern Norway and returned in May to begin another lengthy refit.

German destroyer <i>Z6 Theodor Riedel</i> Type 1934A-class destroyer

The German destroyer Z6 Theodor Riedel was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for the Kriegsmarine during the mid-1930s. At the beginning of World War II in September 1939, the ship laid defensive minefields to the North Sea. She covered her sister ships over the next few months as they laid offensive minefields in English waters in late 1939–early 1940. She participated in the early stages of the Norwegian Campaign by transporting troops to the Trondheim area in early April 1940 and was transferred to France later that year where the ship covered another minelaying sortie before engine problems caused her to return to Germany in November for repairs. Theodor Riedel was badly damaged when she ran aground three days after her repairs were completed and was out of action until May 1942.

Z8 Bruno Heinemann was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the mid-1930s. After the start of World War II in September 1939, she blockaded the Polish coast and searched neutral shipping for contraband. In late 1939 and early 1940 the ship made three successful minelaying sorties off the English coast that claimed 17 merchant ships. Bruno Heinemann participated in the early stages of the Norwegian Campaign by transporting troops to the Trondheim area in early April 1940. The ship was transferred to France a year later to escort German ships that used the French ports on the Atlantic coast. She was returning to France in early 1942 when she struck two mines and sank off the coast of Belgium.

German destroyer <i>Z9 Wolfgang Zenker</i> Type 1934A-class destroyer

Z9 Wolfgang Zenker was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the mid-1930s. Several days after the start of World War II, she unsuccessfully attacked, together with another destroyer, Polish ships anchored at the naval base on the Hel Peninsula. In early 1940 the ship made two successful minelaying sorties off the English coast that claimed six merchant ships. Wolfgang Zenker participated in the early stages of the Norwegian Campaign by transporting troops to the Narvik area in early April 1940. The ship fought in both naval Battles of Narvik several days later and had to be scuttled after she exhausted her ammunition.

German destroyer <i>Z10 Hans Lody</i> Type 1934A-class destroyer

Z10 Hans Lody was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the mid-1930s. At the beginning of World War II on 1 September 1939, the ship was initially deployed to blockade the Polish coast, but she was quickly transferred to the North Sea to lay defensive minefields. In late 1939 the ship laid multiple offensive minefields off the English coast that claimed nine merchant ships and she crippled a British destroyer during one of these missions.

Z11 Bernd von Arnim was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. At the beginning of World War II, the ship was initially deployed to blockade the Polish coast, but she was quickly transferred to the German Bight to lay minefields in German waters. In late 1939 the ship made one successful minelaying sortie off the English coast that claimed one British warship and seven merchant ships. During the early stages of the Norwegian Campaign, Bernd von Arnim fought the British destroyer Glowworm while transporting troops to the Narvik area in early April 1940, but neither ship was damaged during the action. The ship fought in both naval Battles of Narvik several days later and had to be scuttled after she exhausted her ammunition.

Z12 Erich Giese was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. At the beginning of World War II, the ship was used in the German Bight to lay minefields in German waters. In late 1939 the ship made one successful minelaying sortie off the English coast that claimed two merchant ships. While returning from that sortie, she torpedoed a British destroyer without being detected and continued on her way. During the early stages of the Norwegian Campaign, Erich Giese fought in both naval Battles of Narvik in mid-April 1940 and was sunk by British destroyers during the Second Battle of Narvik.

Z15 Erich Steinbrinck was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the mid-1930s. The ship was named after the First World War German naval officer Erich Steinbrinck. At the beginning of World War II on 1 September 1939, the ship was initially deployed to blockade the Polish coast, but she was quickly transferred to the North Sea to lay defensive minefields. In late 1939 and 1940 the ship laid multiple offensive minefields off the English coast that claimed 24 merchant ships and a destroyer. Steinbrinck was under repair for most of the Norwegian Campaign of early 1940 and was transferred to France later that year.

German destroyer Z16 <i>Friedrich Eckoldt</i> Z5-class destroyer of the Kriegsmarine

Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt was a Type 1934A-class destroyer built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. It was named after Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Eckoldt (1887–1916), the commander of torpedo boat V 48, who was killed when his boat was sunk during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916.

Type 1936 destroyers Class of German destroyers

The Type 1936 destroyers, also known as the Z17 class, were a group of six destroyers built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during the late 1930s, shortly before the beginning of World War II. All six sister ships were named after German sailors who had been killed in World War I. They were engaged in training for most of the period between their completion and the outbreak of war, although several did participate in the occupation of Memel in Lithuania, in early 1939.

German destroyer <i>Z17 Diether von Roeder</i> Type 1936-class destroyer

Z17 Diether von Roeder was one of six Type 1936 destroyers built for the Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. Completed in 1938, the ship spent most of her time training although she did participate in the occupation of Memel in early 1939. At the beginning of World War II in September, the ship was initially deployed to lay minefields off the German coast, but was soon transferred to the Skagerrak where she inspected neutral shipping for contraband goods. In late 1939, the ship helped lay an offensive minefield off the English coast that claimed seven merchant ships.

German destroyer <i>Z18 Hans Lüdemann</i> Type 1936-class destroyer

Z18 Hans Lüdemann was one of six Type 1936 destroyers built for the Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. Completed in 1938, the ship spent most of her time training. At the beginning of World War II in September 1939, she was initially deployed to lay minefields off the German coast, but was soon transferred to the Skagerrak where she inspected neutral shipping for contraband goods. In late 1939, Z18 Hans Lüdemann helped to lay two offensive minefields off the English coast that claimed one destroyer and twenty merchant ships.

German destroyer <i>Z19 Hermann Künne</i> Type 1936-class destroyer

Z19 Hermann Künne was one of six Type 1936 destroyers built for the Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. Completed at the beginning of 1939, the ship spent most of her time training although she did participate in the occupation of Memel a few months later. At the beginning of World War II in September, she was initially deployed to lay minefields off the German coast, but was soon transferred to the Skagerrak where she inspected neutral shipping for contraband goods. In late 1939, Z18 Hans Lüdemann helped to laid four offensive minefields off the English coast that claimed two British destroyers and thirty-eight merchant ships.

German destroyer <i>Z20 Karl Galster</i> Type 1936-class destroyer

Z20 Karl Galster was one of six Type 1936 destroyers built for the Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. Completed in early 1939, the ship spent most of her time training. At the beginning of World War II in September, she was initially deployed to lay minefields off the German coast, but was soon transferred to the Skagerrak where she inspected neutral shipping for contraband goods. In late 1939 and early 1940, Z20 Karl Galster helped to laid three offensive minefields off the English coast that claimed one British destroyer, a fishing trawler, and twenty merchant ships. After a refit that prevented her from participating in the German invasion of Norway in April, the ship was sent to Norway for escort duties. Later that year Z20 Karl Galster was transferred to France, where she made several attacks on British shipping.

German destroyer <i>Z21 Wilhelm Heidkamp</i> German destroyer

Z21 Wilhelm Heidkamp was one of six Type 1936 destroyers built for the Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. Completed a few months before the start of World War II in September 1939, the ship served as a flagship throughout her career. She briefly patrolled the Skagerrak where she inspected neutral shipping for contraband goods. Z21 Wilhelm Heidkamp later helped to lay four offensive minefields off the English coast that claimed two British destroyers, 2 fishing trawlers, and twenty-seven merchant ships. During the German invasion of Norway in April 1940, she sank a Norwegian coastal defense ship off Narvik and was crippled with the opening shots of the First Naval Battle of Narvik on 10 April, with the loss of 81 crewmen. The ship sank the following day.

German destroyer <i>Z22 Anton Schmitt</i> Type 1936-class destroyer

Z22 Anton Schmitt was one of six Type 1936 destroyers built for the Kriegsmarine in the late 1930s. Completed after the beginning of World War II in September 1939, she helped to lay an offensive minefield off the English coast that claimed one small ship. During the German invasion of Norway in April 1940, the ship was tasked to attack Narvik and was sunk during the First Naval Battle of Narvik on 10 April.

Type 1934 destroyers Group of four destroyers for the German Navy

The Type 1934 destroyers, also known as the Z1 class or Leberecht Maass class after the lead ship, were a group of four destroyers built for the German Navy during the mid-1930s, shortly before the beginning of World War II. The ships were engaged in training for most of the period between their commissioning and the outbreak of war, although they did participate in the occupation of Memel in Lithuania, in early 1939. Z3 Max Schultz collided with and sank a German torpedo boat shortly before the war began on 1 September 1939. All four ships were named after German officers who had been killed in World War I.

References

68°24′N16°48′E / 68.400°N 16.800°E / 68.400; 16.800

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.