Imperial German Navy order of battle (1914)

Last updated

This is the order of battle of the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) on the outbreak of World War I in August 1914.

Contents

Commanders and locations of the Imperial German Navy

Emperor Wilhelm II Postcard Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany circa 1910.jpg
Emperor Wilhelm II

The overall commander of the Imperial German Navy was German Emperor Wilhelm II. All authority over the navy was vested in the Emperor, and he was ultimately responsible for all decisions regarding the navy. [1] Under the Emperor were a number of organisational bodies responsible for various aspects of the navy's administration and operation, each of which was directly responsible to the Emperor:

The departmental heads within the Imperial Naval Administration were: [1]

Nautical DepartmentVice-Admiral Max von Grapow
Armaments DepartmentVice-Admiral Gerhart Gerdes
Shipyard DepartmentVice-Admiral Karl Dick
Naval Construction DepartmentVice-Admiral Friedrich Schrader
German DepartmentRear-Admiral Friedrich Bodicker
States DepartmentVice-Admiral Harald Dähnhardt

Training schools

Murwiker Burg, Flensburg 01.jpg
Mürwik Naval School
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2008-0175, Panzerfregatte "SMS Konig Wilhelm".jpg
The officers' training ship König Wilhelm

The navy had a number of establishments to train its personnel, both generally and in specific technical areas. In addition, a number of ships were on the strength of training establishments to provide practical experience.

German naval bases

Germany Coast adm location map.svg
Blue 000080 pog.svg
Blue 000080 pog.svg
class=notpageimage|
Kiel and Wilhelmshaven were the main bases of the Imperial German Navy, and were connected by the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal
The light cruiser Dresden passing the Levensau High Bridge during a transit of the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal SMS Dresden German Cruiser LOC 16727.jpg
The light cruiser Dresden passing the Levensau High Bridge during a transit of the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal
The Imperial Yacht Hohenzollern SMY Hohenzollern 1902.jpg
The Imperial Yacht Hohenzollern

Germany had two major naval bases covering its main areas of interest: [1]

In addition to its two major bases in Germany, the Imperial German Navy had a number of units stationed overseas.

Barrack ships

As well as barracks ashore, the navy maintained a number of old and withdrawn ships for use as accommodation for its personnel while in harbour.

High Seas Fleet

Admiral Ingenohl Friedrich von Ingenohl pre-1915.jpg
Admiral Ingenohl
Friedrich der Grosse, flagship of the High Seas Fleet AcorazadoFedericoElGrandeYZepelinHansa--excitingpersonal00ever.jpg
Friedrich der Grosse, flagship of the High Seas Fleet

The High Seas Fleet (Hochseeflotte) was the primary formation of the Imperial German Navy, with its main element being the three operational battle squadrons to which the navy's battleships were assigned. The majority of units of the High Seas Fleet were stationed at Wilhelmshaven for operations in the North Sea. A small force was stationed at Kiel for use in the Baltic, which could be quickly reinforced by North Sea-based units via the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal. The High Seas Fleet was under the command of Admiral Friedrich von Ingenohl. [4]

Battle squadrons

Scouting groups

Rear-Admiral Hipper, commander of the Scouting Forces Vizeadmiral Hipper, der Befehlshaber der deutschen Aufklarungsschiffe in der Seeschlacht.png
Rear-Admiral Hipper, commander of the Scouting Forces
Seydlitz, flagship of the 1st Scouting Group SMS Seydlitz moored in harbour c1914.jpg
Seydlitz, flagship of the 1st Scouting Group

Torpedo boats

U-boats and Mine warfare

Coastal defence

Germany Coast adm location map.svg
Red pog.png
Red pog.png
Red pog.png
Ems
Red pog.png
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the North Sea coast defence units

A number of small units were formed whose primary purpose was coastal and harbour defence of the various naval bases in and around Wilhelmshaven. These usually consisted of one or more light cruisers, commanding a number of torpedo-boat destroyers and other vessels. [4] To provide heavy support for coastal defence, one of the reserve squadrons of the High Seas Fleet, consisting of eight obsolete coastal defence ships that were of no use as part of the main battle fleet, was assigned to the North Sea coast.

Baltic Fleet

Prince Heinrich of Prussia Prince Henry of Prussia.jpg
Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Friedrich Carl, the flagship of the Baltic Fleet SMS Friedrich Carl - Max Dreblow.jpg
Friedrich Carl, the flagship of the Baltic Fleet
German Empire 1914 adm-e location map.svg
Blue 000080 pog.svg
Red pog.png
Red pog.png
Red pog.png
class=notpageimage|
Locations of the Baltic coast defence units

Although part of the High Seas Fleet, the force stationed permanently at Kiel for operations in the Baltic operated with a degree of independence. Grand Admiral Prince Heinrich of Prussia, the brother of Kaiser Wilhelm II, was the commander-in-chief of the Baltic Fleet, [note 2] with Rear-Admiral Robert Mischke in operational command of units at sea. [3] [4]

Coast Defence Group Baltic

Battle squadrons

Outpost Half-Flotilla Kiel / Elder

LZ 24 'L 3'.jpg
Zeppelin L 3 - the Imperial Navy's sole operational airship at the start of the war
German submarine U-12.jpg
Friedrichshafen FF.29 - one of the first operational aircraft of the Naval Flying Detachment

The Imperial German Navy had a small aviation capability, which was originally formed in 1913 when the Kaiser decreed the foundation of the Naval Aviation Forces (Marinefliegerkräfte). Within the newly formed aviation section were two separate commands - the Naval Airship Detachment, based at Nordholz, near Cuxhaven, and the Naval Flying Detachment, which was split between Kiel, Heligoland and Putzig. [6]

Overseas units

Vonspee1.JPG
Vice-Admiral Spee
Vonsouchonadmiral.jpg
Rear-Admiral Souchon

In addition to the main body of the Imperial German Navy stationed in home waters, Germany also maintained a number of overseas deployments of ships. The majority of these were usually of one or two cruisers operating independently, with the primary formation of German warships outside German waters being the East Asia Squadron, under the command of Vice-Admiral Maximilian von Spee, which was stationed at Tsingtao. [7] [8] The navy also provided a significant proportion of the garrison at Tsingtao, with approximately 1,200 of the 3,000 strong garrison coming from one of the marine battalions. [9] The other major formation was the Mediterranean Division, commanded by Rear-Admiral Wilhelm Souchon. [10]

Notes

  1. ↑ The different inspectorates were Coast Artillery & Mines; Ship Artillery; Naval Construction; Torpedoes; Depots
  2. 1 2 Prince Heinrich served as both the Inspector-General of the Navy and Commander-in-Chief of the Baltic Fleet.
  3. ↑ Hohenzollern was scheduled for replacement in 1914, and was planned to be withdrawn from service at the end of the Kaiser's 1914 Norwegian cruise. A new yacht, also named Hohenzollern, was launched in September 1914, but never completed.
  4. ↑ During a full mobilisation of the battle fleet, Friedrich der Grosse was attached to the 3rd Squadron alongside her Kaiser-class sister ships.
  5. ↑ The remaining three ships of the division were König (flagship, commissioned 10 August 1914); Markgraf (commissioned 1 October 1914); and Kronprinz (commissioned 8 November 1914).
  6. ↑ Derfflinger was commissioned on 1 September and was assigned to the I Scouting Group in late October
  7. ↑ Although remaining part of the 1st Scouting Group, Blücher was deployed to the Baltic on operations for the first three months of the war
  8. ↑ Rear-Admiral Maass also served as the commander of the fleet's Torpedo-Boats
  9. ↑ Graudenz was commissioned on 10 August and assigned to the II Scouting Group
  10. 1 2 3 4 Sunk during the Battle of Heligoland, 28 August 1914
  11. 1 2 Rostock was attached to the battle fleet and Kolberg to the scouting groups as the leaders of the fleet's torpedo boats during fleet actions
  12. ↑ Commodore Karl von Restorff was appointed as commanding officer on 1 January 1915
  13. 1 2 The 3rd and 4th Scouting Groups swapped identities on 25 August 1914
  14. ↑ Prinz Adalbert was transferred to the Baltic Fleet in late August 1914
  15. ↑ The ships of the 5th Scouting Group were assigned to the Baltic Station, but remained under the command of the High Seas Fleet until September 1914
  16. ↑ S143 was sunk on 3 August 1914, and replaced by S138
  17. ↑ Hamburg was attached to the 4th Scouting Group as the leader of the fleet's u-boats during fleet actions
  18. ↑ Königin Luise was requisitioned from the Hamburg America Line on 3 August 1914 for service as an auxiliary minelayer. Two days later, during a minelaying mission to the Thames Estuary, the ship was sunk by British destroyers.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The modern torpedo-boats V25, V26 and V186 were transferred to the North Sea station forming part of the new 9th Flotilla in October 1914. They were replaced by G132-G136.
  20. ↑ In late August 1914, the 6th Scouting Group was split into two, with Augsburg, Gazelle, Lubeck and Magdeburg being utilised as the "Detached Division" for offensive operations in the Baltic Sea.
  21. ↑ The light cruiser Bremen was undergoing a major refit on the outbreak of war. Upon completion of the work in May 1915, Bremen was assigned to the Baltic Fleet.
  22. ↑ Although Freya was mobilised for war service, she was employed primarily as a training ship
  23. ↑ Wrecked following grounding at Osmussaar, 26 August 1914
  24. ↑ Panther had completed an overhaul at Danzig and was due to be deployed to the Caribbean on the outbreak of war.
  25. 1 2 The 4th and 5th Squadrons were detached from the High Seas Fleet to provide heavy support to the Baltic Fleet in August 1914.
  26. ↑ The airship detachment had a single operational airship on the outbreak of war. By the end of 1914, another five had been commissioned
  27. ↑ Cormoran was undergoing repairs on the outbreak of war. As a result of the work not being finished, the ship was stripped of weapons to be used to reinforce the defences of Tsingtao, and decommissioned, with her name and crew being transferred to a captured Russian merchant ship that was converted into an armed merchant cruiser.
  28. ↑ Prinz Eitel Friedrich was a liner operated by Norddeutscher Lloyd on its routes in the Far East. On the eve of war, she was ordered from Shanghai to Tsingtao for conversion into an armed merchant cruiser, and was commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 5 August 1914.
  29. ↑ Goeben had been scheduled to be replaced by Moltke in June 1914 [11]
  30. 1 2 Sold to the Ottoman Navy on 11 August 1914

Related Research Articles

SMS <i>Kaiser</i> (1911) Battleship of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Kaiser was the lead ship of the Kaiser class of dreadnought battleships of the Imperial German Navy. Kaiser was built by the Imperial Dockyard at Kiel, launched on 22 March 1911 and commissioned on 1 August 1912. The ship was equipped with ten 30.5-centimeter (12 in) guns in five twin turrets, and had a top speed of 23.4 knots. Kaiser was assigned to III Battle Squadron of the High Seas Fleet for the majority of World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of battle at Jutland</span> World War I order of battle

The Battle of Jutland was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916, in the waters of the North Sea, between forces of the Royal Navy and Imperial German Navy. The battle involved 250 warships, and, in terms of combined tonnage of vessels engaged, was the largest naval battle in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austro-Hungarian Navy</span> Branch of the military of Austria-Hungary

The Austro-Hungarian Navy or Imperial and Royal War Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Ships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy were designated SMS, for Seiner Majestät Schiff. The k.u.k. Kriegsmarine came into being after the formation of Austria-Hungary in 1867, and ceased to exist in 1918 upon the Empire's defeat and subsequent collapse at the end of World War I.

SMS <i>Zähringen</i> Battleship of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Zähringen was the third Wittelsbach-class pre-dreadnought battleship of the German Imperial Navy. Laid down in 1899 at the Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, she was launched on 12 June 1901 and commissioned on 25 October 1902. Her sisters were Wittelsbach, Wettin, Schwaben and Mecklenburg; they were the first capital ships built under the Navy Law of 1898, brought about by Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz. The ship, named for the former royal House of Zähringen, was armed with a main battery of four 24 cm (9.4 in) guns and had a top speed of 18 knots.

SMS <i>Posen</i> Nassau-class battleship of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Posen was one of four battleships in the Nassau class, the first dreadnoughts built for the German Imperial Navy. The ship was laid down at the Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel on 11 June 1907, launched on 12 December 1908, and commissioned into the High Seas Fleet on 31 May 1910. She was equipped with a main battery of twelve 28 cm (11 in) guns in six twin turrets in an unusual hexagonal arrangement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of battle at Dogger Bank (1915)</span>

The Battle of Dogger Bank was a naval engagement during the First World War that took place on 24 January 1915 near the Dogger Bank in the North Sea between squadrons of the British Grand Fleet and the Kaiserliche Marine.

SMS <i>Braunschweig</i> Battleship of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Braunschweig was the first of five pre-dreadnought battleships of the Braunschweig class built for the German Kaiserliche Marine. She was laid down in October 1901, launched in December 1902, and commissioned in October 1904. She was named after the Duchy of Brunswick. The ship was armed with a battery of four 28 cm (11 in) guns and had a top speed of 18 knots. Like all other pre-dreadnoughts built at the turn of the century, Braunschweig was quickly made obsolete by the launching of the revolutionary HMS Dreadnought in 1906; as a result, her career as a front-line battleship was cut short.

SMS <i>Wittelsbach</i> Battleship of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Wittelsbach was the lead ship of the Wittelsbach class of pre-dreadnought battleships, built for the Imperial German Navy. She was the first capital ship built under the Navy Law of 1898, brought about by Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz. Wittelsbach was laid down in 1899 at the Wilhelmshaven Navy Dockyard and completed in October 1902. She was armed with a main battery of four 24 cm (9.4 in) guns and had a top speed of 18 knots.

SMS <i>Prinz Adalbert</i> (1901) German Imperial Navy armored cruiser

SMS Prinz Adalbert was an armored cruiser built in the early 1900s for the Imperial German Navy. She was named after Prince Adalbert of Prussia, former Commander-in-Chief of the Prussian Navy, and was the lead ship of her class.

SMS <i>Württemberg</i> (1878) Armored corvette of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Württemberg was one of four Sachsen-class armored frigates of the German Kaiserliche Marine. Her sister ships were Sachsen, Bayern, and Baden. Württemberg was built in the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin from 1876 to 1881. The ship was commissioned into the Imperial Navy in August 1881. She was armed with a main battery of six 26 cm (10.2 in) guns in two open barbettes.

SMS <i>Königsberg</i> (1915) Light cruiser of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Königsberg was the lead ship of the Königsberg class of light cruisers, built for the German Kaiserliche Marine during World War I. She took the name of the earlier Königsberg, which had been destroyed during the Battle of Rufiji Delta in 1915. The new ship was laid down in 1914 at the AG Weser shipyard, launched in December 1915, and commissioned into the High Seas Fleet in August 1916. Armed with eight 15 cm SK L/45 guns, the ship had a top speed of 27.5 kn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franz von Hipper</span> German admiral (1863–1932)

Franz Ritter von Hipper was an admiral in the German Imperial Navy. Franz von Hipper joined the German Navy in 1881 as an officer cadet. He commanded several torpedo boat units and served as watch officer aboard several warships, as well as Kaiser Wilhelm II's yacht SMY Hohenzollern. Hipper commanded several cruisers in the reconnaissance forces before being appointed commander of the I Scouting Group in October 1913.

SMS <i>Friedrich der Grosse</i> (1911) Battleship of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Friedrich der Grosse was the second vessel of the Kaiser class of dreadnought battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Friedrich der Grosse's keel was laid on 26 January 1910 at the AG Vulcan dockyard in Hamburg, her hull was launched on 10 June 1911, and she was commissioned into the fleet on 15 October 1912. The ship was equipped with ten 30.5-centimeter (12 in) guns in five twin turrets, and had a top speed of 23.4 knots. Friedrich der Grosse was assigned to III Battle Squadron of the High Seas Fleet for the majority of World War I, and served as fleet flagship from her commissioning until 1917.

SMS <i>Amazone</i> Light cruiser of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Amazone was the sixth member of the ten-ship Gazelle class of light cruisers that were built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the late 1890s and early 1900s. The Gazelle class was the culmination of earlier unprotected cruiser and aviso designs, combining the best aspects of both types in what became the progenitor of all future light cruisers of the Imperial fleet. Built to be able to serve with the main German fleet and as a colonial cruiser, she was armed with a battery of ten 10.5 cm (4.1 in) guns and a top speed of 21.5 knots.

SMS <i>Prinzregent Luitpold</i> Battleship of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Prinzregent Luitpold was the fifth and final vessel of the Kaiser class of dreadnought battleships of the Imperial German Navy. Prinzregent Luitpold's keel was laid in October 1910 at the Germaniawerft dockyard in Kiel. She was launched on 17 February 1912 and was commissioned into the navy on 19 August 1913. The ship was equipped with ten 30.5-centimeter (12 in) guns in five twin turrets, and had a top speed of 21.7 knots.

SMS <i>König Albert</i> Battleship of the German Imperial Navy

SMS König Albert was the fourth vessel of the Kaiser class of dreadnought battleships of the Imperial German Navy. König Albert's keel was laid on 17 July 1910 at the Schichau-Werke dockyard in Danzig. She was launched on 27 April 1912 and was commissioned into the fleet on 31 July 1913. The ship was equipped with ten 30.5-centimeter (12 in) guns in five twin turrets, and had a top speed of 22.1 knots. König Albert was assigned to III Battle Squadron and later IV Battle Squadron of the High Seas Fleet for the majority of her career, including World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Seas Fleet</span> Imperial German Navy fleet

The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Imperial Navy and saw action during the First World War. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to challenge the Royal Navy's predominance. Kaiser Wilhelm II, the German Emperor, championed the fleet as the instrument by which he would seize overseas possessions and make Germany a global power. By concentrating a powerful battle fleet in the North Sea while the Royal Navy was required to disperse its forces around the British Empire, Tirpitz believed Germany could achieve a balance of force that could seriously damage British naval hegemony. This was the heart of Tirpitz's "Risk Theory", which held that Britain would not challenge Germany if the latter's fleet posed such a significant threat to its own.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">II Battle Squadron</span> Military unit

The II Battle Squadron was a unit of the German High Seas Fleet before and during World War I. The squadron saw action throughout the war, including the Battle of Jutland on 31 May – 1 June 1916, where it formed the rear of the German line.

SMS <i>Blitz</i> Aviso of the German Imperial Navy

SMS Blitz was an aviso of the German Kaiserliche Marine built in the early 1880s. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other vessel, SMS Pfeil. Her primary offensive armament consisted of a bow-mounted torpedo tube, and she was armed with a battery of light guns to defend herself against torpedo boats, a sign of the growing importance of torpedoes as effective weapons in the period. The Blitz class featured a number of innovations in German warship design: they were the first steel hulled warships and the first cruiser-type ships to discard traditional sailing rigs.

SMS V26 was a V25-class torpedo boat of the Imperial German Navy that served during the First World War. The ship was built by AG Vulcan at Stettin in Prussia, and was completed in June 1914.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Watson, Graham. "Introduction to Die Kaiserliche Marine 1914-1918". Organisation of the Imperial German Navy 1914-1918. naval-history.net. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  2. ↑ Herwig p.22
  3. 1 2 3 Watson, Graham. "Flag Officers of the Imperial German Navy 1914-1918". Organisation of the Imperial German Navy 1914-1918. naval-history.net. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 Alton, Dave (2 September 2002). "Imperial German Navy Deployment, 1914". The WWI Document Archive. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  5. ↑ Tarrant, p. 286
  6. ↑ Neumann, Arndt (14 September 2014). "100 Years of German Naval Aviation: A Continuous Change from the Beginning". Joint Air Power Competence Center. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  7. ↑ Bassett, p. 55
  8. ↑ "The Great War in the South Atlantic". The Critic. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  9. ↑ "Aufstellung des III. Seebataillons". Gesichte der Marine-Infanterie (1675-1919) (in German). Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  10. ↑ Bassett, p. 40
  11. ↑ Staff, p. 15.
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.