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SMSMöwe(1914)

Coordinates:61°12′N5°50′E/ 61.200°N 5.833°E/61.200; 5.833
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other ships with the same name, seeSMS Möwe.
History
German Empire
NamesakeMöwe,German for "seagull"
OrderedLaeisz
BuilderJoh. C. Tecklenborg Ship Yard, Geestemünde
Launched1914 asPungo
In service1 November 1915
FateAwarded as war reparations to the United Kingdom, sunk as German freighterOldenburg7 April 1945
General characteristics
Displacement9,800 tons (4,788gross register tons(GRT))
Length123.7 m
Beam14.4 m
Draught7.2 m
Propulsion1 × 3-cylindertriple expansion;5 ×boiler;3,200 hp
Speed13knots
Range8,700 nm at 12 kn
Complement235
Armament

SMSMöwe([ˈmøːvə];German:Seagull) was amerchant raiderof theImperial German Navywhich operated againstAlliedshipping duringWorld War I.

Disguised as a neutral cargo ship to enable it to get close to targets, theMöwewas effective atcommerce raiding,sinking 40 ships in the course of the war.

Early history

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Model of the SMSMöwe

Built by theJoh. C. Tecklenborgyard atGeestemünde,she was launched as the freighterPungoin 1914 and operated by theAfrikanische FruchtkompanieforF. LaeiszofHamburg.After an uneventful career carrying cargoes of bananas from the German colony ofKamerunto Germany she was requisitioned by theImperial German Navyfor use as aminelayer.Her conversion took place atImperial shipyard at Wilhelmshavenin the autumn of 1915, and under the command ofNikolaus zu Dohna-Schlodien,she entered service on 1 November that year.

First raiding voyage

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Möweslipped out of Wilhelmshaven on 29 December 1915 for her first task, to set a minefield in thePentland Firth,near the main base of theBritish Home FleetatScapa Flow.This was completed in severe weather conditions. A few days later thepre-dreadnought battleshipHMSKing Edward VIIstruck one of the mines; despite attempts to tow her to safety she sank.Möwethen moved down the west coast of Ireland to France. There she laid another mine field off theGirondeestuary, which sank a further two ships.

This part of her mission complete,Möwethen moved into the Atlantic, operating first between Spain and theCanary Islands,and later off the coast ofBrazil.

Action of 16 January 1916

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Thesingle ship actionwas fought between aGermanauxiliary cruiserand aUKcargo shipoff thePortugueseislands ofMadeirain theAtlantic Ocean.

Möwewas steaming about 120 miles south of Madeira with the merchant steamerAppam,a ship previously captured by the Germans who installed aprize crewand transferred several dozen prisoners of war to her. At sunset, lookouts aboardMöwesighted smoke on the horizon, indicating a ship.KapitänDohna-Schlodien orderedAppamto remain behind while he went to investigate. Several minutes later, at about 21:00,Möwecame within distance of making out that the smoke had originated from a large merchant ship, later identified asClan Mactavish.

By the timeMöwecame within close range, it was dark, soMöweapproached cautiously. Using asignal lamp,Dohna-Schlodien asked the cargo ship's name.Clan Mactavishreplied by asking that the German ship first identify herself. Dohna-Schlodien signalled that his ship wasAuthor,aHarrison Lineship sailing fromLiverpooltoNatal.Möwereportedly looked very similar toAuthor,which had been sunk by the German Navy a few weeks earlier.Clan Mactavishthen signalled her name and that they were returning to Britain fromAustralia.

Having identified the British ship, Dohna-Schlodien crossed her bow and ordered a halt. Instead of complying,Clan Mactavishchanged course and increased speed, hoping to outrun the raider.Möwefired warning shots and gave chase.Clan Mactavishreturned fire with her single gun, but repeatedly missed, and the German ship suffered no damage or casualties.Möwefired salvoes with her four 150 mm guns.Clan Mactavishsent wireless telegraph distress signals that were received by thearmoured cruiserHMSEssex.However, the telegraphist aboardEssexfailed to tell his superiors, so no help was sent. After taking several hits topside,Clan Mactavishcaught fire and her captain signalled his surrender toMöwe.Möwethen manoeuvred for boarding.

All of the German rounds were hits, apart from the warning shots. Aboarding partyfromMöweseizedClan Mactavishand removed her surviving crew as prisoners. There were 18 crewmembers killed in or after battle,[clarification needed]and five others had been wounded.Clan Mactavish's captain was aRoyal Navyreservist and her gun was crewed by two Royal Navy gunners. The remainder of her crew were civilians. This marked a total of more than 500Alliedprisoners of war onMöweandAppam.

The boarding partyscuttledClan Mactavishwith explosive charges.

After sinkingClan Mactavish,Möwereunited withAppamand set a westward course to avoid any Royal Navy cruisers in the area. Two cruisers were just over 100mi(87nmi;160km) away and could have interceptedMöwehad the telegraphist aboardEssexresponded.

Möwewent on to sink several more Allied ships before returning home. Upon arrival,KapitänDohna-Schlodien was awarded theIron Crosssecond class. Richard Stumpf records that there were a number of Africans amongst the crew upon this arrival.[1]Felix von Lucknerserved aboardSMS Möwebefore his journey withSMSSeeadlerin late 1916 to late 1917.

Interlude asVineta

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In an effort to maintain security,Möwewas renamedVineta,afteranother auxiliary cruiserwhich had been withdrawn from service. In this guise she set out on a series of short cruises during the summer of 1916 to attack Allied shipping off the coast ofNorway.This only brought one success, however, before she was ordered in for a refit prior to another sortie into the Atlantic.

Second raiding voyage

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Advertisement for the four-part Hearst newsreelThe Sea Raider 'Moeve'(April 1920)

Departing on 23 November 1916,Möwehad even more success on her second cruise into the Atlantic.

On 6 December 1916, she captured and sank the Canadian Pacific Steamship freighterSSMount Templeoutbound from Halifax to Liverpool.Mount Temple′s cargo included 700 horses bound for theCanadian Expeditionary Forcein France and many crates of dinosaur fossils collected fromAlberta's Red Deer River badlands byCharles H. Sternbergdestined for theBritish Museum of Natural History.On 12 December, it was the turn ofSSGeorgic,sunk along with her cargo of 1,200 horses that would have been used on theWestern Front.[2]

In four months she had accounted for another 25 ships totalling 123,265GRT.One of these,SSYarrowdale,was sent as prize to Germany and, as Dohna-Schlodien had recommended, was outfitted as a commerce raider herself.Möwealso retainedSSSaint Theodoreas a collier, before arming and commissioning her as the auxiliaryGeier.Geieroperated in this role for six weeks, accounting for two ships sunk, before being disarmed and scuttled byMöweprior to returning home. On 10 March, she was damaged inactionagainst an armedNew Zealandmerchant shipOtakioff the Azores in the Atlantic. Armed with a single 120mm stern gun, theOtakifought a gallant but doomed action. TheMöwewas hit several times and a serious fire was put out with difficulty. TheOtaki,however, was hit some thirty times before sinking.Otaki's captainArchibald Bisset Smithwas awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross, finally going down in his ship with the British colours still flying”. Five of her crewmen were killed and another ten men were wounded. The damage forced the raider to return course for Germany.

In March 1917Möweagain successfully ran the British blockade, ironically at the same time asYarrowdale,now the auxiliary cruiserSMSLeopard,was cornered and sunk by the same blockading force.Möwearrived home safely on 22 March 1917.

Later history

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On her returnMöwewas taken out of service as a raider, being reckoned too valuable as a propaganda tool to be risked again. She served in theBalticas asubmarine tender,before becoming the auxiliary minelayerOstseein 1918. After theTreaty of Versailles,she went to Britain, to be operated byElders and Fyffesas the freighterGreenbrier.In 1933 she was sold to a German shipping company. As the freighterOldenburg,it served the route between Germany andoccupied Norwayin World War II.

On 7 April 1945 she was attacked byBristol BeaufightersofCoastal Commandaircraft from No. 144 Squadron RAF, No. 455 Squadron RAAF, and No. 489 Squadron RNZAF at her moorings sheltering off the coast of Norway—near the village ofVadheiminSogn og Fjordanecounty. Following an intense strafing and rocket attack, holed by theirrocketsandstrafedby cannon fire, she burned and sank.[3]

Raiding career

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In three raiding voyagesMöwecaptured and sank 40 ships, grossing in excess of 180,000GRT.She also laid mines which accounted for two more ships and a capital warship. This made her the most successful German raider in either the First or the Second World War.

Ships sunk or captured byMöweon her first raiding voyage[4]
Date Ship Type Nationality TonnageGRT Fate
11 Jan 16 Corbridge Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,687 Retained as prize; scuttled 30 Jan 16
11 Jan 16 Farringford Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,146 sunk
13 Jan 16 Dromonby Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,627 sunk
13 Jan 16 Author Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,496 sunk
13 Jan 16 Trader Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,608 sunk
15 Jan 16 Ariadne Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,035 sunk
15 Jan 16 Appam Cargo ship United Kingdom 7,781 Retained as prize; detached 17 Jan 16; returned 28 Mar 17[5]
16 Jan 16 Clan McTavish Cargo ship United Kingdom 5,816 sunkin action
20 Jan 16 Edinburgh Sailing ship United Kingdom 1,473 sunk
4 Feb 16 Luxembourg Cargo ship United Kingdom 4,322 sunk
6 Feb 16 Flamenco Cargo ship United Kingdom 4,540 sunk
8 Feb 16 Westburn Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,300 Retained as prize; detached 9 Feb 16 toSanta Cruz de Tenerife
9 Feb 16 Horace Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,109 sunk
24 Feb 16 Maroni Cargo ship France 3,109 sunk
25 Feb 16 Saxon Prince Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,471 sunk
Sunk by mines fromMöweon her first raiding voyage[6]
Date Ship Type Nationality TonnageGRT Location
6 Jan 16 King Edward VII Pre-dreadnought battleship Royal Navy 16,350tdisp Scotland
13 Jan 16 Bayo Cargo ship Spain 2,776 Gironde
13 Jan 16 Belgica Cargo ship Spain 2,068 Gironde
22 Feb 16 Duckbridge Cargo ship United Kingdom 1,491 Scotland
Ships sunk or captured byMöwe,sailing asVineta[4]
Date Ship Type Nationality TonnageGRT Fate
27 Jul 16 Eskimo Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,326 Taken as a prize
Ships sunk or captured byMöweon her second raiding voyage[7]
Date Ship Type Nationality TonnageGRT Fate
2 Dec 16 Voltaire Cargo ship United Kingdom 8,618 sunk
4 Dec 16 Hallbjørg Cargo ship Norway 2,586 sunk
6 Dec 16 Mount Temple Cargo ship United Kingdom 9,792 sunk
8 Dec 16 Duchess of Cornwall Sailing ship United Kingdom 152 sunk
8 Dec 16 King George Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,852 sunk
9 Dec 16 Cambrian Range Cargo ship United Kingdom 4,235 sunk
10 Dec 16 Georgic Cargo ship United Kingdom 10,077 sunk
11 Dec 16 Yarrowdale Cargo ship United Kingdom 4,652 retained as prize;
detached to Swinemunde, 31 Dec 16.
Converted to auxiliary cruiserLeopard
12 Dec 16 Saint Theodore Cargo ship United Kingdom 4,992 Commissioned as auxiliary cruiserGeier;
scuttled 14 Feb 17
18 Dec 16 Dramatist Cargo ship United Kingdom 5,415 sunk
26 Dec 16 Nantes Sailing ship France 2,679 sunk
2 Jan 17 Asnieres Sailing ship France 3,103 sunk
5 Jan 17 Hudson Maru Cargo ship Japan 3,798 sunk/released
7 Jan 17 Radnorshire Cargo ship United Kingdom 4,310 sunk
9 Jan 17 Minteh Cargo ship United Kingdom 2,890 sunk
10 Jan 17 Netherby Hall Cargo ship United Kingdom 4,461 sunk
15 Feb 17 Brecknockshire Cargo ship United Kingdom 8,423 sunk
16 Feb 17 French Prince Cargo ship United Kingdom 4,766 sunk
16 Feb 17 Eddie Cargo ship United Kingdom 2,652 sunk
24 Feb 17 Katherine Cargo ship United Kingdom 2,926 sunk
4 Mar 17 Rhodanthe Cargo ship United Kingdom 3,061 sunk
10 Mar 17 Esmeraldas Cargo ship United Kingdom 4,678 sunk
10 Mar 17 Otaki Cargo ship United Kingdom 9,575 sunkin action
13 Mar 17 Demeterton Cargo ship United Kingdom 6,048 sunk
14 Mar 17 Governor Cargo ship United Kingdom 5,524 sunk

Film

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Graf Dohna und seine Möwe(1917)

In 1917 the imperialBild- und FilmamtinBerlinproducedGraf Dohna und seine Möwe,one of the best-known propaganda films of World War I. The distributor wasPaul Davidson;part of the production theProjektions-AG »Union«(PAGU), Berlin. The film was first released on 2 May 1917 in theDeutsches Opernhaus(Deutsche Oper Berlin) in Berlin.

See also

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References

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  1. ^Englund, Peter (2012).The Beauty and the Sorrow. An Intimate History of the First World War.New York: Vintage. p. 232.
  2. ^"Ships -Georgic".Count Dohna and His SeaGull.smsMoewe. March 4, 2007.
  3. ^Tanke, Darren H.; Rondeau, Robin M. (June 15, 2005)."Diving on the D/SOldenburg Vadheim,Norway, 2005 ".Dinosaurs in the Deep.ssMountTemple. Archived fromthe originalon January 1, 2006.
  4. ^abSchmalenbach p137
  5. ^Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920)."Appam Case, The".Encyclopedia Americana.
  6. ^Schmalenbach p140
  7. ^Schmalenbach p137-8

Further reading

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  • Hoyt,Edwin P.Elusive Seagull(Frewin 1970).ISBN0-09-101570-7.
  • Hoyt,Edwin P.The Phantom Raider(Ty Crowell Co. 1969).ISBN0-690-61732-1.
  • Schmalenbach, PaulGerman raiders: A history of auxiliary cruisers of the German Navy, 1895–1945(Naval Institute Press 1979)ISBN0-87021-824-7.
  • Nikolaus zu Dohna-Schlodien:S.M.S. "Möwe",Gotha 1916.
  • Nikolaus zu Dohna-Schlodien:Der "Möwe" zweite Fahrt,Gotha 1917.
  • Nikolaus zu Dohna-Schlodien:El Möwe. Relato de la prim. campaña de este crucero alem. en el Atlantico, por su command., el Cap. de corbeta Conde de Dohna-Schlodien,Ciudad Mexico c. 1917.
  • Conde de Dohna-Schlodien:El Möwe,Buenos Aires 1917.
  • Nikolaus zu Dohna-Schlodien:A "Möwe" kalandjai,Budapest 1917.
  • Reinhard Roehle (ed.):Graf Dohnas Heldenfahrt auf S.M.S. "Möwe". Nach Berichten von Teilnehmern dargestellt. Mit 4 Einschaltbildern, 4 Textabbildungen und 1 Kartenskizze,Stuttgart/Berlin/Leipzig 1916.
  • Hans E. Schlüter:S.M.S. "Möwe": ihre Heldenfahrt und glückliche Heimkehr. Nach Berichten von Augenzeugen und anderen Meldungen,Leipzig 1916.
  • Graf Dohna:Der „Möwe “Fahrten und Abenteuer,Stuttgart/Gotha 1927.
  • Kapitän zur See a. D. Hugo von Waldeyer-Hartz:Der Kreuzerkrieg 1914–1918. Das Kreuzergeschwader. Emden, Königsberg, Karlsruhe. Die Hilfskreuzer,Oldenburg i. O. 1931.
  • Eberhard von Mantey:Die deutschen Hilfskreuzer,Berlin 1937.
  • John Walter:Die Piraten des Kaisers. Deutsche Handelszerstörer 1914–1918,Stuttgart 1994.
  • Albert Semsrott:Der Durchbruch der "Möwe". Selbsterlebte Taten und Fahrten von Kapitän Albert Semsrott,Stuttgart 1928.
  • Otto Mielke:S M Hilfskreuzer "Möwe". Der erste Blockade-Durchbruch.SOS Schicksale deutscher Schiffe, Vol. 125, München 1957.
  • Otto Mielke:Hilfskreuzer "Möwe" (2. Teil).SOS Schicksale deutscher Schiffe, Vol. 130, München 1957.
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