The Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc.

GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISERS

OF WORLD WARS I AND II

1914-1918 1939-1945

John C Date MONOGRAPH 168 German Auxiliary Raiders of World War I & II John C Date Monograph No. 140 GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISERS

OF

WORLD WARS

I AND II

1914 - 1918 1939 - 1945

Tragedy struck the Royal Australian Navy in 1941 Our light cruiser HMAS SYDNEY II while returning to Fremantle in Western Australia from convoy patrol between SW Australia and Java, about 1600 on 19 November, encountered the German auxiliary cruiser, or raider, KORMORAN which was posing as the Dutch merchantman STRAAT MALAKKA. Failing to confirm her identification and knowing that the game was up, KORMORAN opened fire inflicting decisive damage on SYDNEY, both by shellfire and a torpedo hit before SYDNEY could make an effective reply. The German vessel was crippled and set on fire by a hit in the engine room and with a number of fires on board, her captain gave orders for KORMORAN to be scuttled and the exploding of mines on board finished the job just as the last lifeboats drew clear of the ship. The Australian cruiser was last seen disappearing over the horizon, engulfed in flames. What was this enemy raider that could outwit an 8 x 6" gunned cruiser of well trained and experienced war personnel? KORMORAN was an example of a particular breed of ships, sometimes called Q-Ships by the British or armed merchant cruisers, or perhaps more correctly, auxiliary cruisers, manned by naval personnel. KORMORAN was of 9,400 tons, had a speed of 19 knots and carried a main armament of 6 x 5.9" guns and shipped 2 small Arado aircraft for reconnaisance purposes. KORMORAN had only been completed in 1938 and was now refurbished to take a crew up to 410 men, plus

Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 1 accommodation for crews of captured ships and an ingenious corridor had been made through the length of the ship from stem to stern to enable each man to get to his action station quickly and unobserved in case of sudden alarms.

REFER IILUSTRATION 1939/45 (F) KORMORAN But how did these ships evolve - how successful were they - and what is their place in history? In 1856, the Declaration of Paris outlawed privateering, that is to say the seizure of belligerent country’s merchant ships by private enterprise, under the sanction of international laws. In 1861/65 American Civil War, fast steamers were purchased to impose or run blockades, armed or unarmed, and a merchant ship profile retained as part of the deception. In 1877/92, British and German shipping companies were permitted in their designs of new ships to allow provisions for gun mountings and other adaptations, that were compatible with commercial considerations, but allowed conversion for wartime purposes. As a result, the first German auxiliary cruiser was NORMANNIA commissioned in 1895 for a short term. Her tonnage was 8716, she could achieve 19 knots and was armed with 8 x 5.9" guns and other smaller weapons.

REFER ILLUSTRATION 1914/18 (A) NORMANNIA In 1904 Russo-Japanese War, Russia deployed seven auxiliary cruisers and Japan had 20 such vessels. The Russians called their ships ‘commerce destroyers’ and the Japanese ‘commerce protectors’! In the early years of the 20th Century, the German Admiralty took steps to earmark fast liners under construction for rapid version into auxiliary cruisers. Such ships were afforded a subvention to cover the provisions of the necessary strengthening for gun positions and the planning for suitable storage of ammunition, fuel and food supplies while the appropriate armament was held apart on shore ready for fitting should the need arise.

2 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 WORLD WAR I 1914-1918

When war was declared in 1914, some ships were, of course, in foreign parts, including New York etc. Others were at sea or in ports sympathetic to the German cause, and others were effectively armed to become auxiliary cruisers. The aim of these surface raiders was to destroy British shipping and to conceal their whereabouts, or even their existence! Thus the German raiders delayed and paralysed Allied shipping by their sinister presence, as well as inflicting damage through their sinkings and captives. So began the German endeavour to destroy liners, tramp steamers, colliers, food ships, tankers, sailing ships and others. In its vastness, its carefully thought out detail, daring and originality, its bluff and deception, its amazing situations and fierce duels, we have one of the most gripping narratives in the whole story of the sea. We will here consider a few of the unusual happenings of these raiders. The German auxiliary cruiser fulfilled her role if she succeeded in maintaining her deceptively peaceful character until the last moment of an encounter and so gain a position to enforce her will. It was all the better if she was disguised to resemble a particular vessel, customarily seen in a particular area. And above all, the ship’s military fittings had to be hidden so that they could not be detected until they were revealed at the decisive moment. Accordingly, guns, torpedo tubes and light armament were either camouflaged thoroughly, or their outlines built over. The carrying of mines became a very successful operation by most of the World War II auxiliary cruisers, as did the addition of light seaplanes for scouting purposes. For the early part of World War I Germany utilised that which was readily available, the existing passenger ships as raiders. The first German auxiliary cruiser as such, away in World War I, was the four funnelled express steamer KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE which was the only ship actually to have been fitted out for the purpose in Germany according to plan. She sailed in August 1914, the day Britain declared war on Germany, a ship of 14,349 tons, with a main armament of 6 x 10.5" guns. Her route was up the North Sea, past the coast of Scotland and on 7 August when 50 miles west- north-west of Stalberg, Iceland, sank her first prize, the British steamer trawler TUBAL CAIN of 227 tons. Heading south eight days later encountered the Union Castle liner GALICIAN but allowed her to proceed than face the embarrassment of providing accommodation and food for 250 passengers. The same day two other ships were stopped and sunk - KAIPARA of 7,392 tons originally from New Zealand with 4,000 tons of wheat and maize - and NYANGA of 3,000 tons with a cargo of African produce. Another ship ARLANZA was met but released because she too carried women and children. But on 26 August while taking on coal

Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 3 KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE was discovered by HMS HIGHFLYER, a three funnelled 5,600 ton cruiser with 11 x 6" guns, which sank the raider.

REFER ILLUSTRATION 1914/18(B) KAISER WILHELM DER GROSSE Soon the Germans were to realise that large liners were too extravagant with coal and that the most ordinary medium sized steamer was the ideal decoy, alias mystery ship. However, in the Far East PRINZ EITEL FRIEDRICH left Isingtau in China on 6 August 1914 and in December sought internment at Newport News in Virginia, but not before sinking 11 ships. Likewise KRONPRINZ WILHELM of 14,908 tons, at sea on the outbreak of war, had a number of successes until 11 April 1915, when she arrived off Newport News where eventually she was interned.

REFER ILLUSTRATION 1914/18(C) KRONPRINZ WILHELM By the time of the entry of the USA into the war in 1917, the number of auxiliary cruisers had been reduced to three, namely:- MOEWE of 4,788 tons, which returned to Germany on 4 March 1916 after accounting for fifteen merchant ships, plus sinking by mines laid, the battleship KING EDWARD VII; LEOPARD a 4,652 ton ex-prize of MOWE in December 1916, was later lost with all hands on 16 March 1917 after being cornered by the armoured cruiser HMS ACHILLES; and WOLF II which after 15 months at sea, a remarkable feat of endurance, arrived back in Germany on 24 February 1918 after sinking 27 ships.

REFER ILLUSTRATIONS 1914/18 (E) MOEWE- (F) LEOPARD- (G) WOLF II Much had been learned through experience, however these ex-cargo ships were fitted out with a concealed armament of modern 5.9" guns and a pair of 20" torpedo tubes, making them far more effective in the raider role than the converted passenger liners of the early war years. In addition, by 1917 an effective organisation for the provision of fuel and other essential supplies had been built up so that the vessels were not faced, to the same extent by fundamental problems, which had beset their forebears. Although the extent of their successes was not to be compared with that of the German submarine flotillas in the early months of 1917, their very presence in the vicinity of the regular trade routes exerted an influence out of all proportion to the small number of raiders at sea. These three ex-cargo ship raiders were soon joined by other armed ships at sea in 1917. The German navy fitted out the barque-rigged sailing ship SEEADLER formerly the US flag vessel PASS OF BALMAHA, which in August 1915 had surrendered to a German submarine in the North Sea. This sailing ship with a concealed

4 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 armament of 2 x 4.1" guns and two 20" torpedo tubes sailed in December 1916, disguised as the Norwegian ship HERO and under the command of Court Felix von Luckner and successfully evaded the British blockade. For two months she operated in the South Atlantic before making passage westwards into the South Pacific, where finally on 2 August 1917 the ship was wrecked on a coral reef off Mopelia in the Society Islands. In all, SEEADLER captured 16 ships totalling nearly 30,000 tons and gained for her commander a reputation for the courtesy and chivalry with which he went about his task. Nevertheless, the successes in the German auxiliary cruisers commence war of 1914-18 was impressive. This is shown by the number of ships captured and/or sunk listed as follows.

REFER CHART 1914/1918 NOS 1 TO 15

SEEADLER (1916 - 1917)

Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 5 GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISERS 1914/1918 CHART WORLD WAR I 1914 - 1918 No SHIP DETAILS GENERAL

1 NORMANNIA 8716 tons Commissioned 1895 20 knots Broken up in 1906

2 KAISER WILHELM 14349 tons Score 3 ships ... Sunk by own crew der GROSSE 22 knots following engagement cruiser HMS 4 August - 26 August 1914 HIGHFLYER. 81 crew interned in Spain 6 x 10.5" guns

3 CORMORAN 3433 tons Score nil ... Commissioned Tsingtao 7 13 knots August 1814. Interned in Guam 7 April 1917

4 PRINZ EITEL FRIEDRICH 8797 tons Score 11 ships ... Commissioned Tsingtao 15 knots 5 August 1914. Arrived Newport News, America- 402 crew interned. Suffered from lack of supplies. 10 March 1915

5 KRONPRINZ WILHELM 14908 tons Score 15 ships ... Commissioned mid- 23 knots Atlantic by cruiser KARLSRUHE 6 August 1914. Arrived Newport News, America on 11 April 1915 with only 25 tons coal left and 88 crew down with scurvy - remaining 503 crew were interned

6 CAP TRAFALGAR 18719 tons Score nil ... Commissioned off Trinidad 18 knots by gunboat EBER on 31 August 1914. Sunk same area by AMC CARMANIA 14 September 1914 - 303 crew interned in Argentina

7 BERLIN 17324 tons Score nil ... Carried 200 mines. Crew 16.5 knots interned in Norway 18 November 1914 - had success of sinking the battleship HMS AUDACIOUS from mines previously laid

8 METEOR 1912 tons Score 5 ships Scuttled 9 August 1st cruise 29 May 1915 - June 1915 14 knots 1915 on approach 5 British cruisers 2nd cruise 6 Aug 1915 - 9 Aug 1915

9 MÖWE 4788 tons Score 1st voy 17 ships & 2nd voy 25 ships. 1st voyage 29 Dec 1915 - 4 March 1916 13.3 knots Survived WW1 - sunk by submarine off 2nd voyage 23 Nov 1916 - 22 March 1917 Norway 1945. Later raised and broken up 1953. Mines laid sank pre-dreanought battleship HMS KING EDWARD VII

10 GREIF 4982 tons Score 1 ship (AMC ALCANTRA 15620 27 Feb 1916 - 29 Feb 1916 13 knots tons). Sunk in North Sea with 97 crew lost and 219 taken prisoners 6 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 No SHIP DETAILS GENERAL

11 WOLF (1) 6848 tons Score 14 ships 13 knots WOLF (II) 5809 tons Score 13 ships ... Damaged and taken out 10.5 knots of service

12 SEEADLER 1571 tons Carried 465 mines many being laid off 21 Dec 1916 - 2 Aug 1817 Australia and New Zealand Motor ship with 3 masts & sails

13 GEIER 4992 tons Score 16 ships 28 Dec 1916 - 14 Feb 1917 12.6 knots

14 LEOPARD 4852 tons Score 2 ships ... Scuttled by crew 16 March 1917 13 knots

15 ILTIS Score Nil ... Sunk by HMS ACHILLES March 1917 with loss of all 319 crew Score Nil ... Chased by cruiser HMS FOX in Red Sea - scuttled by crew 15 March 1917 - 74 taken prisoner

1914/1918 ILLUSTRATION A

NORMANNIA (1895) experimental auxiliary cruiser 8716 tons - 19 kts - 8 x 5.9” guns

Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 7 1914/1918 ILLUSTRATION B

Sinking of KAISER WHILHELM DER GROSSE by HIGHFLYER

1914/1918 ILLUSTRATION C

KRONPRINZ WILHELM

8 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 1914/1918 ILLUSTRATON D

MÖEWE (1915 - 1917) 4788 tons - 13.3 knots

1914/1918 ILLUSTRATION E

LEOPARD (1917) 4652 tons - 13 knots

1914/1918 ILLUSTRATION F

WOLF II (1916 - 1918) 6648 tons - 13 knots

Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 9 WORLD WAR II 1939-1945

When World War II broke out on 3 September 1939, Germany already had in train the fitting out of merchant ships as auxiliary cruiser to be raiders traversing the globe and of course sometimes described as - mystery ships. In attacking Allied shipping their mission was clear cut, to stop food supplies and raw materials reaching Britain, in particular, and disruption of Allied shipping movements. This in turn tied up naval ships from their much wanted involvement in different theatres of war. The raiders of World War II were more sophisticated than their counterparts of World War I, now featuring more accurate gunnery, torpedo tubes on a swivel base (sometimes located below the waterline), aircraft for reconnaissance, mines, greater storage of fuel, foodstuffs and drinking water. All this plus a sick bay, machine shop, livestock pens and greater provisions for crews of captured ships. For the first half of World War II the raiders roamed almost at will and were well served by a network of supply ships. However, as Allied surveillance became more proficient and more convoys instigated, the role of the raiders gradually diminished. Nevertheless these cruisers were very successful in achieving many sinkings of Allied ships. The first auxiliary cruiser of World War II to venture out from a German port was ATLANTIS in March 1940 which cleared the North Sea and then passed through the ice choked Denmark Strait into the Atlantic Ocean. ATLANTIS was soon laying mines off South Africa but fortunately these were detected before ships encountered them and 81 were swept up. A few weeks later on 2 May, ATLANTIS disguised as the Japanese ship KASII MARU was passed by the armed British liner CITY OF EXETER. With some of the German ship’s company draped in Kimonos and one even pushing a baby carriage, ATLANTIS was to save any confrontation. However the liner did report having passed a 'suspicious ship’ requiring ATLANTIS to opt for a safer area of operations; the Durban - Australia track in the Indian Ocean. While undertaking actions in the Indian Ocean, one night ATLANTIS was drifting when passed by the battleship HMS NELSON and aircraft carrier HMS EAGLE at a distance of 7000 yards (approximately 3½ miles) and was lucky to remain unnoticed by turning stern on thus presenting her minimum silhouette. On 22 November 1941, the London class heavy cruiser HMS DEVONSHIRE came upon ATLANTIS and in exercising discretion stayed at a range of 17,500 yards, out of reach of the raiders guns. ATLANTIS radioed an RRR call meaning ‘it was being attacked by a warship’ but this was queried, as the signal should

10 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 have consisted of 4R’s. DEVONSHIRE then radioed a request for verification of identification of the raider’s name POLYPHEMUS and was informed ‘No repetition No’. The British cruiser opened fire, causing the German crew to abandon their ship and shortly after ATLANTIS was to sink. ATLANTIS was one of the most successful of the German raiders in World War II, having spent 655 days at sea and sinking 16 ships and capturing 6 ships.

REFER ILLUSTRATION 1939/45 (G) ATLANTIS Now ORION off Newfoundland on 16 April 1940 was the first auxiliary cruiser in action, sinking the 5,207 ton HAXBY. Then by 13 June ORION had rounded Cape Horn and crept across the Pacific to lay 228 mines off Courier Island, at the top of New Zealand. As a result, on 18 June the liner NIAGARA of 13,415 tons was to hit one of these mines and sink, taking with her $10,000,000 in gold bullion. This was later to be salvaged in a great diving feat. ORION made good her escape from the area, moving to the Indian Ocean before returning to the Pacific by 18 October, sinking in all 11 ships. This included in company with the raider KOMET, the large liner RANGITANE of 16,712 tons, which after being hit forced the abandonment of her crew and personnel before being sunk. WIDDER left Keil on 5 May 1940 and lost no time in sinking and capturing 10 ships between the Azores and Trinidad in the Atlantic Ocean. Soon WIDDER was overwhelmed with passengers and crews from captured ships, so relief was obtained by landing them at St Barthélemy near the Lesser Antilles, where, when their identity was made known to the British Admiralty, all independent sailings were stopped, convoys re-routed and many naval vessels deployed in trying to find the raider. With this disenchantment achieved, the raider quickly movred to another area, in total sinking 10 ships before returning to Germany. WIDDER was one of only four raiders to survive the war. THOR had an exciting two voyages. During the first trip THOR on 28 July 1940 encountered the RN armed merchant cruiser ALCANTARA and with some lucky hits caused the AMC to slow, this allowing the raider to escape behind a smokescreen. On 5 December 1940 THOR had a second encounter with an AMC, this time the 20,122 ton CARNARVON CASTLE, whose electrical system was shot away resulting in her guns having to be trained by hand and with other superficial damage, had to break off the action. And yet again, a third time, THOR fought a viscous battle with the AMC VOLTAIRE with the first shots smashing the ship’s generator and radio room. VOLTAIRE was soon out of control, turning in circles and on fire, and after the raider had expended 724 rounds, being half of her ammunition, VOLTAIRE was to sink. THOR destroyed 12 ships in this first voyage and with her second voyage beginning on 12 February 1942, this too proved very successful in sinking a further 10 ships.

REFER ILLUSTRATION 1939/45 (H) THOR

Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 11 The British armed merchant cruisers and the German auxiliary cruisers were similarly styled ships with each manned by naval personnel, but their roles, the former substituting for fleet cruisers, and the latter as commerce raiders, were entirely different. The raiders intention was to avoid contact with its enemy’s warships, but when forced into such confrontation they were able to prove themselves worthy opponents. On 15 July 1940 PINGUIN raider sailed from Gotenhaven loaded with 300 mines and 25 torpedoes plus supplies for U-boats and had a successful career of sinking or capturing 28 ships. She was to be sunk on 8 May 1941 by the cruiser HMS CORNWALL off the north-east coast of Africa. However, in the action CORNWALL received several hits making the cruiser unmanageable for a while, until the control aft could be cut in and then reply with a number of shell hits, one of which detonated PINGUIN’s mines causing an awesome explosion that tore her to fragments. As a result, only 22 of the 225 men taken with the last three of thirty two ships captured, sunk or mined, had come out of the calamity alive. Only 60 of PINGUIN’s crew survived with 342 ship’s company perishing.

REFER ILLUSTRATION 1939/45 (I) PINGUIN Also out of Gotenhaven on 3 July 1940 KOMET sailed and in a remarkable journey, guided by Russian pilots the ship headed over The Article Circle and after a journey of 720 miles through the ice-blocked Northern Passage and a total of 3300 miles, passed through Bering Strait into the Pacific. She had quite a successful run accounting for 6 ships plus 2 ships in conjunction with ORION including shelling the phosphate island of Nauru in the Pacific. On commencing a second voyage from Germany and only two days out, KOMET was sunk off Cherburg on the night of 7/8 October 1942 with the entire loss of the crew.

REFER ILLUSTRATION 1939/45 (J) KOMET Of all the World War II German auxiliary cruisers, only four were to survive the war, namely, WIDDER, THOR, CORONEL and HANSA.

REFER CHARTS 1939/1945 NOS 16 TO 26 These skilfully disguised and well armed raiders masquerading as harmless and friendly commercial vessels, are part of a particularly interesting chapter in the history of warfare at sea. The operations of these singular ships in the last great conflict of World War II destroyed or captured 138 ships, including a British armed merchant cruiser, sent thirty prizes on their way to German bases, and sank an Australian cruiser as well! It is unlikely in this present age of the jet, the spy satellite, and the atomic warhead missile that any navy will ever again deploy raiders-in-disguise to win a battle for command of the high seas. The raider, no doubt, has gone the way of the ram, the sailing man-of-war, and large scale naval engagement

12 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 BIBLIOGRAPHY ‹ Paul Schmalenbach German Raiders Patrick Stevens Cambridge 1977 ‹ August Karl Muggenthaler German Raiders of World War II Robert Hale Ltd, UK 1978 ‹ G Herman Gill Royal Australian Navy 1939-1942 Australian War Memorial, Canberra 1957 ‹ Robin Bromby German Raiders of the South Seas Doubleday, Sydney 1985 ‹ Richard Humble Hitlers High Seas Fleet Ballantine Books Ltd, London 1972 ‹ Carl Rühen The Sea Devil Kangaroo Press, Sydney 1988 ‹ Kurt Weyher & Hans Jürgers Ehrlich The Black Raider Elek Books, London 1955 ‹ E Keble Chatterton The Sea Raiders Hurst-Blackett Ltd, London 1931 ‹ Clarence Winchester Shipping Wonders of the World Waverley Book Co, London

1939/194515/1945 ILLUSTRATION A

The Australian light cruiser SYDNEY was deceived by and fell victim to the tactics of Kapitàn zur See Detmers and his crew aboard the KORMORAN. Despite her armour, eight 6-in (15.2 cm) guns in twin turrets, powerful anti-aircraft armament, quadruple torpedo tubes port and starboard and a speed of 32 knots, she was destroyed by a converted merchantman.

Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 13 GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISERS 1939/1945CHART WORLD WAR II 1939 - 1945 No SHIP DETAILS GENERAL

16 ORION (36) 7021 tons Score 8 ships ... (extra 2 ships with 30 March 1940 - 23 August 1941 14 knots KOMET, and shelled Nauru). Laid mines ex KURMARK off New Zealand Sunk by British bombers 4 May 1945

17 ATLANTIS (16) 7862 tons Score 22 ships ... Carried 92 mines - spent 11 March - 22 Nov 1941 16 knots 655 days at sea. Sunk by HMS ex GOLDENFELS DEVONSHIRE (one of most successful raiders)

18 WIDDER (21) 7851 tons Score 10 ships ... One of only four raiders 5 May 1940 - 31 Oct 1940 14 knots to survive war.

19 THOR (10) 3862 tons Score 1st voy 12 ships - 2nd voy 10 ships. 1st voyage 6 June 1940 - 30 April 1941 18 knots In action on 3 occasions with British AMC 2nd voyage 14 Jan 1942 - 9 Oct 1942 ALCANTARA, CARNAVON CASTLE ex STANTA CRUZ & VOLTAIRE. Withdrawn from service (One of only 4 auxiliary cruisers to 30 Nov 1942 being damaged by fire while survive war) at Yokahama.

20 PINGUIN (33) 7766 tons Score 28 ships ... Laid mines off West 15 June 1940 - 8 May 1941 17 knots Australia. Sunk by HMS CORNWALL ex M/S KANDELFELS

21 STEIR (23) 4778 tons Score 4 ships ... Badly damaged and 9 May 1942 - 27 Sept 1942 14 knots scuttled ex M/S CAIRO

22 KOMET (45) 3287 tons Score 6 ships ... plus 2 ships with ORION, 3 July 1940 - 30 Nov 1941 16 knots shelled Nauru. 2nd voyage - Sunk in ex M/S EMS OF BREMEN English Channel by British destroyers 14 Oct 1942

23 KORMORAN (41) 8736 tons Score 11 ships plus cruiser HMAS 3 Dec 1940 - 19 Nov 1941 18 knots SYDNEY. Carried 360 mines. Sunk as a ex STEIERMARK result of damage inflicted by HMAS SYDNEY

24 MICHEL (28) 4740 tons Score 1st voyage 15 ships - 2nd voyage 3 1st voyage 30 March 1942 - 1 Jan 1943 16 knots ships. Sunk by US Submarine TARPON 2nd voyage 21 May 1943 - 17 Oct 1943 ex BIELSKO-BONN

25 CORONEL (14) 5042 tons Score nil ... Blockade runner and night ex TOGO 16 knots fighter direction ship. Survived war - still in service 1979 26 HANSA (5) 9138 tons ex GLENGARRY 17 knots Score nil ... Survived war - target ship for u-boat training 14 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 1939/1945 ILLUSTRATION B

AMC CARNAVON CASTLE (1914) 20122 tons

1939/1945 ILLUSTRATION C

AMC VOLTAIRE 13245 tons - 15 knots sunk 4 April 1941

Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 15 1939/1945 ILLUSTRATION D

KORMORAN

ROUTE OF KORMORAN 1 ANTONIS 1.06.41 2 BRITISH UNION 1.18.41 3 AFRIC STAR 1.29.41 4 EURYLOCHUS 1.29.41 5 AGNITA 3.22.41 6 CANADOLITE (p) 3.25.41 7 CRAFTSMAN 4.09.41 8 NICOLAOS DL 4.12.41 9 VELEBIT 6.26.41 10 MAREEBA 6.26.41 11 STAMATIOS G EMBIRICOS 9.24.41 12 HMAS SYDNEY and KORMORAN SINK + 11.19.41

KORMORAN, SHIP 41, ex-STEIERMARK Built: 1938, Krupp.Germania Werft, Kiel Tonnage: 8,736 Length: 515.1 feet, Lloyds Register Beam: 66.3 Draft: 30.5 Speed: 18 Armament: Six 5.9-inch; two 37mm; five 20mm; two twin7l-inch torpedo tubes (above water); two single 2 1-inch tubes (submerged); 360 mines*; one motor mine-laying launch Planes: Two Arado 196 Complement: 397 (varied, due to prize crews and new drafts) * Shaded guns and tubes indicate a mounting below deck Ships sunk 11 (including one prize)=68,274 or taken: ANTONIS, BRITISH UNION, AFRIC STAR, EURYLOCHUS, AGNITA, CANADOLITE, CRAFTSMAN, NICOLAOS D L, VELEBIT, MAREEBA, STAMATIOS G EMBIRICOS, Plus HMAS SYDNEY, 6,830 tons (displacement) Length of 352 days, 12.3.40.11.19.41 cruise: Fate: Sunk by HMAS SYDNEY 16 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 1939/1945 ILLUSTRATION E

ATLANTIS

ROUTE OF ATLANTIS 1 SCIENTIST 5.03.40 2 Mines at Cape Agulhas 5.10-11.40 3 TIRRANNA (p) 6.10.40 4 CITY OF BAGDAD 7.11.40 5 KEMMENDINE 7.13.40 6 TALLEYRAND 8.02.40 7 KING CITY 8.24.40 8 ATHELKING 9.09.40 9 BENARTY 9.10.40 10 COMMISSAIRE RAMEL 9.20.40 11 DURMITOR (p) 10.22.40 12 TEDDY 11.9.40 13 OLE JACOB (p) 11.10.40 14 AUTOMEDON 11.11.40 15 MANDASOR 1.24.41 16 SPEYBANK (p) 1.31.41 17 KETTY BRÖVIG (p) 2.02.41 18 ZAM ZAM 4.17.41 19 RABAUL 5.14.41 20 TRAFALGAR 5.24.41 21 TOTTENHAM 6.17.41 22 BALZAC 6.22.41 23 SILVAPLANA (p) 9.10.41 24 RAIDER Sunk by HMS DEVONSHIRE + 11.22.41

ATLANTIS, SHIP 16, ex.GOLDENFELS Built: 1937, Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack Tonnage: 7,862 Length: 488.1 feet, Lloyds Register Beam: 61.3 Draft: 31.1 Speed: 17 Armament: Six 5.9-inch; one 75mm; one twin 37mm; four 20mm; four single 21-inch torpedo tubes; 92 mines* Planes: 2 Heinkel 114; Iater Arado 196 Complement: 347 (varied due to prize crews and new drafts) * Shaded guns and tubes indicate a mounting below deck Ships sunk or taken: 22 (including three prizes) = 145,697 tons SCIENTIST, TIRRANNA, CITY OF BAGDAD, KEMMENDINE, TALLEYRAND, KING CITY, ATHELKING, BENARTY, COMMISSAIRE RAMEL, DURMITOR, TEDDY, OLE JACOB, AUTOMEDOM, MANDASOR, SPEYBANK, KETTY BRÖVIG, ZAM ZAM, RABAUL, TRAFALGAR, TOTTENHAM, BALZAC, SILVAPLANA Length of cruise: 622 days, 3.11.40-11.22.41 (including time spent in getting crew home after sinking) Fate: Sunk by HMS DEVONSHIRE Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 17 1939/1945 ILLUSTRATION F

THOR

ROUTE OF THOR 1 KERTOSONO 7.01.40 2 DELAMBRE 7.07.40 3 BRUGES 7.09.40 4 GRACEFIELD 7.14.40 5 WENDOVER 7.16.40 6 TELA 7.17.40 7 Fight with HMS AMCALCANTARA 7.28.40 8 KOSMOS 9.26.40 9 NATIA 10.08.40 10 Fight with HMS AMC CARNARVON CASTLE 12.05.40 11 TROLLENHOLM 3.25.41 12 BRITANNIA 3.25.41 13 Fight with HMS AMC VOLTAIRE 4.04.41 14 SIR ERNEST CASSEL 4.16.41

18 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 ROUTE OF THOR’S SECOND VOYAGE 1 PAGASITIKOS 3.23.42 2 WELLPARK 3.30.42 3 WILLESDEN 4.01.42 4 AUST 4.03.42 5 KIRKPOOL 4.10.42 6 NANKING (p) 5.10.42 7 OLIVIA 6.14.42 8 HERBORG (p) 6.19.42 9 MADRONO (p) 7.04.42 10 INDUS 7.20.42

THOR, SHIP 10, ex-SANTA CRUZ First Voyage Built: 1938, Deutsche Werft AG Hamburg-Finkenwärder Tonnage: 3,862 Length: 379.7 feet, Lloyds Register Beam: 54.8 Draft: 26.5 Speed: 17 Armament: Six 5.9-inch; one 60mm; one twin 37mm; four 20mm; two twin 21-inch torpedo tubes* Plane: One Arado 196 Complement: 347 (varied, due to prize crews and new drafts) * Shaded guns and tubes indicate amounting below deck Ships sunk 12 (including one prize) = 96,602 tons or taken: KERTOSONO, DELAMBRE, BRUGES, GRACEFIELD, WENDOVER, TELA, KOSMOS, NATIA, TROLLENHOLM, BRITANNIA, HMS AMC VOLTAIRE, SIR ERNEST CASSEL Length of cruise: 329 days, 6.6.40-4.30.41 Fate: Returned to Germany

Second Voyage Ships sunk 10 (including 3 prizes) = 56,037 tons or taken: PAGASITIKOS, WELLPARK, WILLESDEN, AUST, KIRKPOOL, NANKIN, OLIVIA, HERBORG, MADRONO, INDUS Length of cruise: 324 days, 11.20.41.10.10.42 Fate: Put into Yokohama; destroyed 11.30.42 by an accidental explosion in a tanker tied up alongside

Monograph 168 - German Auxiliary Cruisers 19 1939/1945 ILLUSTRATION G

PINGUIN

ROUTE OF PINGUIN 1 DOMINGO de LARRINAGA 7.31.40 2 FILEFJELL 8.26.40 3 BRITISH COMMANDER 8.27.40 4 MORVIKEN 8.27.40 5 BENAVON 9.12.40 6 NORDVARD 9.16.40 7 STORSTAD 10.07.40 8 Mine actions with PASSAT ex-STORSTAD10.27-11.7.40 9 NOWSHERA 11.18.40 10 MAIOMA 11.20.40 11 PORT BRISBANE 11.21.40 12 PORT WELLINGTON 11.30.40 13 OLE WEGGER, POL VIII, POL IX, POL X, THORLYN, SOLGLIMT (all p) 1.14.41 14 PELAGOS, STAR XIV. STAR XIX, STAR XX, STAR XXI, STAR XXII, STAR XXIII, STAR XXIV (all p) 1.15.41 15 EMPIRE LIGHT 4.25.41 16 CLAN BUCHANAN4.28.41 17 BRITISH EMPEROR5.07.41 18 Raider explodes in action with HMS CORNWALL +5.08.41

PINGUIN, SHIP 33, ex-KANDELFELS Built: 1936, Deschimag, Werk Weser, Bremen Tonnage: 7,766 Length: 485.6 feet, Lloyds Register Beam: 61.3 Draft: 31.1 Speed: 17 Armament: Six 5.9-inch; one 75mm; one twin 37mm; four 20mm; two twin 21-inch torpedo tubes*; 300 mines Planes: Two Heinkel 114, spare fuselage and wings, later one Arado 196 Complement: 345 (varied, due to prize crews and new drafts) * Shaded guns and tubes indicate a mounting below deck Ships sunk or taken: 28 (including 16 prizes) 136,551 tons DOMINGO de LARRINAGA, FILEFJELL, BRITISH COMMANDER, MORVIKEN, BENAVON, NORDVARD, STORSTAD, NOWSHERA, MAIOMA, PORT BRISBANE, PORT WELLINGTON, OLE WEGGER, POL VIII, POL IX, POL X, THORLYN, SOLGLIMT, PELAGOS, STAR XIV, STAR XIX, STAR XX, STAR XXI, STAR XXII, STAR XXIII, STAR XXIV, EMPIRE LIGHT, CLAN BUCHANAN, BRITISH EMPEROR; Plus 18,068 tons sunk by mines MILLIMULMUL, NIMBIN, CAMBRIDGE, CITY OF RAYVILLE laid in cooperation with PASSAT, ex-STORSTAD = a total of 158,256 tons Length of cruise: 328 days, 6.15.40-5.8.41 Fate: Sunk by HMS CORNWALL 20 German Auxiliary Cruisers - Monograph 168 1939/1945 ILLUSTRATION H

KOMET

ROUTE OF KOMET 1 HOLMWOOD 11.25.40 2 RANGITANE (with ORION) 11.27.40 3 TRIONA (with ORION) 12.06.40 4 VINNI 12.07.40 5 KOMATA 12.08.40 6 NAURU 12.27.40 7 Mines laid by ADJUTANT, ex POL IX 6.24-26.41 8 AUSTRALIND 8.14.41 9 KOTA NOPAN 8.17.41 10 DEVON 8.19.41

KOMET, SHIP 45, ex-EMS First Voyage Built: 1937, Deschirtfag, Werk Weser, Bremen Tonnage: 3,287 Length: 358.8 feet, Lloyds Register, not overall Beam: 50.2 Depth: 19.9 Speed: 14.5 Armament: Six 5.9 inch; one 60mm; one twin 37mm; four 20mm; four twin torpedo tubes (above water), two single torpedo tubes (submerged)*; 30 mines; one motor mine-laying launch Plane: One Arado 196 Complement: 270 (varied, due to prize crews and new drafts) * Shaded guns and tubes indicate amounting below deck Ships sunk 6 (including one prize) = 31,005 tons or taken: HOLMW000, VINNI, KOMATA, AUSTRALIND, KOTA NOPAN, DEVON, Plus two, 21,125 tons, RANGITANE and TRIONA with raider ORION; Tota l4l,567½ tons**. Length of cruise: 5l6 days, 7.3.40-11.30.41 Fate: Returned to Germany ** ½-ton deference to extensive literature on tonnage claims during combined operations Second Voyage Length of cruise: 8 days, 6.10.42-14.10.42 Fate: Sunk by HMS MTB 236 The Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. Boatshed Building 25, Garden Island, NSW 2011 email [email protected] website www.navyhistory.org.au

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