SMS Graudenz
Encyclopedia
SMS Graudenz was the lead ship
of the her class
of light cruiser
s. The ship was built by the German
Imperial Navy
in the Kiel
Navy Yard
, laid down in 1912 and completed in August 1914, at the outbreak of World War I
. It was named for the German town of Graudenz, West Prussia (now Grudziądz
, Poland). The ship took part in the Battle of Dogger Bank
in 1915.
s with a normal load, and 6,191 tonnes at full load. She had the typical propulsion system for German light cruisers at the time: 2 shaft Navy turbines, which delivered 26,000 shp, and a top speed of 27.5 knots.
.
, as part of the support force for Hipper's
battlecruiser
s. In April 1916, Graudenz struck a mine
, which caused her to miss the Battle of Jutland
.
In 1920, Graudenz was ceded to Italy as a war prize, where she served for several years as the Ancona. The ship was struck in 1937, and broken up the following year.
Lead ship
The lead ship or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable military ships and larger civilian craft.-Overview:...
of the her class
Graudenz class light cruiser
The Graudenz class of light cruisers was a class of two ships built for the German Imperial Navy. The ships were laid down in 1912, and completed within the first few months of World War I.-Dimensions and machinery:...
of light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
s. The ship was built by the German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
Imperial Navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
in the Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
Navy Yard
Kaiserliche Werft Kiel
Kaiserliche Werft Kiel was a German shipbuilding company founded in 1867, first as Königliche Werft Kiel but renamed in 1871 with the proclamation of the German Empire...
, laid down in 1912 and completed in August 1914, at the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It was named for the German town of Graudenz, West Prussia (now Grudziądz
Grudziadz
Grudziądz is a city in northern Poland on the Vistula River, with 96 042 inhabitants . Situated in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship , the city was previously in the Toruń Voivodeship .- History :-Early history:...
, Poland). The ship took part in the Battle of Dogger Bank
Battle of Dogger Bank (1915)
The Battle of Dogger Bank was a naval battle fought near the Dogger Bank in the North Sea on 24 January 1915, during the First World War, between squadrons of the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet....
in 1915.
Dimensions and machinery
Graudenz was 139 m at the waterline, and 142.2 m overall. The ship had a beam of 13.7 m, a draught of 5.79 m, and displaced 4,900 tonneTonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s with a normal load, and 6,191 tonnes at full load. She had the typical propulsion system for German light cruisers at the time: 2 shaft Navy turbines, which delivered 26,000 shp, and a top speed of 27.5 knots.
Armament
Graudenz had a primary armament of twelve 105mm (4.1 in) SKL/45 Cal. guns mounted singly. The ship also carried two 500mm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes. During the First World War, the ship's 105mm guns were replaced with seven 150mm (5.9 in) guns and two 88mm (3.4 in) anti-aircraft guns. During the rearmament, Graudenz was also given the capability to carry and deploy 120 minesNaval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
.
Armor
The ship had an armored belt that ranged in thickness from a half inch to 2.5 inches thick. The thicker portions of the belt protected important areas of the ship, such as the ammunition magazines, while less critical areas, such as the bow and stern, received much less armor protection. The deck was protected by armor ranging in thickness from 1 inch to 2.5 inches.Service history
Graudenz was commissioned into the German Navy in August 1914, and served in the IV Scouting Group, as a torpedo boat leader. She was transferred to the II Scouting Group, where on 24 January 1915, she took part in the Battle of Dogger BankBattle of Dogger Bank (1915)
The Battle of Dogger Bank was a naval battle fought near the Dogger Bank in the North Sea on 24 January 1915, during the First World War, between squadrons of the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet....
, as part of the support force for Hipper's
Franz von Hipper
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 Hohenzollern...
battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
s. In April 1916, Graudenz struck a mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
, which caused her to miss the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
.
In 1920, Graudenz was ceded to Italy as a war prize, where she served for several years as the Ancona. The ship was struck in 1937, and broken up the following year.