German destroyer Z18 Hans Lüdemann

Coordinates: 68°25′N 17°54′E / 68.417°N 17.900°E / 68.417; 17.900
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Z18 Hans Lüdemann in 1939
History
Nazi Germany
NameZ18 Hans Lüdemann
NamesakeHans Lüdemann
Ordered6 January 1936
Builder
Deschimag), Bremen
Yard numberW920
Laid down9 September 1936
Launched1 December 1937
Completed8 October 1938
Fate
Scuttled
, 13 April 1940
General characteristics
Class and type
Type 1936 destroyer
Displacement
  • 2,411 long tons (2,450 t) (standard)
  • 3,415 long tons (3,470 t) (
    deep load
    )
Length123.4 m (404 ft 10 in) (
o/a
)
Beam11.8 m (38 ft 9 in)
Draft4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range2,050 nmi (3,800 km; 2,360 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement323
Armament

Z18 Hans Lüdemann was one of six

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.

During

Second Naval Battles of Narvik. She was damaged by British destroyers during the first battle and was one of the last surviving German destroyers during the second battle. After the British knocked out all of her guns, the ship was run ashore to allow the crew to abandon ship. They attempted to scuttle
Z18 Hans Lüdemann with explosives to prevent her capture, but something went wrong and the British were able to board her. A British destroyer torpedoed her wreck to prevent any repairs.

Design and description

Z18 Hans Lüdemann had an

kW; 69,000 shp) using steam provided by six Wagner water-tube boilers for a designed speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).[1] During Z18 Hans Lüdemann's sea trials on 9 January 1940, she reached 39.8 knots (73.7 km/h; 45.8 mph) from 74,500 PS (54,800 kW; 73,500 shp).[2] The ship carried a maximum of 739 metric tons (727 long tons) of fuel oil which gave a range of 2,050 nautical miles (3,800 km; 2,360 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). Her crew consisted of 10 officers and 313 sailors.[1]

The ship carried five

2-centimeter (0.8 in) 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.[1] Two reloads were provided for each mount. She had four depth charge launchers and mine rails could be fitted on the rear deck that had a maximum capacity of 60 mines.[3] 'GHG' (Gruppenhorchgerät) passive hydrophones were fitted to detect submarines and an active sonar system was installed by the end of 1939.[4]

Service history

Z18 Hans Lüdemann was named after Engineer-

yard number W920 on 9 September, launched on 1 December 1937, and commissioned on 8 October 1938. In July 1939, Z18 Hans Lüdemann joined her sisters Z17 Diether von Roeder and Z19 Hermann Künne making port visits in Norway.[5]

When World War II began in September, she was initially deployed in the

Stettin that lasted for three months.[7]

Norwegian Campaign

See also: Battles of Narvik
A map of the Ofotfjord

Z18 Hans Lüdemann was allocated to Group 1 for the Norwegian portion of

picket ship in case the British intended to interfere with the operation. About 11:00 the troops were ordered to reboard their destroyers which proceeded to Narvik. Shortly after midnight, Z18 Hans Lüdemann was ordered to start fuelling from the whale factory ship SS Jan Wellem.[9]

Shortly after dawn on 10 April, the ship was still tied up to Jan Wellem when the five destroyers of the British 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Hardy, Havock, Hunter, Hotspur, and Hero appeared. As soon as the German destroyer maneuvered clear of the tanker, she fired at Havock, without scoring any hits in the dark and snow. The British ship returned fire, disabling one of Z18 Hans Lüdemann's forward guns, severing the rudder controls, and started a fire that caused one of the magazines to be flooded. At 05:15 the ship radioed to the other destroyers anchored in the Herjangsfjord and near Ballangen. Fifteen minutes later, the British decided to attack Narvik again and her crew had managed to make some repairs in the meantime. The ship fired four torpedoes at the attacking British ship, but missed with all of them, possibly because their depth controls were set too deep. She hit Hostile once with a 12.7 cm shell during the second attack, but inflicted only minor damage. Z18 Hans Lüdemann completed temporary repairs and was operational by 11 April.[10]

On the night of 12/13 April,

Rombaksfjorden (the easternmost branch of the Ofotfjord), east of Narvik, where they might attempt to ambush any pursuing British destroyers.[11]

Z18 Hans Lüdemann still had some ammunition and torpedoes left and took up position at the Straumen narrows with

captain of the ship, decided to withdraw as she could no longer fight the British ships and beached the ship at the head of the fjord. He ordered her rigged for demolition and abandoned ship while Z2 Georg Thiele continued to fight. Several hours later, after the latter ship was destroyed, the destroyers Hero and Icarus approached and found Z18 Hans Lüdemann still intact, the demolition charges having failed. The former sent a boarding party aboard, but they found nothing but souvenirs and Hero, following her orders to destroy all of the German destroyers, torpedoed her wreck.[12]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Gröner, p. 202
  2. ^ Koop & Schmolke, p. 98
  3. ^ Whitley, p. 68
  4. ^ Whitley, pp. 71–72
  5. ^ Koop & Schmolke, pp. 24, 98; Whitley, p. 82
  6. ^ Rohwer, pp. 2, 5
  7. ^ Hervieux, p. 112; Koop & Schmolke, p. 98; Whitley, pp. 86–89
  8. ^ Whitley, p. 96
  9. ^ Haarr, pp. 323, 330, 335
  10. ^ Haarr, pp. 341–43, 355, 357
  11. ^ Haarr, pp. 357, 360–63
  12. ^ Haar, pp. 366–69

References

  • ISBN 0-87021-790-9
    .
  • Haarr, Geirr H. (2009). The German Invasion of Norway, April 1940. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
    ISBN 978-1-59114-310-9
    .
  • Hervieux, Pierre (1980). "German Destroyer Minelaying Operations Off the English Coast (1940–1941)". In Roberts, John (ed.). Warship. Vol. IV. Greenwich, England: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 110–17.
    ISBN 0-87021-979-0
    .
  • Koop, Gerhard & Schmolke, Klaus-Peter (2003). German Destroyers of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
    ISBN 1-59114-307-1
    .
  • ISBN 1-59114-119-2
    .
  • ISBN 978-1-55750-302-2
    .

External links

68°25′N 17°54′E / 68.417°N 17.900°E / 68.417; 17.900

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