German destroyer Z22 Anton Schmitt

Coordinates: 68°25′N 17°24′E / 68.417°N 17.400°E / 68.417; 17.400
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Sister ship Z21 Wilhelm Heidkamp underway, c. 1939
History
Nazi Germany
NameZ22 Anton Schmitt
NamesakeAnton Schmitt
Ordered6 January 1936
Builder
Deschimag), Bremen
Yard number924
Laid down3 January 1938
Launched20 September 1938
Commissioned24 September 1939
FateSunk in the
First Battle of Narvik
, 10 April 1940
General characteristics
Class and type
Type 1936 destroyer
Displacement
Length125.1 m (410 ft 5 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

Z22 Anton Schmitt was one of six

First Naval Battle of Narvik
on 10 April.

Design and description

Z22 Anton Schmitt had an

kW; 69,000 shp) using steam provided by six Wagner boilers for a designed speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).[1] During Z22 Anton Schmitt's sea trials on 7–11 November 1939, she reached 36.9 knots (68.3 km/h; 42.5 mph) from 69,000 PS (51,000 kW; 68,000 shp), but full-speed trials were never conducted.[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 (0.79 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]

Construction and career

Z22 Anton Schmitt was named after Bosun's Mate (

working up, Z22 Anton Schmitt helped to lay a minefield near the Newcastle area together with Z21 Wilhelm Heidkamp, Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt, and Z20 Karl Galster on the night of 10/11 January 1940. The destroyers Z14 Friedrich Ihn and Z4 Richard Beitzen were also supposed to participate, but the former had problems with her boilers that reduced her maximum speed to 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) and she had to be escorted back to Germany by the latter ship. The minefield only claimed one fishing trawler of 251 gross register tons (GRT).[5]

Norwegian Campaign

See also: Battles of Narvik
A map of the Ofotfjord

Z22 Anton Schmitt 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. Z22 Anton Schmitt had picket duty the following night and then sailed into Narvik harbor.[7]

Shortly after dawn on 10 April, the five destroyers of the British

naval infantry unit.[8]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Gröner, p. 202
  2. ^ Koop & Schmolke, p. 102
  3. ^ Whitley, p. 68
  4. ^ Whitley, pp. 71–72
  5. ^ Koop & Schmolke, pp. 24, 102; Whitley, p. 92
  6. ^ Whitley, p. 96
  7. ^ Haarr, pp. 323, 330–31, 339
  8. ^ Haarr, pp. 341, 349, 354

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
    .
  • ISBN 1-59114-119-2
    .
  • ISBN 978-1-55750-302-2
    .

External links

68°25′N 17°24′E / 68.417°N 17.400°E / 68.417; 17.400

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