German destroyer Z35

Coordinates: 59°38.2′N 24°20′E / 59.6367°N 24.333°E / 59.6367; 24.333
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Z35 at sea in the Baltic, 1944
History
Nazi Germany
NameZ35
Ordered17 February 1941
Builder
Deschimag), Bremen
Yard numberW1005
Laid down6 June 1941
Launched2 October 1942
Commissioned22 September 1943
FateSunk by mine, 12 December 1944
General characteristics
Class and typeType 1936B destroyer
Displacement
  • 2,519 long tons (2,559 t) (standard)
  • 3,542 long tons (3,599 t) (
    deep load
    )
Length127 m (416 ft 8 in) (
o/a
)
Beam12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Draught4.32 m (14 ft 2 in)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range2,600 nmi (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement316–336
Armament

Z35 was the

minefields, and bombarding Soviet forces. On 12 December 1944, a navigational error caused her to enter a German minefield as she was preparing to lay another minefield in the Gulf of Finland off the Estonian coast. Z35 struck one or more mines
and sank with the loss of all but 70 crewmen. The wreck was discovered and surveyed in 1994.

Design and description

The Type 1936B design retained the hull design of the Type 1936A, but reverted to the lighter main armament of the

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). The ships carried a maximum of 835 tonnes (822 long tons) of fuel oil which gave a range of 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km; 3,000 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).[1] Their crew consisted of 11–15 officers and 305–20 sailors.[2]

The Type 1936B ships carried five

2-centimetre (0.8 in) C/38 guns in three quadruple and three single mounts. The ship carried eight above-water 53.3-centimetre (21 in) torpedo tubes in two power-operated mounts. Two reloads were provided for each mount. They had four depth charge launchers and mine rails could be fitted on the rear deck that had a maximum capacity of 74–76 mines. 'GHG' (Gruppenhorchgerät) passive hydrophones were fitted to detect submarines and an S-Gerät sonar was also probably fitted. The ships were equipped with a FuMO 24/25 radar set above the bridge.[3][4]

Construction and career

Z35 was originally ordered as a Type 1938B destroyer from

working up Z35 was assigned to the 6. Zerstörerflotille (6th Destroyer Flotilla) in February 1944.[5][6]

The four destroyers and single

Reval, Estonia, on 13 February. The flotilla was initially tasked to escort convoys between Libau, Latvia, and Reval, but laid its first minefield in Narva Bay on 12 March while bombarding Soviet positions on the eastern shore of the bay. They were primarily tasked as minelayers through July, including reinforcing the existing minefields in the Gulf of Finland in April. In preparation for Operation Tanne West, the occupation of Åland in case of Finnish surrender, the flotilla escorted the heavy cruiser Lützow to the island of Utö on 28 June, but the operation was canceled and the ships returned to port.[7][8][9]

On 30 July and 1 August Z35 and three other destroyers of the flotilla sailed into the

breech overboard. The following day Z35 was struck by splinters during a Soviet air attack. The following month, the flotilla and the heavy cruisers Admiral Scheer and Prinz Eugen shelled Soviet positions during the evacuation of Sworbe between 20 and 24 November.[10][11][12]

By mid-December, Z35 was the flagship of

amidships, possibly from a boiler explosion that also detonated some ammunition. The crew abandoned ship before she sank, but only about 70 men were rescued by the Soviets.[13][14]

The wreck was surveyed by the Finnish Ministry of the Environment in 1994 in 50 metres (160 ft) of water, at 59°38.2′N 24°20′E / 59.6367°N 24.333°E / 59.6367; 24.333.[15]

Citations

  1. ^ Gröner, p. 204.
  2. ^ Koop & Schmolke, p. 27.
  3. ^ Gröner, pp. 203–04.
  4. ^ Whitley, pp. 68, 71–73, 201.
  5. ^ Koop & Schmolke, pp. 24–25, 115.
  6. ^ Whitley, pp. 175–76.
  7. ^ Koop & Schmolke, p. 115.
  8. ^ Rohwer, pp. 311, 318, 339.
  9. ^ Whitley, pp. 173–75.
  10. ^ Koop & Schmolke, pp. 115–16.
  11. ^ Rohwer, pp. 351, 359, 361, 363, 373–74.
  12. ^ Whitley, p. 180.
  13. ^ Koop & Schmolke, p. 116.
  14. ^ Whitley, pp. 180–87.
  15. ^ Saari, Jukka. "Z 36" (in Finnish). Pohjalla Ry. Retrieved 13 March 2018.

Bibliography

Further reading

External links
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