German destroyer Z2 Georg Thiele
Encyclopedia
The German destroyer Z2 Georg Thiele was a Type 1934
destroyer
in the German Kriegsmarine
, named after Korvettenkapitan Georg Thiele
who commanded the Seventh Half Flotilla of torpedo boats in the Battle off Texel
in October 1914.
She was launched on 18 August 1935 at Deutsche Werke
in Kiel
and entered service on 27 February 1937. The ship displaced 3,156 tons, had a length of 119.3 m and a beam of 11.3 m, and could steam at 38.2 knots. The armament comprised five 12.7 cm (5 in) guns
in single turrets, four 3.7 cm AA guns
, six 2 cm Anti-aircraft guns
, and eight 53.3 cm torpedo tube
s. The crew numbered about 325.
since the First World War, with Georg Thiele laid down and launched on the same days as the former but commissioned a month and a half later. The ships of this type suffered from a number of problems. They took on large amounts of water during high seas, making the forward guns unusable, had structural weaknesses, and severe vibration caused by the engines. A new turbine system installed in the ships initially proved promising but soon disappointed and caused them to be limited to a short range, this being one of the two decisive factors against the ships during the battles of Narvik, the other being the ships' limited ammunition storage capacity.
At the outbreak of war in September 1939, the ship carried out operations in Danzig Bay
, along with the cruisers , , and .
The destroyer was one of ten ships, together with , , , , , , , and , which carried the 3rd Mountain Division, commanded by Eduard Dietl
, to Narvik
, as part of Operation Weserübung
. The ship took part in the Battles of Narvik
from 10 to 13 April 1940, losing 27 of its crew in the process. On 13 April, after using up all its ammunition in the fight with the British destroyers , and , while covering the disembarkation of the crews of the other German destroyers, Georg Thiele was scuttled at Rombaksbotten after running aground. The surviving crew of the ship took part in the land fighting at Narvik in the following weeks. Max-Eckart Wolff
, the last commanding officer of the ship, served as a battalion commander in the Marine-Regiment Berger during the land battle. He was awarded the Iron Cross
first class in May 1940 and the Knight's Cross
the following August for his leadership of Z2 at Narvik.
Parts of the bow of Georg Thiele remain visible above the water in Rombaksbotten to this day.
German World War II destroyers
At the outbreak of the Second World War, the German Navy, the Kriegsmarine, had 21 destroyers . These had all been built in the 1930s, making them modern vessels...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
in the German Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
, named after Korvettenkapitan Georg Thiele
Georg Thiele
Georg Max Thiele was an Imperial German Navy officer killed during World War I. During World War I he commanded the Seventh Half Flotilla of torpedo boats, based out of Flanders...
who commanded the Seventh Half Flotilla of torpedo boats in the Battle off Texel
Battle off Texel
The Battle off Texel, also known as the Action off Texel or the Action of 17 October 1914, was a naval battle off the coast of the Dutch island of Texel during the First World War where a British squadron consisting of one light cruiser and four destroyers on a routine patrol encountered the...
in October 1914.
She was launched on 18 August 1935 at Deutsche Werke
Deutsche Werke
Deutsche Werke was a German shipbuilding company founded in 1925 when Kaiserliche Werft Kiel and other shipyards were merged. It came as a result of the Treaty of Versailles after World War I that forced the German defence industry to shrink...
in 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...
and entered service on 27 February 1937. The ship displaced 3,156 tons, had a length of 119.3 m and a beam of 11.3 m, and could steam at 38.2 knots. The armament comprised five 12.7 cm (5 in) guns
12.7 cm SK C/34 naval gun
The 12.7 cm SK C/34 was a German medium-caliber naval gun deployed on destroyers from 1934 through the Second World War. Some of these guns remained in service until 2003 in the coastal defense units of Norway.-Characteristics:...
in single turrets, four 3.7 cm AA guns
3.7 cm SK C/30
The 3.7 cm SK C/30 was the German Kriegsmarine's primary anti-aircraft gun during the Second World War...
, six 2 cm Anti-aircraft guns
2 cm FlaK 30
The Flak 30 and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout the Second World War. It was not only the primary German light anti-aircraft gun, but by far the most numerously produced German artillery piece throughout the war...
, and eight 53.3 cm torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s. The crew numbered about 325.
Service history
The destroyer Leberecht Maass was the first destroyer to be built in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
since the First World War, with Georg Thiele laid down and launched on the same days as the former but commissioned a month and a half later. The ships of this type suffered from a number of problems. They took on large amounts of water during high seas, making the forward guns unusable, had structural weaknesses, and severe vibration caused by the engines. A new turbine system installed in the ships initially proved promising but soon disappointed and caused them to be limited to a short range, this being one of the two decisive factors against the ships during the battles of Narvik, the other being the ships' limited ammunition storage capacity.
At the outbreak of war in September 1939, the ship carried out operations in Danzig Bay
Gdansk Bay
Gdańsk Bay or the Bay of Gdańsk or Danzig Bay is a southeastern bay of the Baltic Sea. It is named after the adjacent port city of Gdańsk in Poland and is sometimes referred to as a gulf.-Geography:...
, along with the cruisers , , and .
The destroyer was one of ten ships, together with , , , , , , , and , which carried the 3rd Mountain Division, commanded by Eduard Dietl
Eduard Dietl
Eduard Dietl was a German general of World War II. He was born in Bad Aibling, Bavaria. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, to Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
, as part of Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
. The ship took part in the Battles of Narvik
Battles of Narvik
The Battles of Narvik were fought from 9 April-8 June 1940 as a naval battle in the Ofotfjord and as a land battle in the mountains surrounding the north Norwegian city of Narvik as part of the Norwegian Campaign of the Second World War....
from 10 to 13 April 1940, losing 27 of its crew in the process. On 13 April, after using up all its ammunition in the fight with the British destroyers , and , while covering the disembarkation of the crews of the other German destroyers, Georg Thiele was scuttled at Rombaksbotten after running aground. The surviving crew of the ship took part in the land fighting at Narvik in the following weeks. Max-Eckart Wolff
Max-Eckart Wolff
Eduard Hans Martin Max-Eckart Wolff was a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient during World War II...
, the last commanding officer of the ship, served as a battalion commander in the Marine-Regiment Berger during the land battle. He was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
first class in May 1940 and the Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
the following August for his leadership of Z2 at Narvik.
Parts of the bow of Georg Thiele remain visible above the water in Rombaksbotten to this day.
External links
- Zerstörer 1934 German Naval History website
- Wrecks of Narvik - wreck diving in the Narvik area