SMS Kaiser Friedrich III
Encyclopedia
SMS Kaiser Friedrich III ("His Majesty's Ship Emperor Friedrich III") was the lead ship
of the Kaiser Friedrich III class
of pre-dreadnought
battleship
s. She was laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft
in Wilhelmshaven
in 1895, and finished in October 1898. The ship was armed with a main battery of four 24 centimetres (9.4 in) guns in two twin gun turret
s.
After she was commissioned on 7 October 1898, the ship became the flagship
of Prince Henry in the I Squadron of the German Heimatflotte (Home Fleet). In 1901, the ship was severely damaged after striking an underwater obstacle in the Baltic, though she was subsequently repaired. The ship took part in extensive fleet maneuvers in 1900 and 1902. In 1907, the Heimatflotte was reorganized as the Hochseeflotte
. In 1908, Kaiser Friedrich III was modernized; her secondary guns were reorganized and her superstructure
was cut down to reduce top-heaviness.
Obsolete by the beginning of World War I
, Kaiser Friedrich III and her sister ships served in a limited capacity as coastal defense ships
in the V Battle Squadron in the early months of the war. By January 1915, Kaiser Friedrich was withdrawn from service and employed as a prison ship. She was scrapped in 1919, following the end of the war.
in Wilhelmshaven
, under construction number 22. She was ordered under the contract name Ersatz Preußen, to replace the elderly armored frigate . Kaiser Friedrich III was launched on 1 July 1896 and commissioned on 7 October 1898.
The ship was 125.3 m (411.1 ft) long overall and had a beam
of 20.4 m (66.9 ft) and a draft
of 7.89 m (25.9 ft) forward and 8.25 m (27.1 ft) aft. The ship was powered by three 3-cylinder vertical triple expansion engines that drove three screws. Steam was provided by four Marine-type and eight cylindrical boilers. Kaiser Friedrich IIIs powerplant was rated at 13000 ihp, which generated a top speed of 17.5 knots (34.3 km/h).
Kaiser Friedrich IIIs armament consisted of a main battery of four 24 cm (9.4 in) SK L/40 guns in twin gun turret
s,In Imperial German Navy gun nomenclature, "SK" (Schnellfeuerkanone) denotes that the gun was quick firing, while the L/40 denotes the length of the gun. In this case, the L/40 gun is 40 calibers, meaning that the gun is 40 as times long as it is in diameter. one fore and one aft of the central superstructure
. Her secondary armament consisted of eighteen 15 cm (5.9 inch) SK L/40 guns and twelve 8.8 cm (3.45 in) SK L/30 quick-firing guns. The armament suite was rounded out with six 45 cm torpedo tubes, all in above-water swivel mounts.
, so the fleet was greatly reduced in strength. Kaiser Friedrich III and her sister were the only battleships available for the maneuvers. They were joined by the armored frigates and and six and class coastal defense ships. Throughout the maneuvers, Kaiser Friedrich III was assigned to the "German" force, which had to combat a hostile "Yellow" squadron.
On 17 November 1900, Kaiser Friedrich III was steaming to Kiel after conducting exercises with the fleet. Kaiser Wilhelm II attempted to pass Kaiser Friedrich III, so the latter stopped and allowed the former to pass to port. However, the order to resume steaming was given too quickly, so the ship accidentally rammed Kaiser Wilhelm II. Kaiser Friedrich III suffered minor damage to her bow, while her sister was slightly damaged in the compartment that housed the steering engines. Repairs were completed within three days, without the need for either vessel to enter drydock.
on 2 January 1901, Kaiser Friedrich III struck an underwater obstacle while in company with Kaiser Wilhelm II. The impact damaged four of the ship's watertight compartments, which then filled with water and caused the ship to list to port. The shock from the collision damaged the ship's boilers and started a fire in the coal bunkers. All of the ship's ammunition magazines, engine rooms, and storage compartments had to be flooded in order to prevent the fire from spreading. Two men were seriously injured while fighting the fire, and a third died of his injuries. Kaiser Wilhelm II took her sister in tow, although after several hours the fire was extinguished and the engines were restarted. Throughout the incident, Prince Henry adamantly refused requests that he depart the ship, stating "I shall be the last to leave the ship."
The ships reached Kiel, where it was thoroughly examined. The dockyard workers found that eight of the ship's boilers had been badly damaged, and many bulkheads had been bent from the pressure of the water. The keel was extensively damaged, with large holes torn in several places. All three of the ship's propellers were damaged as well. Temporary repairs were effected in Kiel, which included sealing the holes with cement and wood. On 23 April the ship was moved to Wilhelmshaven, where she was completely repaired. A subsequent investigation found that the nearby lightship
—which was used to navigate the channel at night—was 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) from its assigned location, and there were several uncharted rocks in the area of the accident.
On 31 August 1902, the annual summer maneuvers were begun by the fleet. Kaiser Friedrich III was assigned to the "hostile" force, and was first tasked with preventing the "German" squadron from passing through the Great Belt
in the Baltic. Kaiser Friedrich III and several other battleships were then tasked with forcing an entry into the mouth of the Elbe River, where the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal and Hamburg
could be seized. The "hostile" flotilla accomplished these tasks within three days.
In 1903, the fleet, which was composed of only one squadron of battleships, was reorganized as the "Active Battle Fleet." Kaiser Friedrich III remained in the I Squadron along with her sister ships and the newest s, while the older ships were placed in reserve in order to be rebuilt.
s and six protected cruiser
s. The divisions were not organized by ship class, as would be the case in later years. In 1907, the newest s were coming into service; along with the s, these provided enough modern battleships to create two full battle squadrons. As a result, the Heimatflotte was renamed the Hochseeflotte
(High Seas Fleet).
In 1908, Kaiser Friedrich III was taken into drydock for an extensive modernization, which lasted until 1909. Four of her 15 cm guns were removed, though two 8.8 cm guns were added. All twelve machine guns were removed, as was the ship's stern-mounted torpedo tube. Kaiser Friedrich IIIs superstructure was also cut down to reduce the ship's tendency to roll excessively. The ship's funnels were also lengthened. Kaiser Friedrich III served with the active fleet for a total span of ten years, by which time the ship was moved to the III Squadron. However, in 1910, the new dreadnought battleships were beginning to come into service. Kaiser Friedrich III was then decommissioned and placed into reserve.
where she was used as a barracks; later that year she was again moved to Swinemünde. Kaiser Friedrich III was stricken from the navy list on 6 December 1919 and subsequently sold to a ship-breaking firm based in Berlin. The ship was ultimately broken up at Kiel-Nordmole in 1920. Her bow ornament is on display at the Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr in Dresden
.
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 Kaiser Friedrich III class
Kaiser Friedrich III class battleship
Kaiser Friedrich III class battleships were a class of pre–World War I, pre-dreadnought battleships of the German Kaiserliche Marine. The class was made up of five ships, all of which were named for German emperors...
of pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought battleship is the general term for all of the types of sea-going battleships built between the mid-1890s and 1905. Pre-dreadnoughts replaced the ironclad warships of the 1870s and 1880s...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s. She was laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft
Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven
Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven was a German shipbuilding company in Wilhelmshaven, Prussian Hanover. It was founded in 1853, first as Königliche Werft Wilhelmshaven but renamed in 1871 with the proclamation of the German Empire...
in Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
in 1895, and finished in October 1898. The ship was armed with a main battery of four 24 centimetres (9.4 in) guns in two twin gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
s.
After she was commissioned on 7 October 1898, the ship became the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of Prince Henry in the I Squadron of the German Heimatflotte (Home Fleet). In 1901, the ship was severely damaged after striking an underwater obstacle in the Baltic, though she was subsequently repaired. The ship took part in extensive fleet maneuvers in 1900 and 1902. In 1907, the Heimatflotte was reorganized as the Hochseeflotte
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
. In 1908, Kaiser Friedrich III was modernized; her secondary guns were reorganized and her superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
was cut down to reduce top-heaviness.
Obsolete by the beginning 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...
, Kaiser Friedrich III and her sister ships served in a limited capacity as coastal defense ships
Coastal defence ship
Coastal defence ships were warships built for the purpose of coastal defence, mostly during the period from 1860 to 1920. They were small, often cruiser-sized warships that sacrificed speed and range for armour and armament...
in the V Battle Squadron in the early months of the war. By January 1915, Kaiser Friedrich was withdrawn from service and employed as a prison ship. She was scrapped in 1919, following the end of the war.
Construction and design
Kaiser Friedrich IIIs keel was laid in 1895, at the Kaiserliche WerftKaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven
Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven was a German shipbuilding company in Wilhelmshaven, Prussian Hanover. It was founded in 1853, first as Königliche Werft Wilhelmshaven but renamed in 1871 with the proclamation of the German Empire...
in Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
, under construction number 22. She was ordered under the contract name Ersatz Preußen, to replace the elderly armored frigate . Kaiser Friedrich III was launched on 1 July 1896 and commissioned on 7 October 1898.
The ship was 125.3 m (411.1 ft) long overall and had a beam
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 20.4 m (66.9 ft) and a draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 7.89 m (25.9 ft) forward and 8.25 m (27.1 ft) aft. The ship was powered by three 3-cylinder vertical triple expansion engines that drove three screws. Steam was provided by four Marine-type and eight cylindrical boilers. Kaiser Friedrich IIIs powerplant was rated at 13000 ihp, which generated a top speed of 17.5 knots (34.3 km/h).
Kaiser Friedrich IIIs armament consisted of a main battery of four 24 cm (9.4 in) SK L/40 guns in twin gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
s,In Imperial German Navy gun nomenclature, "SK" (Schnellfeuerkanone) denotes that the gun was quick firing, while the L/40 denotes the length of the gun. In this case, the L/40 gun is 40 calibers, meaning that the gun is 40 as times long as it is in diameter. one fore and one aft of the central superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
. Her secondary armament consisted of eighteen 15 cm (5.9 inch) SK L/40 guns and twelve 8.8 cm (3.45 in) SK L/30 quick-firing guns. The armament suite was rounded out with six 45 cm torpedo tubes, all in above-water swivel mounts.
Service history
After commissioning, Kaiser Friedrich III was assigned to the I Squadron of the Heimatflotte (Home Fleet). Prince Henry—the commander in chief of the I Squadron—raised his flag aboard Kaiser Friedrich III. From 15 August 1900 to 15 September, the Heimatflotte conducted a series of fleet maneuvers in the North and Baltic seas. The four s were deployed to China to assist in the suppression of the Boxer RebellionBoxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
, so the fleet was greatly reduced in strength. Kaiser Friedrich III and her sister were the only battleships available for the maneuvers. They were joined by the armored frigates and and six and class coastal defense ships. Throughout the maneuvers, Kaiser Friedrich III was assigned to the "German" force, which had to combat a hostile "Yellow" squadron.
On 17 November 1900, Kaiser Friedrich III was steaming to Kiel after conducting exercises with the fleet. Kaiser Wilhelm II attempted to pass Kaiser Friedrich III, so the latter stopped and allowed the former to pass to port. However, the order to resume steaming was given too quickly, so the ship accidentally rammed Kaiser Wilhelm II. Kaiser Friedrich III suffered minor damage to her bow, while her sister was slightly damaged in the compartment that housed the steering engines. Repairs were completed within three days, without the need for either vessel to enter drydock.
Collision, 1901
While en route from Danzig to KielKiel
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...
on 2 January 1901, Kaiser Friedrich III struck an underwater obstacle while in company with Kaiser Wilhelm II. The impact damaged four of the ship's watertight compartments, which then filled with water and caused the ship to list to port. The shock from the collision damaged the ship's boilers and started a fire in the coal bunkers. All of the ship's ammunition magazines, engine rooms, and storage compartments had to be flooded in order to prevent the fire from spreading. Two men were seriously injured while fighting the fire, and a third died of his injuries. Kaiser Wilhelm II took her sister in tow, although after several hours the fire was extinguished and the engines were restarted. Throughout the incident, Prince Henry adamantly refused requests that he depart the ship, stating "I shall be the last to leave the ship."
The ships reached Kiel, where it was thoroughly examined. The dockyard workers found that eight of the ship's boilers had been badly damaged, and many bulkheads had been bent from the pressure of the water. The keel was extensively damaged, with large holes torn in several places. All three of the ship's propellers were damaged as well. Temporary repairs were effected in Kiel, which included sealing the holes with cement and wood. On 23 April the ship was moved to Wilhelmshaven, where she was completely repaired. A subsequent investigation found that the nearby lightship
Lightship
Lightship may refer to:* Lightvessel, a permanently moored ship that has light beacons mounted as navigational aids* Light displacement, a displacement figure that measures a ship complete in all respects, but without consumables, stores, cargo, crew, and effects*Lightship, a type of blimp operated...
—which was used to navigate the channel at night—was 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) from its assigned location, and there were several uncharted rocks in the area of the accident.
On 31 August 1902, the annual summer maneuvers were begun by the fleet. Kaiser Friedrich III was assigned to the "hostile" force, and was first tasked with preventing the "German" squadron from passing through the Great Belt
Great Belt
The Great Belt is a strait between the main Danish islands of Zealand and Funen . Effectively dividing Denmark in two, the Belt was served by the Great Belt ferries from the late 19th century until the islands were connected by the Great Belt Fixed Link in 1997–98.-Geography:The Great Belt is the...
in the Baltic. Kaiser Friedrich III and several other battleships were then tasked with forcing an entry into the mouth of the Elbe River, where the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal and Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
could be seized. The "hostile" flotilla accomplished these tasks within three days.
In 1903, the fleet, which was composed of only one squadron of battleships, was reorganized as the "Active Battle Fleet." Kaiser Friedrich III remained in the I Squadron along with her sister ships and the newest s, while the older ships were placed in reserve in order to be rebuilt.
Fleet reorganization, 1905
In October 1905, the Heimatflotte was again reorganized; Kaiser Friedrich III was reassigned to the I Division of the II Squadron, alongside her sister-ship and the older battleship . The Heimatflotte in 1905 consisted of another division of three battleships in the II Squadron and two more three-ship divisions in the I Squadron. This was supported by a cruiser division, composed of two armored cruiserArmored cruiser
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like other types of cruiser, the armored cruiser was a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship, and fast enough to outrun any battleships it encountered.The first...
s and six protected cruiser
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
s. The divisions were not organized by ship class, as would be the case in later years. In 1907, the newest s were coming into service; along with the s, these provided enough modern battleships to create two full battle squadrons. As a result, the Heimatflotte was renamed the Hochseeflotte
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
(High Seas Fleet).
In 1908, Kaiser Friedrich III was taken into drydock for an extensive modernization, which lasted until 1909. Four of her 15 cm guns were removed, though two 8.8 cm guns were added. All twelve machine guns were removed, as was the ship's stern-mounted torpedo tube. Kaiser Friedrich IIIs superstructure was also cut down to reduce the ship's tendency to roll excessively. The ship's funnels were also lengthened. Kaiser Friedrich III served with the active fleet for a total span of ten years, by which time the ship was moved to the III Squadron. However, in 1910, the new dreadnought battleships were beginning to come into service. Kaiser Friedrich III was then decommissioned and placed into reserve.
World War I
At the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, Kaiser Friedrich III and her sisters were brought back to active service and mobilized as the V Battle Squadron. They were assigned to coastal defense in the Baltic, though they served in this capacity for a very short time. In February 1915, they were again withdrawn from service and placed in reserve. Kaiser Friedrich III was used as a floating prison stationed in Kiel after 1916. The following year, the ship was moved to FlensburgFlensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
where she was used as a barracks; later that year she was again moved to Swinemünde. Kaiser Friedrich III was stricken from the navy list on 6 December 1919 and subsequently sold to a ship-breaking firm based in Berlin. The ship was ultimately broken up at Kiel-Nordmole in 1920. Her bow ornament is on display at the Military History Museum of the Bundeswehr in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
.