SMS Tegetthoff
Encyclopedia
SMS Tegetthoff was an Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
dreadnought
Dreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
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...
of the Tegetthoff class
Tegetthoff class battleship
The Tegetthoff-class was the sole class of dreadnought battleship built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Four ships were built, SMS Viribus Unitis, SMS Tegetthoff, SMS Prinz Eugen and SMS Szent Istvan...
named after Wilhelm von Tegetthoff
Wilhelm von Tegetthoff
Wilhelm von Tegetthoff was an Austrian admiral. Considered one of the prominent naval commanders of the 19th century, Tegetthoff was known for his innovative tactics as well as his inspirational leadership....
, a 19th-century Austrian admiral most notable for defeating the Italian Navy
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
in the Battle of Lissa
Battle of Lissa (1866)
The Battle of Lissa took place on 20 July 1866 in the Adriatic Sea near the Dalmatian island of Lissa and was a decisive victory for an outnumbered Austrian Empire force over a superior Italian force...
.
Tegetthoff was built at the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino was a private shipbuilding company based in Trieste from the mid-19th to early 20th century, and the most important naval shipbuilding firm of the Austro-Hungarian Empire....
yard in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
as part of the first and only class of dreadnought battleships in the Austro-Hungarian Navy. After her construction in 1912, an earlier armoured battleship named SMS Tegetthoff
SMS Tegetthoff (1878)
SMS Tegetthoff was a Central-battery ironclad of the Austro-Hungarian navy. The ship was laid down in 1876, launched in 1878, and commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian fleet in 1881. Tegetthoffs career was rather limited; after 1897 she was used as a guard ship in Pola. In 1912 she was renamed...
was renamed SMS Mars.
During 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...
, Tegetthoff participated in the bombardment of the Italian city of Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
. She remained in port in Pola for the rest of the war until she participated in an ill-fated raid on the Otranto Barrage in 1918 that resulted in the loss of her sister ship, Szent István. Following the end of the war in late 1918, Tegetthoff was surrendered to Italy and later scrapped in 1924.
Characteristics
Tegetthoff was ordered by the Austro-Hungarian Navy in 1908. She was the second battleship of the class that shared her name to be built, Tegetthoff-class, the first dreadnoughts of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. The keel of Tegetthoff was laid down in Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino shipyard in Trieste on 24 September 1910. Following a year and a half of construction, Tegetthoff was launched on 21 March 1912. Following her fitting out, she was commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian navy on 14 July 1913.The ship had an overall length of 152 metre, 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 27.9 metre, and a draught of 8.7 metre at deep load. She displaced 20000 tonnes (19,684 LT) at load and 21689 tonnes (21,346.4 LT) at deep load.
The propulsion consisted of four Parsons steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
s, each of which was housed in a separate engine-room. The turbines were powered by twelve Babcock & Wilcox
Babcock and Wilcox
The Babcock & Wilcox Company is a U.S.-based company that provides design, engineering, manufacturing, construction and facilities management services to nuclear, renewable, fossil power, industrial and government customers worldwide. B&W's boilers supply more than 300,000 megawatts of installed...
boilers. The turbines were designed to produce a total of 27000 shp, which was theoretically enough to attain her designed speed of 20 kn (24.4 mph; 39.2 km/h), but no figures from her speed trials are known to exist. She carried 1844.5 tonnes (1,815.4 LT) of coal, and an additional 267.2 tonnes (263 LT) of fuel oil
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
that was to be sprayed on the coal to increase its burn rate. At full capacity, she could steam for 4200 nautical miles (7,778.4 km) at a speed of 10 kn (12.2 mph; 19.6 km/h).
Her armament consisted of twelve 305 millimetres (12 in)/45-caliber
Caliber (artillery)
In artillery, caliber or calibredifference in British English and American English spelling is the internal diameter of a gun barrel, or by extension a relative measure of the length....
K 10 guns in four triple turrets
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...
. Her secondary armament consisted of twelve 150 millimetres (5.9 in)/50 K 10 guns mounted in casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s amidships. Eighteen 70 millimetres (3 in)/50 K 10 guns were mounted on open pivots on the upper deck above the casemates. Three more 66-mm K 10 guns were mounted on the upper turrets for anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
duties. Four 530 millimetres (20.9 in) submerged 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 were fitted, one each in the bow, stern and on each broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
; twelve torpedoes were carried.
The waterline armour belt
Belt armor
Belt armor is a layer of heavy metal armor plated on to or within outer hulls of warships, typically on battleships, battlecruisers and cruisers, and on aircraft carriers converted from those types of ships....
of Tegetthoff measured 280 millimetres (11 in) thick between the midpoints of the fore and aft barbettes and thinned to 150 millimetres (5.9 in) further towards the bow and stern, but did not reach either the bow or the stern. It was continued to the bow by a small patch of 110–130 mm (4.3–5.1 ) armour. The upper armour belt had a maximum thickness of 180 millimetres (7.1 in), but it thinned to 110 millimetres (4.3 in) from the forward barbette all the way to the bow. The casemate armour was also 180 millimetres (7.1 in) thick. The sides of the main gun turrets, barbettes and main conning tower were protected by 280 millimetres (11 in) of armour, except for the turret and conning tower roofs which were 60 to 150 mm (2.4 to 5.9 ) thick. The thickness of the decks ranged from 30 to 48 mm (1.2 to 1.9 ) in two layers. The underwater protection system consisted of the extension of the double bottom up to the lower edge of the waterline armour belt, with a thin 10 millimetre (0.393700787401575 in) plate acting as the outermost bulkhead. It was backed by a torpedo bulkhead
Torpedo bulkhead
A torpedo bulkhead is a type of armor common on the more heavily armored warships, especially battleships and battlecruisers of the early 20th century. It is designed to keep the ship afloat even if the hull was struck underneath the belt armor by a shell or by a torpedo...
that consisted of two layered 25-millimetre plates. The total thickness of this system was only 1.6 metre which made it incapable of containing a torpedo warhead detonation or mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
explosion without rupturing.
World War I
Otranto Barrage
The Otranto Barrage was an Allied naval blockade of the Otranto Straits between Brindisi in Italy and Corfu on the Albanian side of the Adriatic Sea in World War I. The blockade was intended to prevent the Austro-Hungarian Navy from escaping into the Mediterranean and threatening Allied operations...
which prohibited Austro-Hungarian battleships from leaving the Adriatic sea. As a result, she hardly ever left Pola.
Tegetthoff, along with her sister ships Viribus Unitis, Prinz Eugen, and the remainder of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, was mobilized on the eve of World War I to support the flight of and . The two German ships were stationed in the Mediterranean and were attempting to break out of the strait of Messina, which was surrounded by British troops and vessels and make their way to Turkey. After the Germans successfully broke out of Messina, the navy was recalled. The fleet had by that time advanced as far south as Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
in south eastern Italy. Tegetthoff also participated in the bombardment of the Italian city of Ancona in May 1915. Following these operations Tegetthoff remained in Pola for most of the remainder of the war.
Aside from the pursuit of the Goeben and Breslau
Pursuit of Goeben and Breslau
The pursuit of Goeben and Breslau was a naval action that occurred in the Mediterranean Sea at the outbreak of the First World War when elements of the British Mediterranean Fleet attempted to intercept the German Mittelmeerdivision comprising the battlecruiser and the light cruiser...
in the early months of the war, Tegetthoff and her sister ships only conducted one operation during the course of the war until the ill fated attack on the Otranto barrage in 1918, the bombardment of Ancona
Bombardment of Ancona
The Bombardment of Ancona was a naval engagement of the First World War between the navies of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Forces of the Austro-Hungarian Navy attacked and bombarded military and civilian targets all across Ancona in central Italy and several other nearby islands and...
following Italy's deceleration of war on Austria-Hungary in May 1915.
Though she would remain in port for another three years, Tegetthoffs stay in Pola was livened up by a visit from the new Emperor Karl I on 15 December 1916 and another by the German Kaiser Wilhem II on 12 December 1917 during his inspection of the German submarine base in the port city. The Italian Air Force conducted over eighty air raids on Pola between 1915 and 1917 which undoubtedly resulted in much action for the crews of her anti-aircraft guns.
The Otranto Raid
Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...
decided to conduct another attack on the Otranto Barrage
Otranto Barrage
The Otranto Barrage was an Allied naval blockade of the Otranto Straits between Brindisi in Italy and Corfu on the Albanian side of the Adriatic Sea in World War I. The blockade was intended to prevent the Austro-Hungarian Navy from escaping into the Mediterranean and threatening Allied operations...
, similar to the Otranto Raid from December 1916, to allow more German and Austro-Hungarian U-boats to safely get through the heavily defended strait of Otranto. During the night of 8 June, Horthy left the naval base of Pola with the Viribus Unitis and the Prinz Eugen. Tegetthoff and her sister ship Szent István
SMS Szent István
SMS Szent István was a dreadnought , the only one built in the Hungarian part of Austria-Hungary. The Ganz & Company's Danubius yard in Hungarian-owned Fiume was awarded the contract to build the battleship in return for the Hungarian government agreeing to the 1910 and 1911 naval budgets...
, along with one 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...
and six torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s departed Pola on 9 June. At about 3:15 on the morning of 10 June, two Italian
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
MAS boats
MAS (boat)
Motoscafo Armato Silurante , commonly abbreviated as MAS was a class of fast torpedo armed vessel used by the Regia Marina during World War I and World War II...
, MAS 15 and MAS 21, spotted the Austrian fleet steaming south. The MAS platoon was commanded by Capitano di fregata
Frigate Captain
Frigate captain is a naval rank in the naval forces of several countries.It is, usually, equivalent to the Commonwealth/US Navy rank of commander.Countries using this rank include Argentina and Spain , France , Belgium , Italy ,...
Luigi Rizzo
Luigi Rizzo
Luigi Rizzo, Conte di Grado e di Premuda was an Italian naval officer. He is famous for sinking the Austro-Hungarian battleship SMS Szent István in June 1918.-Biography:...
while the individual boats were commanded by Capo timoniere Armando Gori and Guardiamarina di complemento
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
Giuseppe Aonzo
Giuseppe Aonzo
Giuseppe Aonzo was an Italian sailor famous for his involvement in the Battle of Premuda.- Life and career :Born in Savona he become a sailor as a teenager, in 1907 he was drafted into the Italian Navy , after two years he was discharged from service and he started his career as sea captain...
respectively. Both boats successfully penetrated the escort screen and split to engage each of the dreadnoughts. MAS 21 attacked Tegetthoff, but her torpedoes missed the battleship. Despite missing Tegetthoff, the other boat, MAS 15, managed to hit Tegetthoffs sister ship Szent István with her torpedoes at about 3:25 AM. Both boats were then chased away from the scene by Austrian escort vessels. Immediately following the attack, Tegetthoff thought that the torpedoes were fired by submarines instead of MAS boats and pulled out of the formation of battleships and destroyers and began to zigzag
Zigzag
A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular....
to throw off any more possible submarine attacks. She continually fired on suspected submarine periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
s until she rejoined the Szent István at 4:45.
Following the Szent István being hit by torpedoes and Tegetthoff pulling out of formation, Tegetthoff attempted to take the crippled Szent István into tow. However this attempt, as well as training the ship's turrets and placing her crew to port as well as throwing any ready ammunition overboard failed and the battleship continued to sink. The attempt to tow the Szent István was then abandoned. A few minutes after 6:00 AM the Szent István capsized and sank. Admiral Horthy soon canceled the attack because he thought that the Italians had discovered his plan and ordered the ships to return to Pola. On the contrary the Italians did not even discover that the Austrian dreadnoughts had departed Pola until later on 10 June when aerial reconnaissance photos revealed that they were no longer there. This was the last military operation that Tegetthoff was to take part in and she spent the rest of her career at port in Pola.
After the war, Tegetthoff was moved to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
where she was shown as a war trophy by the Italians. During that time period, she starred in the movie Eroi di nostri mari which depicts the sinking of her sister ship. From 1924 to 1925, she was scrapped
Ship breaking
Ship breaking or ship demolition is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships for scrap recycling. Most ships have a lifespan of a few decades before there is so much wear that refitting and repair becomes uneconomical. Ship breaking allows materials from the ship, especially...
at La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
.