SMS Frauenlob
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| Career (German Empire) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Frauenlob |
| Laid down: | 1901 |
| Launched: | 22 March 1902 |
| Completed: | 17 February 1903 |
| Fate: | Sunk during the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Gazelle-class light cruiser |
| Displacement: | 3,130 tonnes (3,080 long tons) |
| Length: | 104.4 m (342.5 ft) waterline; 105 m (344.5 ft) overall |
| Beam: | 12.4 m (40.7 ft) |
| Draught: | 5.62 m (18.4 ft) |
| Installed power: | 8,500 ihp (6,300 kW) |
| Propulsion: | 2 shafts, 2 Triple-expansion steam engines |
| Speed: | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Complement: | 259 |
| Armament: |
10 × 1 - 105 mm (4.1 in) guns |
| Armour: | Deck: 50 mm (2.0 in) |
SMS Frauenlob was a Gazelle-class light cruiser in the German Imperial Navy. She was the second ship of that name, after Frauenlob a schooner launched in 1853.
[edit] History
Frauenlob was built at A.G. Weser in Bremen. On 28 August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of World War I, Frauenlob saw her first action in the Battle of Heligoland Bight, when the British Harwich forces with two light cruisers and 33 destroyers under Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt raided deep into Heligoland Bight. At about 8:00 am Frauenlob and the light cruiser Stettin spotted the British force and opened fire on Tyrwhitt's flagship HMS Arethusa, rendering her severely damaged and unable to continue the battle. The British cruiser was technically superior to the old Frauenlob, but had just been put into service and was therefore not yet fully battle-ready. When Arethusa turned away, the German cruisers did not pursue her. Frauenlob had received ten hits during the encounter and suffered five dead among her crew. Together with the torpedoboat V 3 and the severely damaged minesweeper T 33 she retreated to the protection of the shore batteries on Heligoland. This saved them from running into Vice Admiral Beatty's battlecruisers that were bearing down upon the battle site and soon afterwards sank the German light cruisers SMS Köln, SMS Mainz and SMS Ariadne and the torpedoboat V 187.
During the Battle of Jutland Frauenlob was part of the IVth Scouting Squadron under Captain Ludwig von Reuter. In the course of the chaotic night action, the squadron encountered Commodore William Goodenough's 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron. The ensuing short, but violent firefight resulted in heavy damage to the British cruisers Southampton and Dublin. However, Frauenlob was hit by a torpedo fired by Southampton and by an artillery shell that ignited ammunition stored near the aft guns. She rapidly listed to port and sank, with only five of her crew of 329 surviving.
[edit] Wreck
In 2000 the wreck, largely intact, was located by Danish divers. The ship's bell was salvaged in 2001 and is now at the German Navy Memorial at Laboe near Kiel.[1] Innes McCartney reports that the wreck is upright and largely in one piece. The after mast lies in the sand with the crows nest still in place. There are a number of human skulls and bones visible on the upper deck.[2]
[edit] Notes
- ^ McCartney, Innes (1 March 2002). "In search of Jutland's wrecks". Dive Magazine. http://www.divemagazine.co.uk/news/article.asp?uan=1325. Retrieved 2009-05-30.[dead link]
- ^ "Jutland Expedition gallery 2001". http://www.periscopepublishing.com/images/Jutland%20gallery%20pages/Jutland%20exhibition.htm.
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