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Imperial German Navy Deployment, 1914The first part is a contribution by by Doug Thompson (doug_thompson@adg.ardemgaz.com), with his own comments interspersed throughout. It is supplemented in the second half of this page by Dave Alton. From Doug Thompson: Sources:
THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE KAISERLICHE MARINE IN AUGUST, 1914Fleet Flag: BB: Frederich der Grosse 1st Battle Squadron 3rd Battle Squadron (incomplete: waiting for Konigs to join.) 1st Scouting Group 2nd Scouting Group 3rd Scouting Group AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL PATROL and OTHER DUTIES DESTROYER FLOTILLAS "1912" DF "1911" "1910" "1909" "1908" "1907" "1906" FLEET MINESWEEPERS Minelayers LOCAL PATROL FLOTILLAS SUBMARINES 3rd SSF 2nd SSF 1st SSF MEDITERRANEAN DIVISION (Pola) BALTIC FLEET ATTACHED to Baltic Fleet FAR EAST SQUADRON FOREIGN STATIONS NEW SHIPS IN TRAINING (Baltic) RESERVE SHIPS 5th Battle Squadron (Baltic?) 6th Battle Squadron (Baltic?) COASTAL FORCES Fishery Protection Coast Defense Harbor Defense with reduced armament Ditto, in the North Sea (T25-T72 collided in the NS on 11.06.14, so it seems a safe guess they were stationed there.) TB: T24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30 Baltic Where? North Sea (Minesweeping) (Minesweeping and Tending) (Training; probably in Baltic) First of all, I forgot to mention the S 90 - the only German warship to my knowledge that ever engaged and sank a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The old Japanese cruiser/converted minelayer "Takachiho" was torpedoed by the S 90 in Chinese waters soon after the war began. The sinking caused at least 264 deaths. German navy gunboats helped shore batteries shell the grounded IJN destroyer "Shirotae" later, and the Japanese "Torpedo Boat 33" sank after hitting a German mine. But unless there's a case I do not know about, the tiny S 90-Takachiho incident was the only time the navies of Germany and Japan ever fought each other. Obviously, the S 90 should be included in my "Fleets 1914" listing for the East Asia Squadron for Germany, along with the DD "Taku." Finally, Donald W. Mitchell's "A History of Russian and Soviet Sea Power" (1974) should be listed as a source. I could not remember where I got the names of the German Baltic Fleet light cruisers. I found them again while looking at Mitchell's book on the Russians. The High Seas Fleet 2nd August 1914 Contributed by Dave Alton (dave@altond.freeserve.co.uk). He lists his sources at the bottom. North Sea Fleet Flagship (Admiral von Ingenohl): Battleship Friedrich der Grosse 1st. Squadron (Vice Admiral von Lans): (1st Division) Battleship Ostfriesland (Flagship) Battleship Helgoland Battleship Thuringen Battleship Oldenburg (2nd Division) Battleship Posen (2nd Flag, Rear Admiral Gadeke) Battleship Westfalen Battleship Rheinland Battleship Nassau 2nd. Squadron (Vice Admiral Scheer): (1st Division) Battleship Preussen (Flagship) Battleship Hessen Battleship Lothringen Battleship Deutschland (2nd Division) Battleship Hannover (2nd Flag, Commodore Mauve) Battleship Pommern Battleship Schleswig-Holstein Battleship Schlesien 3rd. Squadron (Rear Admiral Funke -2nd Flag, Rear Admiral. Schaumann in Konig on completion): Battleship Prinzregent Luitpold (Flagship) Battleship Kaiser Battleship Kaiserin Battleship Konig Albert Battleship Grosser Kurfürst (1) 4th. Squadron (Vice Admiral Eberhardt Schmidt): (1st Division) Battleship Wittelsbach (Flagship) Battleship Wettin Battleship Schwaben Battleship Mecklenburg (2nd Division) Battleship Braunschweig (2nd Flag, Rear Admiral Alberts) Battleship Elsass Battleship Zahringen 5th. Squadron (Vice Admiral Grabow): (1st Division) Battleship Kaiser Wilhelm II (Flagship) Battleship Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse Battleship Kaiser Barbarossa (2nd Division) Battleship Kaiser Friedrich III (2nd Flag, Commodore Begas) Battleship Kaiser Karl der Grosse Battleship Worth Battleship Brandenburg 6th. Squadron (Rear Admiral Eckermann): (1st Division) Coast Defence Ship Hildebrand (Flagship) Coast Defence Ship Heimdall Coast Defence Ship Hagen Coast Defence Ship Frithjof (2nd Division) Coast Defence Ship Agir (2nd Flag, Rear Admiral Behring) Coast Defence Ship Odin Coast Defence Ship Beowulf Coast Defence Ship Siegfried 1st. Scouting Group (Rear Admiral Hipper): Battlecruiser Seydlitz (Flagship) Battlecruiser Moltke Battlecruiser von der Tann Armoured Cruiser Blucher Battlecruiser Derfflinger (2) 2nd. Scouting Group (Rear Admiral Maas): Light Cruiser Koln (Flagship) Light Cruiser Mainz Light Cruiser Stralsund Light Cruiser Kolberg Light Cruiser Rostock (3) Light Cruiser Strassburg Light Cruiser Graudenz (from 10/8/14) 3rd. Scouting Group (from 25th August 1914 4th. Scouting Group): Light Cruiser Munchen (Flagship) Light Cruiser Danzig Light Cruiser Stuttgart Light Cruiser Hela Light Cruiser Frauenlob 4th. Scouting Group (from 25th August 1914 3rd. Scouting Group) (Rear Admiral Rebeur-Paschwitz): Armoured Cruiser Roon (Flagship) Armoured Cruiser Yorck Armoured Cruiser Prinz Aldalbert (4) Armoured Cruiser Prinz Heinrich 5th. Scouting Group (from mid August 1914 in the Baltic command) (Rear Admiral Jasper): (5) Protected Cruiser Hansa (Flagship) Protected Cruiser Vineta Protected Cruiser Victoria Louise Protected Cruiser Hertha Torpedo Boat Flotillas. (6) 1st Flotilla, Flotilla Leader V187. 1st Half Flotilla V191 (leader), V188, V189, V190, G197. 2nd Half Flotilla G196 (leader) G192, G193, G194, G195. 2nd Flotilla, Flotilla Leader S149. 3rd Half Flotilla S143 (leader, sank 3/8/14 replaced by S138), S139, S140, S141, S142. 4th Half Flotilla S144 (leader), S145, S146, S147, S148. 3rd Flotilla, Flotilla Leader S167. 5th Half Flotilla V162 (leader), V163, V164, S165, S166. 6th Half Flotilla G173 (leader), S168, S169, G170, G172. 4th Flotilla, Flotilla Leader G113. 7th Half Flotilla S119 (leader) S115, S116, S117, S118. 8th Half Flotilla G108 (leader), G109, G110, G111, G112. 5th Flotilla, Flotilla Leader G12. 9th Half Flotilla V6 (leader), V2, V3, V4, V5. 10th Half Flotilla G11 (leader), G7, G8, G9, G10. 6th Flotilla, Flotilla Leader V161, 11th Half Flotilla V151 (leader), V152, V153, V154, V155. 12th Half Flotilla V156 (leader), V157, V158, V159, V160. 7th Flotilla, Flotilla Leader S24. 13th Half Flotilla S14 (leader), S15, S16, S17, S18. 14th Half Flotilla S19 (leader), S20, S21, S22, S23. 8th Flotilla, Flotilla Leader G175. 15th Half flotilla S128 (leader), S121, S126, S130, S131. 16th Half Flotilla S176 (leader), S177, S179, S120, G134. U-Boat Flotillas. (7) 1st U-Boat Flotilla, light cruiser Hamburg (flotilla leader). 1st Half flotilla V150 (leader), replaced by S122 12/8/14, U5, U6*, U7, U8, U9, U10, U11*. 2nd Half Flotilla S99 (leader), U12*, U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U18. 2nd U-Boat Flotilla, light cruiser Stettin (flotilla leader). 3rd Half Flotilla S100 (leader), U19, U20, U21, U22, U24. 4th Half Flotilla S101 (leader) U23, U25, U26* U27, U28, U29 to join on completion. (* u-boats refitting) Mine Warfare 1st Minesweeping Division D3 (leader), T24, T38, T42, T43, T44, T45, T74, T75, T76, T77, T78, T79, T80, T81. 2nd Minesweeping Division D6 (leader), T28, T30, T39, T46, T47, T49, T50, T51, T52, T53, T54, T55, T56, T57. 3rd Minesweeping Division D8 (leader), T25, T29, T31, T33, T34, T35, T36, T37, T40, T41, T71, T72, T73. 1 Auxiliary minesweeper division with 8 fishing boats Minelayers Albatross, Nautilus and Pelikhan. Auxiliary Minelayers (9) Auxiliary Cruisers Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse and Victoria Luise converting. Tenders (attached to fleet flagship, battle squadrons etc.), D4, D5, = S96, S98, T11, T14, T15, T20, T70, T88, T89. Diverse Auxiliary fleet support vessels. Outpost Flotilla North Sea: 50 armed fishing boats
Coast Defence Division Ems: Light Cruiser Arcona (leader) Torpedo boats D9, T85, T87 14 armed fishing boats Coast Defence Division Jade/Weser: Light Cruiser Ariadne (leader) Light Cruiser Berlin Light Cruiser Niobe Fishery Protection Ship Zieten Tender Drache Tender Hay Special Duty Ship Blitz Torpedo boats D2 (Alice Roosevelt), S103, S107, T61, T62, T66, T68. Jade and Wilhelmshaven auxillary minesweeping divisions (30 armed fishing boats) Coast Defence Division Elbe: Light Cruiser Nymphe (leader) Light Cruiser Medusa Tender Fuchs Tender Pfeil Torpedoboats S92, S114, T59, T64, T67, T69 Survey Ship Hyane Cuxhaven auxillary minesweeping division Outpost Half Flotilla Helgoland: Auxiliary (sea traffic control) Helga Torpedoboats D7, T82, T83, T84, T86 Baltic Coast Defence Group Baltic (Grand Admiral Prinz Heinrich von Preussen, Rear Admiral Mischke commanded at sea, replaced late August by Rear Admiral Behring) Armoured Cruiser Friedrich Carl (9) Light Cruiser Augsburg Light Cruiser Magdeburg Light Cruiser Amazone Light Cruiser Lubeck Light Cruiser Thetis Light Cruiser Gazelle Light Cruiser Undine Protected Cruiser Freya (10) Gunboat Panther Torpedo boats V25, V26, V186, S127, S102, S97 (Sleipner), S94, S93, S91, D1 (Carmen) U-Boat Flotilla, D10(leader), U1, U3, U4, UA. (11) Auxiliary Minelayers (12) Diverse fleet support auxillaries Outpost Half Flotilla Kiel/Eider: Tender Delphin Torpedoboats T27, T58, T60, T63, T65 Survey Ship Hyane Auxiliary Minelayer Primus Kiel auxiliary minesweeping division
Overseas East Asia Squadron (Vice Admiral Graf Spee): Armoured Cruiser Scharnhorst (Flagship) Armoured Cruiser Gneisenau Light Cruiser Emden Light Cruiser Leipzig Light Cruiser Nurnberg Gunboat Iltis Gunboat Jaguar Gunboat Tiger Gunboat Luchs River Gunboat Vaterland (Nanking) River Gunboat Otter (Nanking) River Gunboat Tsingtau (Canton) Torpedoboat S 90 Old Cruiser Cormoran (laid up) Auxiliary Cruisers Prinz Eitel Friedrich and Cormoran (ex Rjasan) converting. . Mediterranean Division (Rear Admiral Souchon): Battlecruiser Goeben Light Cruiser Breslau Station ship Loreley (Constantinople) East and West America Station Light Cruiser Karlsruhe Light Cruiser Dresden Auxiliary Cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm (armed by Karlsruhe 6th August 1914) East African Station Light Cruiser Konigsberg Survey Ship Möwe West African Station Gunboat Eber (armed Cap Trafalgar 31st August 1914) South Seas Station Old Cruiser Geier Survey Ship Planet Notes. (1). Grosser Kurfurst commissioned for trials on the 31/7/14 but was not operational until 9/14. The commissioning and operational dates for her sisters are, Konig 10/8/14 - 1/15, Markgraf 1/10/14 - 1/15, Kronprinz 8/11/14 - 2/15. (2). Derfflinger commissioned for trials 1/9/14, operational 11/14. (3). Rostock, during fleet operations, was attached to the battlefleet as 1st Leader of Torpedo Boats. Kolberg was later designated 2nd Leader of Torpedo Boats with the scouting groups. (4). Prinz Adalbert was detached to the Baltic group in late Aug. 1914. (5). The ships of the 5th. Scouting Group were all decommissioned in Nov.1914, as no longer fit for first line service and were returned to training duties. (6). Additional information on torpedo boats is as follows:- 9th Flotilla, this formed in Oct.1914, with the new large boats of the 1913 programme, V25-30 and S31-36. 19th Half Flotilla, in the western Baltic in Oct.1914 was, G134 (leader), S127, S125, S123, S120, S102, and S97. I am still researching the disposition of the remaining boats. Information I have states that V1 andS13 were part of the 5th flotilla at Heligoland, presumably to replace boats under refit. Other boats not identified in the list, or these notes, may have been part of the training forces, under refit or left in reserve. Note that the old, small torpedo boats S58-S89 were not re-numbered in the T series until 4/9/14, (together with S91- S113). However I have shown them as in the T series, so as to differentiate between them and the 'fleet' boats. (7). During fleet operations Hamburg was attached as Leader of U-Boats to the 4th Scouting Group. After Heligoland, Stettin transfered to the 4th Scouting Group. Berlin also transfered to the 4th Scouting Group during the Autumn. (8). Auxillary minelayers for the North Sea included Konigin Luise, Kaiser, Preussen and Apollo. Most were converted ferries or holiday excursion ships. Preussen and Apollo soon returned to trade. (9). Friedrich Carl was under refit until 21/8/14, the remaining armoured cruiser Furst Bismarck was not commissioned until 28/11/14, (with the crew from the Friedrich Carl?), but her poor condition meant she was soon re-assigned to training duties. (10). Freya was decommissioned 23/8/14, due to her poor condition. (11). U1 was employed for local defence at Kiel, U2 was under going a major refit, UA (ex Norwegian A5) completed 14/8/14. (12). These included Deutschland, Odin, Hertha, Silvania, Prinz Sigismund, Prinz Waldemar and Prinz Adalbart. Pre-war careers were similar to the North Sea auxillary minelayers. Many of the older battleships and cruisers did not complete their commissioning until September. Comments and References The above fleet list is based on "Die Deutsche Hochseeflotte am 2. August 1914" which is to be found here,. This, although an excellent article and which filled a number of gaps in my own knowledge, has to my mind a number of errors and omissions. These I have attempted to correct and I have added a number of pertinent notes and comments. The original is in German, which I do not speak or read, apart from a knowledge of naval terminology. Any changes from the original are my responsibility. I also used a copy of the "Rangliste der Kaiserliche Marine" for 1914. Much additional information and confirmation came from fleet lists in the Polish language book 'Pierwsza Wojina Swiatowa Na Morzu' by Jan Gozdawa-Golebiowski and Tadeusz Wywerka Prekurat. I have also used numerous other sources, (mostly books: Conways, Groener, Campbell, Halpern, Goldrick, Pavlovich etc. and some internet sites) to help amend the original. To save space I have not listed these in full but would be happy to provide a list if requested. I would welcome any comments, additions or corrections. Source links to WWI The Maritime War Source links to WWI Archive main page. Last Updated: 16 January, 2000.
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