Image: Destruction of the German raider 'Leopard', disguised as the Norwegian 'Rena', 1917 RMG PU6814

Description: Destruction of the German raider 'Leopard', disguised as the Norwegian 'Rena', 1917 This vigorous, amateur watercolour by an unidentified hand - but possibly an eyewitness on one of the two British ships involved - records the end of the disguised German commerce raider 'Leopard'. She was built as the British-registered cargo vessel 'Yarrowdale' in 1912 and was captured by the famous German raider 'Möwe' on 11 December 1916 and taken to Germany. There she was fitted out as a commerce raider herself and prior to sailing on her first and only sortie was disguised as a neutral Norwegian ship with the name 'Rena', as shown here with 'Rena/Norge' and a large Norwegian flag painted on her sides. On 16 March 1917, while outbound in the Shetlands-Iceland passage, she was intercepted by the British armed boarding vessel 'Dundee'. A boarding party was sent across but the 'Leopard' launched two torpedoes at the 'Dundee' and opened fire. The 'Dundee' returned fire and there was a 30-minute close-range duel until the British armoured cruiser 'Achilles' came into range and opened fire, completing the destruction of the already badly damaged 'Leopard'. There were no survivors from the German ship and six men of the 'Dundee' boarding party were also lost. The drawing presumably shows the 'Leopard' on fire and listing under shell impact from the 'Achilles'.
Title: Destruction of the German raider 'Leopard', disguised as the Norwegian 'Rena', 1917 RMG PU6814
Credit: http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/110965
Author: Unknown authorUnknown author
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