SMS Dresden (1917) facts for kids
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SMS Dresden in Scapa Flow
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 German Empire |
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| Name | Dresden |
| Namesake | Dresden |
| Builder | Blohm und Voss |
| Laid down | 1916 |
| Launched | 25 April 1917 |
| Commissioned | 28 March 1918 |
| Fate | Scuttled in Scapa Flow in 1919 |
| Status | Wreck remains in Scapa Flow |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Cöln-class light cruiser |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 155.5 m (510 ft) |
| Beam | 14.2 m (47 ft) |
| Draft | 6.01 m (19.7 ft) |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 27.5 knots (50.9 km/h; 31.6 mph) |
| Range | 5,400 nmi (10,000 km; 6,200 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Complement |
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| Armament |
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| Armor |
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The SMS Dresden was a German warship, a type of light cruiser. It was the second and last ship of its kind, called the Cöln class class, to be finished and join the German Navy (the Kaiserliche Marine). Work on the Dresden started in 1916. It was launched on April 25, 1917, and officially joined the High Seas Fleet on March 28, 1918.
The Dresden and its sister ship, the Cöln, were the only two ships of their class to be completed. Eight other ships planned for this class were never finished and were scrapped instead. These ships were a slightly improved version of the earlier Königsberg-class cruisers.
The Dresden joined the fleet just eight months before World War I ended. Because of this, it didn't see much action in battles. It took part in one mission to Norway to try and attack British ships, but they didn't find any and returned to port. The Dresden was supposed to be part of a big final attack in the war's last days. However, a revolt among the sailors stopped the plan. After the war, the ship was held in Scapa Flow, Scotland. It was then sunk by its own crew on June 21, 1919, following orders from the fleet commander, Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter.
Contents
Ship Design and Features
The Dresden was a long ship, measuring about 155.5 meters (510 ft) from front to back. It was 14.2 m (47 ft) wide and sat 6.01 m (19.7 ft) deep in the water at the front. The ship weighed about 5,620 t (5,530 long tons) normally, and up to 7,486 t (7,368 long tons; 8,252 short tons) when fully loaded.
Its engines used two steam turbines to power two propellers. These engines got their steam from eight coal-fired and six oil-fired boilers. The smoke from these boilers went out through three tall funnels in the middle of the ship. The engines were powerful, designed to make the ship go as fast as 27.5 kn (50.9 km/h; 31.6 mph). It could travel about 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at a slower speed of 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph). The ship's crew included 17 officers and 542 sailors.
The Dresden was armed with eight 15 cm (5.9 in) guns. Two of these were at the front, four were in the middle (two on each side), and two were at the back, placed one above the other. These guns could shoot targets up to 17,600 m (57,700 ft) away. The ship also had three 8.8 cm (3.5 in) anti-aircraft guns to shoot down planes, though one was removed in 1918. For underwater attacks, it had two 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes and carried 200 mines.
To protect itself, the ship had an armored belt along its waterline that was 60 mm (2.4 in) thick. The command center, called the conning tower, had sides that were 100 mm (3.9 in) thick. The main deck was also covered with 60 mm (2.4 in) thick armor.
Service History of SMS Dresden
The Dresden was built at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg. It was launched in April 1917 and joined the High Seas Fleet in March 1918. It was the very last light cruiser built by the German Navy during World War I. After joining the fleet, the Dresden became part of the Second Scouting Group. This group included other cruisers like the Königsberg, Pillau, Graudenz, Nürnberg, and Karlsruhe.
Fleet Operations in 1918
The ships were ready for a big fleet operation to Norway on April 23–24, 1918. The plan was for the scouting groups and torpedo boats to attack a British convoy (a group of ships traveling together) heading to Norway. The rest of the German fleet would provide support. However, the German ships couldn't find the convoy because it had already sailed the day before. So, Admiral Reinhard Scheer called off the mission, and the ships returned to port.
In October 1918, the Dresden and the rest of its scouting group were meant to lead a final attack on the British navy. The Dresden, Cöln, Pillau, and Königsberg were supposed to attack merchant ships near the Thames Estuary. Other ships in the group would bombard targets in Flanders. The goal was to make the British Grand Fleet come out and fight, so Germany could cause as much damage as possible.
Sailor's Revolt and Scuttling
On October 29, 1918, the order was given to sail the next day. But that night, sailors on the battleship Thüringen and other ships started a revolt. This unrest forced Admirals Franz von Hipper and Scheer to cancel the entire operation.
During the revolt, the Dresden was ordered to go to Eckernförde to help with communications, as there was a lot of unrest in Kiel. The battleship Markgraf was blocking the Dresden's path. The crew of the Markgraf at first refused to move and even aimed one of their large guns at the Dresden. But then they backed down and let the Dresden leave the port.
The ship then went to Swinemünde. There, its crew partly sank it after hearing false reports that rebellious ships were coming to attack the cruisers. Once they realized the reports were false, the Dresden was refloated and made ready for sea again. This involved removing all the ammunition and letting it dry.
After Germany surrendered in November 1918, most of the German High Seas Fleet was sent to be held at the British naval base in Scapa Flow. Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter was in command of these ships. The Dresden was among the ships sent there, but it was in poor condition after the sailor's revolt. It couldn't sail with the rest of the fleet in November. The Dresden arrived on December 6, leaking badly.
The German fleet stayed in Scapa Flow while peace talks were happening, which led to the Versailles Treaty. Admiral von Reuter thought the British planned to take the German ships on June 21, 1919. This was the deadline for Germany to sign the peace treaty. He didn't know the deadline had been moved to June 23. So, Reuter ordered his ships to be sunk at the first chance.
On the morning of June 21, the British fleet left Scapa Flow for training. At 11:20 AM, Reuter sent the order to his ships. The Dresden began to sink at 1:50 PM.
The Wreck Today
The wreck of the Dresden still lies at the bottom of Scapa Flow today. It rests on its side, southeast of the island of Cava, in water that is 25 to 45 meters (82 to 148 ft) deep. The upper parts of the ship are badly damaged, and the top deck has separated from the hull, showing its inside structure. The main guns are buried in the mud.
In 2017, marine archaeologists studied the Dresden and nine other shipwrecks in the area. These included six other German and three British warships. The archaeologists used sonar to map the wrecks and underwater robots to examine them. They did this to understand how the wrecks are breaking down over time. The wreck of the Dresden is a popular spot for people who enjoy scuba diving.
See also
In Spanish: SMS Dresden (1918) para niños
