SMS V29 facts for kids
SMS V29 was a special type of fast warship called a torpedo boat. It was part of the Imperial German Navy during World War I. The letters "SMS" stand for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", which means "His Majesty's Ship" in German.
This ship was built by a company called AG Vulcan in a city named Stettin (which is now Szczecin in Poland). It was finished in September 1914. V29 fought in important sea battles like the Battle of Dogger Bank and the Battle of the Gulf of Riga in 1915. Sadly, it was sunk during the huge Battle of Jutland on May 31, 1916.
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 German Empire |
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| Ordered | 1913 |
| Builder | AG Vulcan, Stettin |
| Launched | 18 August 1914 |
| Commissioned | 19 October 1914 |
| Fate | Sunk at the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 975 t (960 long tons) |
| Length | 78.5 m (257 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 8.33 m (27 ft 4 in) |
| Draft | 3.63 m (11 ft 11 in) |
| Installed power | 23,500 PS (23,200 shp; 17,300 kW) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 33.5 kn (62.0 km/h; 38.6 mph) |
| Range | 1,950 nmi (3,610 km; 2,240 mi) at 17 kn (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Complement | 83 officers and sailors |
| Armament |
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Building a New Type of Torpedo Boat
In 1913, the Imperial German Navy decided they needed better torpedo boats. The older ones were too small and not very good in rough seas. So, they planned to build new, larger ships.
Why the New Design Was Better
These new ships would be stronger and carry more weapons. They would also run only on oil, which was a change from older ships that used both oil and coal. This made them more modern.
Orders for the New Ships
The Navy ordered 12 new torpedo boats. Six were ordered from AG Vulcan (these were V25 to V30). The other six came from Schichau-Werke (these were S31 to S36). Even though they came from different builders, all these ships were quite similar in how they were designed.
V29 Ship Details
V29 was about 78.5 metres (257 ft 7 in) long. It was 8.33 metres (27 ft 4 in) wide and went 3.63 metres (11 ft 11 in) deep into the water. The ship weighed about 975 tonnes (960 long tons) when fully loaded.
It had three oil-fired water-tube boilers. These boilers powered two AEG-Vulcan steam turbines. These engines gave the ship enough power to go as fast as 33.5 knots (62.0 km/h; 38.6 mph). V29 could carry 225 tonnes (221 long tons) of fuel oil. This allowed it to travel about 1,080 nautical miles (2,000 km; 1,240 mi) (nautical miles) at a speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).
Weapons on Board
V29 was armed with three 8.8 cm guns. It also had six 50 cm torpedo tubes. These tubes could launch powerful torpedoes at enemy ships. The ship could also carry up to 24 mines. These mines could be dropped into the water to damage enemy ships.
The ship had a crew of 83 officers and sailors. V29 was launched on August 18, 1914. It officially joined the navy on October 19, 1914.
V29's Role in World War I Battles
V29 took part in several important naval actions during World War I. These battles were often dangerous and tested the skills of the sailors.
The Scarborough Raid (1914)
On December 15, 1914, German warships tried to attack British towns. V29 was supposed to help protect these larger ships. However, V29 had engine problems and had to turn back.
The Battle of Dogger Bank (1915)
On January 23, 1915, V29 was part of a German force that went to attack British fishing boats. British spies knew about the plan and sent their own ships to stop them.
The two sides met on January 24 in the Battle of Dogger Bank. The German ships tried to escape, and the British chased them. One German armored ship, Blücher, was badly damaged and sank. The rest of the German ships got away, though one, Seydlitz, was also heavily damaged.
The Mystery of V25's Sinking (1915)
On February 12, 1915, V29 was helping clear mines near the Amrum Bank. Another torpedo boat, V25, did not return from this mission. Wreckage was found, and at first, everyone thought a British submarine had sunk it. However, it was later discovered that no British submarines were in the area. V25 was most likely sunk by a British mine, and all 79 sailors on board were lost.
The Battle of the Gulf of Riga (1915)
In August 1915, German naval forces tried to enter the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. Their goal was to destroy Russian ships and lay mines. V29 was part of this operation. During this battle, V29 sank a small Russian steamer called Dagmar.
However, the German attack did not succeed. Germany lost two torpedo boats, S31 and V99, and a minesweeper. They failed to destroy any major Russian warships or lay the mines they planned.
The Final Battle: Jutland (1916)
V29 fought in the Battle of Jutland, which was one of the largest naval battles in history. It was part of a group of torpedo boats supporting the main German battlecruisers.
Around 5:26 PM, V29 and other torpedo boats launched a torpedo attack on British battlecruisers. But British destroyers interfered with the attack. V29 was hit in the back (the stern) by a torpedo from the British destroyer Petard.
Even though it was badly damaged, the front part (the bow) of V29 stayed afloat for 30 minutes. This gave the crew time to launch four more torpedoes at the British ships. The crew of V29 was rescued by two other torpedo boats, V26 and S35.
Later that day, S35 was also sunk by shells from the British battleship Iron Duke. Tragically, all of S35's crew, along with the survivors from V29 who had been rescued, were killed.
