Monday, March 19, 2012

SMS Mowe

I've also seen it as the SMS Moewe.

From Wikipedia.

Became a very famous German surface raider during World War I. On its first voyage, it sank or captured 15 Allied ships and had placed down a minefield by Pentland Firth near Scapa Flow and several days ater the pre-dreadnaught battleship HMS King Edward VII struck one and sank. Another Mowe minefield sank two other ships.

During its second voyage of four months, during which it sank the Mount Temple, it destroyed or captured 25 ships.

On return to Germany, it was decommissioned as a raider and became an auxiliary mine layer in 1918. It was a hero ship in Germany for all its success.

As a result of the Treaty of Versailles, it went to Britain before being returned to Germany in 1933 when it became the freighter Oldenburg.

On April 7, 1945, it was torpedoed off Norway and sank.

I also found out that when the Mount Temple was sunk, it was also carrying 700 horses destined for the front lines.

Quite a History for One Ship. --DaCoot

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