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Gneisenau

Country Germany Ship Class Gneisenau-class Battlecruiser Builder Name Deutsche Werke Kiel Yard Number 235 Slip/Drydock Number I Ordered 25 Jan 1934 Laid Down 14 Feb 1934 Launched 8 Dec 1936 Commissioned 21 May 1938 Sunk 23 Mar 1945 Displacement 31,500 tons standard; 38,900 tons full Length 772 feet Beam 98 feet Draft 32 feet Machinery 3 Germania geared turbines with single reduction 3 three-bladed propellers Power Output 151,893 SHP Speed 31 knots Range 8,400nm at 19 knots Crew 1669 Armament 9x280mm, 12x150mm, 14x105mm anti-aircraft, 16x37mm anti-aircraft, 16x20mm anti-aircraft, 6x533mm torpedo tubes Armor 80-95mm deck, 350mm belt, tower, and turrets

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseGneisenau was the second ship to carry the name of the Prussian general August von Gneisenau. The battlecruiser's construction was delayed due to a design change mid-way through the construction. She was a treaty ship with the displacement under the limit of 35,000 tons. She was sent back for refitting immediately in winter 1938 after realizing that her low profile brought too much water on her deck; the problem was resolved after placing a new bow on the ship.

ww2dbaseWhen WW2 started militarily in Europe, Gneisenau was attacked by British Royal Air Force at Brunsbüttelkoog on 4 Sep 1939, though was not damaged. She then was assigned to the North Atlantic to attack merchant ships that transported vital supplies to Britain. In 1940, she participated in the invasion of Norway from the sea, which included an inconclusive duel with the British battlecruiser Renown. Her second major engagement for her came on 8 Jun when she surprise attacked the British task force centered around carrier Glorious. Her last major engagement was conducted alongside her sister ship Scharnhorst in Mar 1941, destroying 14 ships (22 total for the task force) on a raiding mission against British shipping.

ww2dbaseIn 1942 Gneisenau participated in the Channel Dash, a German fleet daylight movement from the French coast back to Germany (Operation Cerberus). She was able to make it to her destination of Kiel, but she was damaged by a mine en route. Although she had survived a number of mine and other battle damages before, this time she was not as fortunate; while still in the shipyards, she was attacked by aircraft on 26-27 Feb 1942 and was so badly damaged further that repairs never completed. Her guns were removed for shore-based batteries in Denmark and Norway, and the hull was eventually sunk in Gotenhafen harbor to prevent Allied usage of the port within.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Feb 2006

Battlecruiser Gneisenau Interactive Map

Gneisenau Operational Timeline

3 Mar 1935 The keel of the German battlecruiser Gneisenau was laid down in Dry Dock I of Deutsche Werke Kiel, Germany. 21 May 1938 Gneisenau was commissioned into service. 18 Feb 1940 German battlecruiser Gneisenau embarked on Operation Nordmark, aiming to intercept British convoy traffic in the North Sea. 8 Jun 1940 During Operation Juno, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau opened fired on British carrier HMS Glorious and her escorts about 170 miles west of Narvik, Norway at 1630 hours, sinking destroyer HMS Ardent at 1720 hours (killing 151) and the carrier at 1910 hours (1,515 killed, 43 survived). 20 Jun 1940 German battlecruiser Gneisenau and heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper departed Trondheim, Norway for operations near Iceland as a diversion for battleship Scharnhorst's cruise to Kiel, Germany for repairs. British submarine HMS Clyde detected Gneisenau and hit her with a torpedo 80 miles northwest of Trondheim and forced her to return for repairs. 25 Jul 1940 German battleship Gneisenau completed its torpedo damage repairs and departed Trondheim, Norway for Kiel, Germany for more thorough repairs. She was escorted by cruiser Nürnberg and destroyers Galster, Lody, Jacobi, and Ihn; torpedo boats Luchs, Jaguar, Kondor, Iltis, and T.5 would join the convoy overnight near Stavanger, Norway. 6 Apr 1941 RAF Beaufort aircraft torpedoed German battlecruiser Gneisenau at Brest, France. During this attack, Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell of No. 22 Squadron RAF Coastal Command, who scored the hit with an Mk XII torpedo, was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed with the loss of the entire crew. Campbell would be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his gallantry. 10 Apr 1941 Overnight, RAF aircraft attacked German battlecruisers in Brest, France, hitting Gneisenau with 4 bombs and causing extensive damage. 18 Dec 1941 British bombers attacked Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest, France during the daylight hours at about 1230 hours. 5 Feb 1942 60 British RAF Bomber Command aircraft attacked German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest, France, causing little damage. 26 Feb 1942 49 British RAF bombers attacked Gneisenau in the drydock at Kiel, Germany. A bomb penetrated the armored deck, triggering a detonation in the forward turret which caused great damage to entire bow section of the ship; 112 were killed, 21 were wounded. 4 Apr 1942 Gneisenau arrived at Gotenhafen (Gdynia), occupied Poland.

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