 Bremse in dry dock, 1940-41 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
  Nazi Germany | |
| Name | Bremse |
| Laid down | 1931 byReichsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven |
| Launched | June 14, 1932 |
| Commissioned | July 7, 1933 |
| Fate | Sunk on September 6, 1941, byBritish cruisers. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Training ship |
| Displacement | 1,870 tons |
| Length | 345 ft (105 m) |
| Beam | 31 ft (9.4 m) |
| Draft | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Propulsion | MAN diesel engines, two shafts, 28,400 shp (21.2 MW) |
| Speed | 29.1 knots (53.9 km/h; 33.5 mph) |
| Range | 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km) |
| Complement | 285 |
| Armament |
|
| Armor | 30 mm belt, 25 mm deck |
Bremse was built as an artillery training ship (Artillerieschulschiff) of theNazi GermanKriegsmarine with a secondary function as a test bed for new marine diesel engines later installed in Germanpanzerschiffe. DuringWorld War II, she operated as an escort ship until her sinking in September 1941.
Bremse was commissioned on June 14, 1933, and attached to the artillery training school atKiel, to replace older predecessors. In 1933 she underwent repairs and a complete refit; her mast was shortened to improve stability and her artillery director was removed.[1]
In 1939 the ship was used in the filmDer letzte Apell as theBritishscout cruiserHMS Amphion; two additional dummyfunnels were added.[1]
During theInvasion of Poland in September 1939,Bremse escorted the auxiliary minelayersTannenberg andHansestadt Danzig and in October, she escorted troop transports in theBaltic. She then returned to the artillery school inKiel until March 1940.[1]
In April 1940, duringOperation Weserübung,Bremse participated in the attack onBergen. She was shelled byNorwegiancoastal artillery and hit by two 21 cm rounds; she was subsequently repaired inStavanger. Later, on November 1Bremse was accidentally rammed by thesteamshipDonau off Bergen, suffering minor damage.[1]
In June 1941,Bremse was sent back toKiel for escort duty. On July 30 she was bombed byBritishAlbacore torpedo bombers andFulmar fighters from the aircraft carrierHMS Victorious but escaped unharmed.[1]
On September 6, 1941, inHammerfjord, while escorting the troop transportsTrautenfels andBarcelona,Bremse was intercepted and attacked by theBritish cruisersHMS Nigeria andAurora.Bremse drew the cruisers away from the transports, so that they could escape, butNigeria rammed her, cuttingBremse in half and sinking her.[2] (Some sources give an alternative outcome, reporting that theNigeria was damaged by amine andBremse sunk by gunfire.[1]) 160 men, over half of her crew, died.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in September 1941 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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