Chapter 18: Moltke At War
SMS Moltke underway -- circa 1912.
IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: CUXHAVEN
By: Dreadnought & AP
Chapter 18:
MOLTKE AT WAR
“Grosse Kreuzer G” (SMS Moltke) after launch, in the fitting-out basin at Blohm & Voss Dockyards, Hamburg. This is an excellent view of the stern superfiring turrets. The main and secondary batteries have been fully mounted.
On 7 April 1910, the finished hull of “Grosse Kreuzer G” was launched and duly christened “SMS Moltke”. The arduous process of “fitting-out” a warship of this size was extremely complicated and involved everything from finishing interior compartments, to fitting watertight doors, and literally building all the superstructure elements above decks. Blohm & Voss had a well deserved reputation for being faster than other German shipyards, but it still took 17 months to make her ready for sea.
Manned by a dockyard crew, SMS Moltke steamed out of the Elbe on 10 September 1911 bound for Kaiser Werft Kiel. She traveled north along the Jutland coast, rounded “The Skagen”, and proceeded through the Kattegat and “Great Belt” -- arriving in the Kieler Hafen on 16 September. Kapitan zur See Ritter von Mann Edler von Tiechler assumed command on 30 September and, with a crew taken from the recently decommissioned SMS Roon, he commissioned the ship for sea trials.
THE SEA TRIALS
SMS Moltke on one of several “trial runs”. This trial cruise was deliberately chosen to see how the ship preformed in a moderate seaway. As you can see, the cruiser is proceeding “at speed” and is shipping some water over the bows – but is much improved over Von der Tann. This view shows the wider beam with the low bridge structure -- and the “fat” look of the squat funnels. The ever-present clouds of thick, black smoke were common to all warships of the period, but were even more pronounced when traveling at speed, or when the coal quality was poor.
SMS Moltke’s sea trials were quite extensive and would not conclude until March 1912 – though slightly delayed by an engineering accident. For the most part, the trials were conducted in favorable weather, and the ship and engines preformed fully within their contracted parameters. On the measured six mile course near Neukrug, on two runs, Moltke achieved a highest average speed of 28 knots, though a highest possible speed of 28.4 knots was attained at one point. With both propellers on either the port or starboard side disabled (battle damage?), the ship was still capable of 22 knots. The designed engine output was 52,000shp, but an impressive 85,782shp was actually achieved – largely due to the new Blohm & Voss designed and manufactured boilers and steam turbines. During the six-hour, uninterrupted, “forced-draft test”, Moltke made a steady 27.25 knots. Coal consumption by the new engine plant was considerably lower then projected. The boilers preformed well during trials, despite repeated overloads, but during “dock inspection” in December, the port III boiler had 65 water tubes replaced, and the port VIII boiler received 140 new tubes. Towards the end of trials, in January 1912, “live” steam was accidentally fed into the starboard low-pressure turbine housing, resulting in broken stator vanes and turbine blades. It was necessary to suspend sea trials and put in for repairs.
Steam turbines were somewhat similar to triple-expansion engines in their steam distribution. In reciprocating engines there were three or four cylinders driving a crank shaft. The first cylinder is small and “live” (high pressure) steam is fed directly into it. Once the steam has been used to drive the “cylinder stroke”, it is exhausted into the second cylinder (somewhat larger) so that it’s remaining energy can be used. The steam is then exhausted to the third cylinder (even larger) where the final energy is used. This system makes full use of the steam generated in the boilers, provides increased power to the engines, and economizes coal usage.
With steam turbines, “live” high-pressure steam is fed directly into the high-pressure turbines (on the outer shafts). As the energy is exhausted turning the turbine blades, it diminishes in pressure and is no longer strong enough to be considered “live”. It is then fed to the low-pressure turbines turning the center shafts. This uses the same steam twice – but at lower pressure – so it will not damage the low-pressure turbines. A very economical arrangement that provides increased speed to the ship and uses less coal. But – accidents can happen.
SMS Moltke, hove-to during sea trials in the Baltic. A Langeoog Class deep-sea salvage tug is alongside while the damaged low-pressure steam turbine is being inspected. Salvage tugs are always dispatched during sea trials as a precaution. One can tow a damaged vessel, while a second one can come alongside if “pumping” assistance is needed – the third tug is “back-up”. The torpedo boat G-101, capable of matching the battlecruiser’s speed, is a further precaution. G-101 is courtesy of Barroco Hispano. Moltke and the exquisite Langeoog salvage tugs are the work of "AP".
Moltke maneuvered well underway – quick to answer her helm, with a reasonable turning circle. Her turbines reacted quickly to revolution commands and there was no vibration at maximum speeds. Unfortunately, due to the tandem rudder arrangement, she was difficult to steer at low speeds and almost impossible to turn. This was a serious problem in confined waters, like harbors or the Wilhelm I Canal. The ship had a gentle pitching motion, mostly due to her longer hull. She rolled very little and shipped little water over the bow.
Strangely enough, the placement of the searchlight platforms was a problem. It was found the aft searchlights (grouped around the mainmast) could not be used if the main guns were firing – the blast over-pressure endangered the operators. And the forward searchlight platform was frequently engulfed in thick clouds of funnel smoke, making the position untenable. A tall funnel cap was later fitted to the forward funnel to solve this problem.
SMS Moltke’s 11-inch rifles proved difficult during firing tests on the Baltic Sea gunnery ranges. The SK-L/50 was a newly developed gun and was bound to have “teething troubles”. There were several misfires, which had to be handled with extreme caution, but the most alarming problem occurred in the recoil system. When heavy guns are fired, they have a system of hydraulic buffers that absorb the force of the backward recoil, then ease the gun back into firing position. If there is some sort of problem with the hydraulic buffers (possibly low fluid levels), when the gun is fired, it will recoil inboard and “hang up” in that position. The gun does not automatically return to firing position and is said to be “out of battery”. The gun is, in effect, out of action. There may be a problem with the equipment, or it could simply be a matter of adjusting the hydraulic fluid levels, then manually pumping pressure into the buffer system to return the gun to battery position. While the solution to the problem is simple, the gun tube weighs 41 tons, and returning it to battery position becomes a tedious and Herculean task. (The very same problem can occur in Main Battle Tanks – and is extremely annoying under battle conditions.) Additional gun trials were recommended – but the problem did not repeat itself.
In early November 1911, Moltke briefly joined the Hochseeflotte cruiser force for a training cruise in the Kattegat and the opportunity to evaluate the new cruiser in a tactical environment. Unfortunately, an unusually strong storm front rolled in and forced Moltke to seek safe anchorage off Uddevalla, Sweden for three days. The remaining trials were moved to Danziger Bucht (Danzig Bay) and concluded on 1 April 1912.
SMS MOLTKE – OPERATIONAL CAREER
SMS Moltke lying at anchor in Hampton Roads off Norfolk, Virginia – circa 1912.
As was customary, the new battlecruiser was immediately chosen to represent Germany on an overseas port call designed to impress a foreign nation with Germany’s naval might. In mid-1911, a U.S. Navy squadron had paid a formal visit to Kiel, and the Kaiser was anxious to repay the courtesy. In April 1912, a cruiser division comprising SMS Moltke and the light cruiser Stettin were placed under the command of Konteradmiral von Rebeur-Paschwitz. The SMS Bremen, already on the East American Station, would rendezvous with them when they reached American waters.
On 11 May 1912, the two cruisers departed Kiel, made a seven-day lay-over at the Portuguese island of Ponta Delgado, in the Azores, and on 30 May rendezvoused with SMS Bremen some 15 miles off Cape Henry, near Norfolk, Virginia. The three ships dropped anchor in Lynnhaven Roads (just east of Norfolk) and remained there for three days – tidying the ships for the visits and parties to come, and giving Moltke a fresh paint job. (One must always “dress to impress”.) The small squadron arrived in Hampton Roads at 09:30 on 3 June.
Here you see USS North Dakota (left) and USS South Carolina (right) moored at piers in the Old Basin. North Dakota was assigned to the I Battle Division of the US Atlantic Fleet, and South Carolina belonged to the II Battle Division. The piers were custom-built using “WMP” Sea Walls and an old brick texture from the Lot Editor. I thought the brick texture would give them an “old-fashioned” look – rather than a modern concrete texture. The long row-warehouses are borrowed from Mattb325’s “Austral-Asian Shipping Co.” and the dock cranes are from the “PEG” SNM Dry Dock lot. The sailing ships at “mooring dolphins” out in the harbor are (front) the “barque” Maria, out of Bremen, and the clipper Cutty Sark. The mooring arrangements were inspired from photos of old Hamburg harbor at the turn of the century. The beautiful battleships are courtesy of @Barroco Hispano. The sailors on the docks, mooring dolphins, and the amazing sailing ships are intricately crafted by @AP.
USS South Carolina, name ship of her class - circa 1912. Her sister-ship USS Michigan was the first dreadnought battleship commissioned into the US Navy in 1910: 16,000 tons – 18.5 knots – 8x12-inch guns – 22x3-inch guns – 2x21-inch torpedo tubes – belt armor 12 inches. Note the “lattice” or “cage masts”. She was a compact and efficient vessel – slow of speed – but carrying a solid foot of Bethlehem Steel on her armor belt. You can see the leading edge of the belt just below “A” turret.
Two “Battle Divisions” of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet rode at anchor in Hampton Roads: I Division, with USS Florida, Delaware, North Dakota, and Utah; and II Division, with USS Louisiana, Kansas, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. After von Rebeur-Paschwitz exchanged “gun salutes” and visits with the US Admirals, the Presidential yacht Mayflower arrived with President William Howard Taft aboard. All ships fired a 21-gun salute (proper protocol for a Head of State), and Mayflower then steamed along the lines of ships with their crews “manning the rail”. The Presidential yacht then steamed back and anchored close aboard SMS Moltke. Von Rebeur-Paschwitz and the German captains went aboard Mayflower to join their opposite numbers and pay their respects to the President. Taft then made a short visit and inspection of SMS Moltke. Around 16:00, the President went back aboard Mayflower, she once again passed down the rows of ships, and headed north toward the Potomac River and Washington, D.C. The German squadron was received with all due ceremony, and were treated with exceptional kindness and hospitality – receiving many visits from US Navy Officers, and numerous dinner and dance invitations from the prominent citizens of Norfolk and Richmond.
This is a shot of Moltke’s starboard quarter gangway with US Navy officers in “full dress” attire coming aboard with the Presidential Party. Note the round badge on the small boat’s bow – that is the Presidential Seal. Moltke’s crew has “manned the side” and President Taft is being “piped aboard”.
On the afternoon of 8 June, the German squadron steamed north for New York, escorted by the I Division of the Atlantic Fleet. German-speaking US Navy signalmen were assigned to the German ships to facilitate communications. Around 11:00 on 9 June 1912, the two squadrons swept into New York harbor and the German warships anchored in the Hudson River, between 82nd to 76th Streets. For the next five days, crowds of innumerable size lined the Hudson shore, both day and night, to get a glimpse of the imposing cruiser. Guests were welcomed aboard the three ships from fleets of sightseeing boats, and German officers were guests at parties and banquets hosted by the rich and famous of the largest city in America. Moltke also spent two of those days in less glamorous pursuits – taking aboard 2,967 tons of good, anthracite coal from Pennsylvania.
USS North Dakota – Delaware Class -- circa 1912: 20,380 tons – 21 knots – 10x12-inch guns – 14x5-inch guns – 2x21-inch torpedo tubes – belt armor 11 inches. The Delaware Class ships, though commissioned in the same year as South Carolina, were “second generation” dreadnoughts -- and a considerable improvement. The South Carolina Class had taken a long time in the planning stages, and even more during construction – largely due to Congressional reluctance to appropriate sufficient funds to finish the ships. By the time they were finally commissioned, the Delawares were ready to join them. For some reason, the US Congress did not comprehend the value of a modern fleet – until WW II changed all that.
This finely detailed model, demonstrates many of the unique design features common to the “US style” of dreadnought design. The US Navy commonly equipped their capital ships with mine-clearing equipment – the paravane kites can be seen below “B” turret. The “cage masts” are considerably more elaborate than her predecessors, and the superstructure is tightly grouped amidships to make room for the guns. The US Navy, during this period, experimented extensively with main battery turret placement and favored superfiring configurations whenever possible. But the need to keep up with the Royal Navy caused a rash of battleships with five, or even six, main battery turrets.
SMS Moltke lying at anchor in the Hudson River off Manhattan.
On 13 June, the two squadrons sailed with the flood tide. Approaching the Ambrose Channel lightship, Moltke dropped her harbor pilot, the American battleships signaled “farewell”, and they swung south toward Hampton Roads. SMS Bremen was detached to Baltimore, to return to her station duties, and SMS Stettin set course for Vigo, Spain – by way of Brazil and the Azores. (She did not have the range to make a direct Atlantic crossing.) Moltke plotted a course along the old winter steamer route to Europe and made fast in the Kieler Hafen on 25 June 1912.
On 30 June 1912, SMS Moltke was tasked with escorting Kaiser Wilhelm II aboard the Hohenzollern for a meeting with the Russian Tsar. The ships departed Kiel and arrived in Neufahrwasser the following day. Two days later, the little squadron put to sea again, and arrived in Balticport (modern day Paldiski) on 4 July. Kaiser Wilhelm II and Tsar Nicholas II met over a period of two days, then Moltke escorted the Royal yacht back to Kiel, arriving on 8 July.
On 9 July, SMS Moltke was assigned to the 1st Scouting Group of the Hochseeflotte, and Vizeadmiral Gustav Bachmann raised his flag aboard her. At this time, the rest of the heavy units of the scouting group consisted of the battlecruiser SMS Von der Tann and the armored cruiser SMS Yorck (flying Konteradmiral Hipper’s flag). The light cruisers were SMS Mainz, Kolberg, Dresden, Berlin, Coln, and Stettin.
On 10 August, Moltke departed Kiel for Wilhelmshaven (via the Skagen) and arrived on the 25th. After taking on coal and stores, she departed on 2 September with the Hochseeflotte on the annual autumn maneuvers – returning on the 19th. After a “port call” at Malmo, Sweden, Moltke went into the Wilhelmshaven Dockyards from December 1912 – February 1913. In late February, Moltke participated in fleet exercises held in the North Sea and the Kattegat – and again from 5 thru 27 May 1913. The 1913 summer cruise again went to Norwegian waters from 15 July – 10 August. Soon after, Konteradmiral Hipper was promoted to command of Scouting Forces Hochseeflotte and raised his flag aboard Moltke in October. Fleet exercises in the Baltic Sea followed in November and again in February 1914. Fleet maneuvers were held in March – April, and in May Konteradmiral Hipper shifted his flag to the new battlecruiser SMS Seydlitz. Around this time, serious consideration was given to the idea of sending SMS Moltke to the Far East as a replacement for the armored cruiser Scharnhorst. But Moltke’s “twin” – SMS Goeben – had been stationed in the Mediterranean for almost two years and needed to return to Germany for a thorough overhaul. Before any decision could be made, a “public relations event” took precedence.
"KIEL WEEK” REGATTA – 1914
In mid-June 1914, virtually the entire Hochseeflotte assembled in the Kieler Hafen for the annual festivities of the “Kiel Week” yachting regatta. The regatta had been well known on the yacht racing circuit since 1882, and Kaiser Wilhelm II first attended the event in 1889. Wilhelm was envious of his “Uncle Bertie”, Edward Prince Of Wales, and his sponsorship of the “Cowes Week Yachting Regatta”. Wilhelm even bought his own racing yacht, “Meteor” in 1891 and began competing at Cowes against Edward’s yacht, Britannia, in 1892. After losing four straight years, Wilhelm turned Meteor over to the Kaiserliche Marine and – more or less – took over sponsorship of “Kiel Week”. (If you can’t beat ‘em under sail – out-spend them with a shamefully ostentatious party.)
The German Fleet acted as host during the week and provided support – not to mention competitors – for the scheduled events. No expense was spared in putting on a “good show”. The Kaiser prevailed upon his friend Albert Ballin, Director of the Hamburg-America Steamship Line to provide 1st Class accommodation and services for visiting dignitaries and their wives, as well as the wives of serving admirals and captains – including those of foreign guests. The trans-Atlantic passenger steamer SS Viktoria Luise was customarily berthed in Kiel for the week, with gourmet chefs and hand-picked stewards to provide every comfort. The ship would become the focal point of high society once all the politicians, officers, and “uber-rich” had arrived.
On 23 June 1914, the Guests Of Honor arrived – Vice-Admiral Sir George Warrender, 7th Baronet, commanding four dreadnoughts of the 1st Division, 2nd Battle Squadron, British Home Fleet. (The fleet was not renamed “The Grand Fleet” until after the war began.) The four big dreadnoughts steamed up the Kieler Hafen between lines of German warships anchored along either shoreline. The British and German saluting guns thundered as a pilot boat led them to their assigned berths. While the British battleships came to anchor off Kitzeburg Head, packed crowds lined the shore and invited guests sailed alongside in steamers chartered for the occasion. All in all, it was quite an occasion – much pomp and flash – and Imperial showmanship laid on with a trowel.
Once the squadron was secured at anchor, Warrender – accompanied by a suitably large number of captains and staff officers – loaded into the ship’s steam launches (painted and polished for the occasion) and paid his respects to Vizeadmiral von Ingenohl (C.-in-C. Hochseeflotte) aboard his flagship, SMS Friedrich der Grosse. While the British officers were settling down to a lavish luncheon, the Admiral’s wife and those of the captains and senior staff were ferried over to Viktoria Luise for an equally lavish luncheon. Afterwards, they were allowed time to settle into their cabins. Later in the evening, there would be an opening night “gala” aboard the liner, complete with a seven course dinner accompanied by a small string ensemble, followed by a larger orchestra and dancing in the ship’s ballroom. (In those days, a diplomatic function could not be considered serious unless choreographed to the lilting strains of Strauss.) A “cold supper” would be served around midnight, after which, the guests would retire for the night. And this was just the beginning. Meanwhile, the British enlisted men were hosted by the off-duty German crews in one of the Guild Halls ashore. The senior German “Non-Com” was a Bavarian – and it was done in fine “October-fest” style.
The next day kicked-off a hectic round of sports games and social events. The British and German crews squared off against one another in -- the whale boat rowing marathon – the twelve-man-cutter speed event – the steam launch “point-to-point” event – and the usual shore games of “tug-of-war” and “football” (the British claimed that trophy). British ratings not involved or attending the events were taken by special trains to Hamburg and Berlin to see the sights and enjoy whatever pleasures were on offer. The officer’s evenings were spent over sumptuous dinners, followed by brandy and cigars, with “shop-talk” between the two navies. Usually, when the talk became a bit lively – the gentlemen adjourned to the dance floor and rejoined the ladies.
The days were spent in exchanging courtesy calls between the various ships – and even tours were arranged – with some difficulty. Admiral von Ingenohl was reluctant to engage in exchange tours, because the Admiralstab had decided the design and construction of their ships was to be “top secret”. Consequently, the only ships the British were allowed to tour were the pre-dreadnoughts of the Deutschland Class. The British, on the other hand, were more than happy to show their German hosts around their ships. They figured guns and armor were pretty much the same on both sides of the North Sea – but any fire control equipment was covered by tarps and kept “off limits”. Lord Brassey (editor of “Brassey’s Naval Annual”) arrived in Kiel on his own yacht – and with his nose for information, supposedly, managed to get “lost” in the dockyard. He was eventually located wandering about the “secret” submarine slipways.
The ostentatious show of ceremony reached its high point with the overly dramatic arrival of the Kaiser on 26 June. Saluting guns up and down the line of anchored dreadnoughts roared and spat huge clouds of white smoke as the Royal yacht Hohenzollern steamed up the Kieler Hafen. On a platform, high atop the bridge, Wilhelm stood resplendent in the uniform of his self-styled-title – “Admiral Of The Atlantic”. While wild cheers rose from the shore-side throngs, Hohenzollern altered course and made for the Holtenau Locks of the newly widened and deepened Kaiser Wilhelm I Canal. The canal locks were decked-out in flags and bunting -- with huge, red silk ribbons stretched across the entrance. These simple canal locks were to provide the dramatic highlight to the week’s entertainment. The cheers rose to a thunderous crescendo as Hohenzollern’s sleek bow sliced through the ribbons – officially opening the militarily strategic canal for business. The dreadnought battleships and battlecruisers of the Hochseeflotte could now pass safely between Kiel and Wilhelmshaven in just 12 hours.
On 27 June, Kaiser Wilhelm and his retinue were received aboard HMS King George V for a formal luncheon, followed by cigars and brandy. Predictably, the table conversation on the British side was polite and smoothly noncommittal, while Wilhelm was overly solicitous, a bit pompous, and monopolized the German end of the talk. After the brandy and cigars ritual, His Majesty was given a complete tour of Warrender’s flagship – which pleased him no end.
During the afternoon on 28 June, news arrived of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria, and his wife. The Archduke had been a friend of the British ambassador to Germany, Edward Goshen, who was quartered aboard HMS King George V. A gathering of guests were enjoying “tea” in the Admiral’s quarters, one of whom was Leutnant von Hase – later, Derfflinger’s Chief Gunnery Officer. A discussion ensued with Warrender warning that the news from Sarajevo might well draw many European countries into a war. The British immediately canceled their social engagements, though they would continue to participate in the scheduled regatta events. Early on the morning of 29 June, the Kaiser, who had been a close friend of the late Archduke, departed for Berlin aboard the Royal train.
The events of the day continued in a somewhat somber tone, with Warrender providing lunch for the German Admirals aboard the flagship. After lunch, the Germans were offered a tour of the dreadnought and a demonstration of the main battery guns in a “dry-fire” exercise. Later that day, the Admiral attended a party given by the British sailors to return the compliment of the welcome they had earlier received. Warrender was welcomed with thunderous clapping and stomping of feet, and promptly jumped upon a table to give a spontaneous speech about friendship between their two nations. Three cheers were given for the Imperial Navy and Konteradmiral Mauve also jumped on a table and called for three cheers for the Royal Navy. The room again thundered with cheers and stamping approval. Later that evening, Admiral and Mrs. Warrender attended the official Imperial Yacht Club dinner, hosted – in the Kaiser’s absence – by his brother, HRH Prince Heinrich of Prussia. On 31 June, the British 2nd Battle Squadron steamed out of the Kieler Hafen bound for Portsmouth and mid-summer maneuvers. Admiral Warrender’s parting sentiment flew from the flagship’s signal halyards…”Friends in the past – friends forever.”
As tensions mounted in Europe, First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, and First Sea Lord, Admiral Prince Louis of Battenburg, went ahead with plans for Royal Navy fleet exercises that had been planned back in October 1913. Rather than huge and costly “combined fleet” maneuvers in the Atlantic, Churchill and Battenburg opted for a much less expensive “test mobilization” of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Fleets, to see if they could be brought to a “war footing” in the required time frame. The 3rd Fleet, in particular, was in an “inactive reserve” status with only minimum crews aboard and would have to be brought to full strength on short notice (RNR – Royal Navy Reservists). Just a few days after Warrender’s battleship division returned from Kiel and dropped anchor in the Solent, the orders went out and the fleets began assembling. The mobilization plans worked as smoothly as a railway timetable and culminated with a massive Fleet Review at Spithead on 17--18 July 1914.
The historic waters of the broad Solent were very nearly covered with warships anchored in long gray lines off Spithead. Churchill, an “Imperialist” in every sense of the word, was thrilled by the vision of “Imperial might” riding at anchor…...”it was, incomparably, the greatest assemblage of naval power ever witnessed in the history of the world”. It was also a warning – duly noted by every attending ambassador and naval attache of every nation in the world. The “test-mobilization” could not have come at a more opportune moment. With war hanging over the Continent like a dark cloud, Britain’s fleets had been quickly and efficiently concentrated – signaling her readiness to respond to whatever might happen.
His majesty, the King Emperor, George V, formally reviewed the fleet on 17 July aboard the Royal yacht, and toured several of the most modern dreadnoughts on 18 July. It was two solid days of pomp, ceremony, and Imperial pageantry – portrayed as no nation other than Britain could. It was an endless round of luncheons, dinners, and parties, while every evening, the Solent was ablaze with fireworks, followed by light displays from the massed searchlights of the battle fleets. On 19 July, the King boarded the Royal yacht, Victoria & Albert, took up his position at the head of his fleet, and led the squadrons into the English Channel for a brief round of exercises. Some 400 warships – 53 battleships – 20 of them modern dreadnoughts with 9 modern battlecruisers heading the procession -- boldly proclaimed that Britannia, in fact, ruled the waves. In a way, it was fittingly grand – for its likes would never be seen again – before or after “the lights went out all over Europe”.
Across the North Sea, Moltke and the Hochseeflotte departed on 13 July for the 1914 summer cruise to Norway. But the cruise was broken off prematurely with more ominous news from Austria (Germany’s treaty ally). The Austrians delivered a stern ultimatum to Serbia on 23 July, which was so insolent the Austrians were sure it would be rejected – which it was. Austria severed diplomatic ties with Serbia on 25 July and began mobilizing their army – and the Russians were already making noises about defending Serbia. On 27 July The Hochseeflotte was ordered to return to its bases and assume an “increased state of readiness”.
When the Royal navy returned to the Solent after exercises, it was planned to disperse the fleet back to their duty stations. But news of Austria severing diplomatic relations set off alarm bells in the Admiralty. The First Sea Lord (Prince Louis of Battenburg) took the personal initiative to keep the fleet concentrated while the situation on the Continent was in flux. The “reservists” eagerly waiting to go home – would remain on their ships for the foreseeable future. History has proven he made the right decision. During the afternoon of 29 July, the 1st Battle Fleet was ordered to sea. That night, the long columns of ships – all lights darkened – passed swiftly and silently northward through the Straits of Dover. By 31 July, the various squadrons were at their battle stations in Rosyth, Cromarty, and Scapa Flow. (Come September, they would be re-designated “The Grand Fleet”.) It was just over four weeks since Warrender’s parting signal of friendship at Kiel – and virtually all of Europe was at each other’s throats.
MOLTKE GOES TO WAR
SMS Moltke’s forward main battery turret – circa 1914. Note the massive girth of the 11 inch gun tubes.
On 2 August 1914, the Kaiserliche Marine was ordered to mobilize for war, and on 3 August Germany went to war with France, while Britain declared war on 4 August. SMS Moltke spent several weeks lying at anchor either in Wilhelmshaven Roads, Wilhelmshaven harbor, or Schillig Roads on picket duty. She sortied in support of light forces on 28 August 1914 during the First battle Of Heligoland Bight, but saw no action. (See Chapter 16 for details of sortie.)
SMS Moltke spent a good deal of time in and out of the Wilhelmshaven Dockyard in September and October – mostly for extensive boiler tube replacement. But on 2 November 1914, she weighed anchor and sailed with the battlecruisers and light cruisers of the 1st Scouting Group for the Great Yarmouth Raid. (See Chapter 11 for details of the raid.)
At 04:00 on 15 December 1914, SMS Moltke and the rest of 1st Scouting Group weighed anchor and quit the Jade, steering north at 15 knots in the chill darkness of the winter night. The battlecruisers were about to undertake the Scarborough, Whitby, and Hartlepool Raid. (See Chapter 12 for details.) After a three-day dockyard spell, repairing damage from a shell hit in the recent raid, SMS Moltke alternated between picket duty in Schillig Roads, anchoring in Wilhelmshaven Roads, and trips in and out of the dockyard.
Oddly enough, capital ships give the impression of being solid and indestructible – just giant, steel monoliths -- impervious to anything. But no matter how thick their armor might be, they were, underneath the armor, complicated – and in some ways – delicate machines. If a battlecruiser was engaged in high-speed maneuvering for any length of time – a drawn-out battle, a running gun-battle, or a chase -- her machinery would need attention and her turret hydraulic systems would require maintenance. Boiler water-tube replacement was a constant problem. High-speed maneuvering demanded frequent boiler pressure overloading which progressively weakened the tubes and caused leaks and ruptures – reducing the ship’s speed. Considering there could be anywhere from eighteen to forty boilers in a capital ship – and each boiler had several hundred tubes – it was little wonder they spent so much time in the dockyards.
The year 1915 opened with continued activity from the battlecruisers of 1st Scouting Group. At 17:45 on 23 January, they put to sea to lay an ambush for British light forces at Dogger Bank. To their surprise, the Imperial battlecruisers were, themselves, ambushed at The Battle Of Dogger Bank. (See Chapter 13 for details.) SMS Moltke dropped anchor in Schillig Roads on the evening of January 24th, the only battlecruiser to remain unscathed in the battle.
On the 26th, she weighed anchor and moved to Wilhelmshaven Roads to coal ship and replenish ammunition. At the same time, a repair party was brought aboard to see to her heavy artillery. The guns had functioned well enough during the battle, but there were signs of trouble and their recoil had been slow at times. On the 28th, Moltke moved to the repair basin in the dockyard where heavy lift cranes could continue work on the big rifles.
Moltke tied-up at the repair docks. A 150-ton crane barge is being positioned abreast the battlecruiser’s “E” turret in preparation for removing the heavy armored roof so mechanics can more easily remove the outboard gun tube for repairs on the recoil system. A Langeoog Class salvage tug stands by, along with an old Goliath Steam tug that was pressed into service to assist. The small steam tugs handling the barge are by “WolfZe”. Goliath is by Barroco Hispano. The steam crane is from the “PEG” SNM Dry Dock lot, and the props on the barge are mostly by “Historic Harbors”. The barge, Moltke, and Langeoog are the wonderful work of “AP”.
On 3 February Moltke moved to the Long Quay and tied up behind SMS Seydlitz. The next day the Kaiser paid a visit, and the following day, the Swedish Naval Attache came aboard to pay a call. Moltke took up picket duty in Schillig Roads on 8 February, returning to the Wilhelmshaven dockyard on the 14th to have one of the heavy caliber rifles in “B” turret changed out. The battlecruiser went in and out of dockyard hands for a lengthy overhaul lasting from 24 February to 12 March.
Shortly thereafter, Moltke, Derfflinger, and Von der Tann took part in the first “fleet advance” undertaken by the new “Flottenchef” Admiral von Pohl. On 4 April 1915, 1st Scouting Group shifted to the Baltic Sea for a week of training. On 17 April Moltke weighed anchor and sortied in support of a minelaying operation, and sailed yet again on the 21st in the third “fleet advance”. (A “fleet advance” was similar to the British “sweep” of a sea area, and was usually conducted in the southern half of the North Sea.)
On 6 May 1915, Moltke again entered the dockyard and work began on the installation of RW (direction indicator) fire control equipment – a lengthy process interrupted by a sortie to cover a minelaying operation on Dogger Bank, and another sortie to escort the auxiliary cruiser Meteor to sea on a commerce raiding mission. While returning to port, north of Tercshelling, the British submarine E-6 fired a torpedo at Moltke from an estimated range of 800 yards – and missed. During early June, dockyard work continued on the RW installation as well as the addition of supplemental oil-firing for the boilers. In late June, Moltke, Seydlitz, and Von der Tann moved to the Baltic gunnery ranges for sub-caliber shooting, main battery shooting, torpedo firing, searchlight training, squadron evolutions, and combat tactics training with two torpedo boat flotillas. The flotillas took turns defending and attacking the battlecruiser line and gave the big ships some experience of being in the middle of a skirmish. The 1st Scouting Group returned to Wilhelmshaven Roadsted on 2 July. Moltke again went into the dockyard for additional RW work on “D” turret and to have a bearing on the port low-pressure turbine reworked.
"Cutting the line”. This is a peacetime exercise carried out with the dreadnought battleships of the I Battle Squadron and what appears to be “S” Class torpedo boats of VII Flotilla. During battle, the torpedo boats would normally be stationed on the “disengaged” side of the battle line – strung out along the line to screen the flank of the battleships. In order to repel an attack by enemy destroyers, the little boats would have to cross over to the “engaged” side of the fleet. In line-ahead battle formation, there would be a 300 yard gap between battleships, and the quickest way for the torpedo boats to get at the enemy would be to slip through those gaps – “cutting the line”. The fast and agile little boats would go to “full ahead”, select the nearest gap between battleships, and plunge ahead – as depicted in the illustration. It looks quite daring, and could be extremely dangerous – but it was a standard tactic of the Hochseeflotte and was practiced regularly. Skill, courage, and boldness could be demonstrated in even the most common tasks.
Moltke, Seydlitz, and Von der Tann returned to the Kieler Hafen on 3 August in preparation to support the Riga Gulf Campaign. Their task was to take up a position west of Moon Sound Inlet and engage the Russian fleet should they appear. It should be noted Hipper had every confidence the three battlecruisers of 1st Scouting Group – boldly handled -- could engage and either defeat, or chase away, four Gangut Class Russian dreadnought battleships armed with 12-inch guns. At 06:40 on 6 August, the 1st Scouting Group slipped their moorings and set course for the northern Baltic. Arriving on the 8th, the squadron took up position and began patrolling in a zigzag pattern. Around midnight, the weather turned bad with heavy rain and lightning and did not clear until 10:00 on the 9th. The 1st Scouting Group remained on station, and Moltke supported SMS Kolberg and Von der Tann during a bombardment of Uto Island on 10 August. Later that day, Moltke and Seydlitz were detached to Putziger Wiek (Danzig Bay) to coal ship, and remained there four days.
Around 03:00 on 15 August, the two battlecruisers weighed anchor and proceeded to sea with an anti-submarine screen provided by six torpedo boars of the V Flotilla. Steering a zigzag course, they returned to their patrol position off Moon Sound – the only incidents were submarine sightings by Seydlitz on 16 and 17 August. On 19 August around 07:20, in hazy weather, Seydlitz suddenly sounded her siren and hoisted the signal for “submerged submarine in sight”. Traveling at 15 knots, Moltke immediately put her helm hard to port, away from the suspected submarine (HMS E-1), but -- in a matter of seconds – a torpedo struck her in the starboard bow. A column of water shot 75 feet into the air, drenching the forecastle deck, with parts of the detonated torpedo landing aboard. The ship’s engines were immediately stopped to limit flooding, but when there was no list, and the ship was not “down by the bow” – Kapitan zur See Levetzow returned to 15 knots. At 08:00, Vizeadmiral Hipper put the squadron on course for Pitziger Wiek, and sent a wireless requesting a shipwright, diving barge, divers, and a large “leak mat” be placed on stand-by for 05:00 the following morning.
SMS Moltke at anchor in Pitziger Wiek after being torpedoed by the British submarine E-1. The repair ship Vestal has come alongside to port, while a Langeoog Class salvage tug is lashed to starboard. Her high capacity pumps will help keep the bow compartments dry while temporary repairs are carried out. The three tugs will escort the battlecruiser back to Kiel for permanent repairs. Admiral Hipper, aboard SMS Seydlitz, is coaling ship while waiting for more information on Moltke’s condition. Everything in the picture – battlecruisers, repair vessel, salvage tugs, lighters, harbor tugs, and small boats – are the superb work of @AP. Note the diagonal salvage tug at left.
On the morning of the 20th, at 04:16, the battlecruisers came to anchor in Putziger Wiek and began coaling while the divers went over Moltke’s side. They found a 45 square foot hole abreast the bow torpedo flat. Three trim cells, the bow torpedo flat, carpenter’s store, inflammable paint locker, and part of the double bottom were flooded – about 435 tons of water. (Moltke’s extensive internal sub-division had limited the flooding.) Hipper determined she could be of no further use to the Riga Gulf Operation, so Moltke weighed anchor and departed for the Blohm & Voss dockyards in Hamburg – arriving on 23 August – and moving into the floating dock. As a matter of interest, the torpedo blast caused two compressed air flasks in the torpedo flat to burst, and ripped apart the warheads of three torpedoes stored in the flat – but there were no internal explosions. Repairs took 28 days and Moltke returned to Wilhelmshaven Roads on 21 September 1915.
Repair ships can be found in the “fleet trains” of all large navies, and the Imperial Navy was no exception. But we could find no “visual” information on the fleet auxiliary vessels of the Kaiserliche Marine – so we selected the USS Vestal for our story. Vestal was commissioned into the US Navy in 1908 as a collier – one of several ships built by the government to avoid relying on foreign flag colliers in time of war. She was converted to a repair ship in 1912. At 12,585 tons and 465 feet in length, she had a top speed of 16 knots – unusually fast for a fleet auxiliary vessel. She was armed with four 3-inch guns – mostly for anti-submarine defense. We chose Vestal because of her extremely clean lines, streamlined hull, and an uncluttered silhouette. Numerous hatch covers are visible with glass deadlights set in them to allow sunlight below decks where many repair parts are machined and tooled. It should be mentioned that USS Vestal was moored alongside USS Arizona on that fateful Sunday morning in December 1941. Her heroic crew fought to save their ship from the massive fires spreading from the battleship, while rescuing many crewmen from the burning hulk. Vestal is scratch-built by “AP’ based on the original builder’s drawings.
Moltke went north on 23 October, in a “fleet advance” designed to disrupt merchant shipping bound for Britain from the Skagerrak. The weather, however, turned nasty overnight (a force 6 gale), and prevented any sort of airship reconnaissance, so the mission was aborted. The remainder of 1915 was spent in a variety of mundane tasks – picket duty, dockyard time, training and gunnery in the Baltic, and a short cruise by 1st Scouting Group to Amrum Bank.
Early 1916 passed in much the same manner as the previous months – anchoring in Schillig Roads or Wilhelmshaven Roads, supporting reconnaissance missions by torpedo boat flotillas, dockyard time, a spell in the floating dock for propeller repair, training in the German Bight, and a sortie to rendezvous with the auxiliary cruiser “Mowe” and escort her into Wilhelmshaven. A sortie on 5 March by Seydlitz and Moltke was carried out to disrupt merchant shipping in the area of the “Hoofden” in the “Broad Fourteens” – but no shipping could be found and the battlecruisers returned empty-handed.
Moltke and Seydlitz sortied to Amrum Bank on 25 March in an attempt to locate a damaged British destroyer under tow. Finding nothing, the two battlecruisers and their attendant light forces anchored south of Amrum Bank overnight. By 01:30, the weather had blown up a storm, so the squadron weighed and proceeded north in search formation. By 08:00 the seas were quite heavy and course was adjusted to lessen the wave action on the lighter ships. At 08:30, Moltke sheered out of line and hove-to in order to secure a 150 foot length of torpedo netting that had broken loose. Forty minutes later, Moltke got underway at 24 knots to catch-up to the column, only to find Seydlitz hove-to securing her torpedo nets. Around 11:20, Moltke again suffered net damage, and while hove-to, a man was swept overboard – but was miraculously recovered ten minutes later. The squadron then aborted the search and returned to Schillig Roads around 19:30. This whole episode called into question the usefulness of torpedo nets.
On 24 and 25 April 1916, Moltke sortied with 1st Scouting Group on the Lowestoft Raid. (See Chapter 16 for details of the raid.)
When moving in and out of the Wilhelmshaven Dockyards, SMS Moltke would have had to transit the III Ship Lock opened for service in 1910. (Seen in the picture.) Since the Jade Bucht (Jade Bay) is a tidal estuary, these locks are intended to maintain sufficient depth of water within the naval anchorage (Wilhelmshaven Roads) to accommodate large warships. The only “natural” anchorage in the area is Schillig Roads, a few miles north along a deep-water channel bordered by shallows and mud flats.
The balance of April 1916 and most of May were spent by Moltke in a variety of small sorties into the German Bight or north to Amrum Bank, with time in the dockyard changing out worn propeller shaft blocks and replacing broken tubes in several failed boilers. At one point, an abortive search was conducted for the missing airship L-21, but mostly it was picket duty in Schillig Roads or anchorage in Wilhelmshaven Roads. On Tuesday, May 30 – all that changed. A wireless signal was received for the fleet to assemble in Schillig Roads by 21:00. This was followed shortly by another wireless message, this one from Vizeadmiral Hipper…“1st Scouting Group to assemble 18:00, Schillig Roads, anchorage A, Lutzow (flag) position 5”.
Around 03:00, 31 May 1916, the wind was steady from the north-northwest at force 3, with rain and a thick haze. The battlecruiser crews were closed up at “sailing stations” as they watched the 2nd Scouting Group sweep past them at 18 knots in the morning darkness. They were accompanied by II and VI Torpedo Boat Flotillas -- the tiny craft belching thick clouds of funnel smoke that clung to the surface of the water. As the last ship passed, a signal lamp flashed from SMS Lutzow, and the big cruisers slipped their moorings and swung out into the channel accompanied by the IX Torpedo Boat Flotilla. Lutzow’s signal lamp flashed again and the battlecruiser’s engine room repeaters rang-up for 18 knots. As the Panzerkreuzer cleared the Jade, they swung north on a mission to hunt convoys – off the coast of Jutland……
We must leave SMS Moltke at this point – but we will come back to her…...
SMS Moltke made fast to mooring points along the breakwater in the Cuxhaven Roadsted. Mooring Points are by “Mattb325” – modified with props by “AP”. The boat boom, small boats, motor launch, and the excellent battlecruiser are also by “AP”.
NEXT TIME……
CRUISING THE SUNNY
MEDITERRANEAN
MANY THANKS to @Barroco Hispano for his beautiful warship models.
SPECIAL THANKS to my collaborating partner, @AP, for his considerable talents, meticulous attention to detail, and wonderful models. I am indebted to him.
If you enjoyed anything – please punch the “like” button so WE will know. A comment would be even more informative.
Comments and critiques requested and gratefully accepted. All questions answered promptly to the best of our ability.
THANK YOU for your visit!
You may wish to visit these CJ’s as well……
SERIES I:
IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: WILHELMSHAVEN
SERIES II:
IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: CUXHAVEN
Appearing – Work In Publication
SERIES III:
IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: BREMERHAVEN
Appearing -- ???
And please feel free to drop in at…
THE SIMTROPOLIS SHIPYARD
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