Built at Howaldtswerke, Kiel, she was launched in 1929 as the cargo shipNeumark for the Hamburg America Line (HAPAG). In 1939 the Kriegsmarine requisitioned her for use as a commerce raider. She was converted by Blohm+Voss in late 1939, and commissioned as the raider Widder on 9 December of that year. She sailed on her first and only raiding voyage in May 1940.
Leaving Germany on 6 May 1940, she made for Bergen, in Norway. On 13 May Widder encountered the British submarine HMS Clyde on the surface, exchanging gunfire for more than an hour, with no hits for either side. After the engagement, the cruiser sheltered in Sandsfjord. On 14 May she put to sea, crossing the Arctic Circle the next day. On 21 August 1940, 800 miles west of the Canary Islands, she sank Anglo Saxon, which had been carrying coal from Newport, Wales, to Bahía Blanca, Argentina. After refuelling from the auxiliary ship Nordmark, she slipped through the Denmark Strait. Over a 5½ month period she captured and sank ten ships, totalling 58,644 GRT.
Widder was reported to have machine-gunned the crew of Anglo Saxon in their lifeboats. One jolly boat with seven crewmen survived. Over two months later, on 27 October, the last two survivors in the boat landed in the Bahamas after a 2,275-mile voyage. One of the two was killed when his next ship was torpedoed in 1941. The other survived the war and testified against von Ruckteschell, who was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for war crimes. He died in prison in 1948.
Having completed her mission, she returned to occupied France on 31 October 1940.
Later historyedit
Deemed unsuitable as a merchant raider due to persistent drive problems, Widder was re-christened Neumark, and used as a repair ship in Norway, playing a major role in repairing the battleship Tirpitz in 1943–44. After the war she was taken into British merchant service as Ulysses, then sold back to Germany as Fechenheim in 1951. She was converted into a motor ship in 1954. She was wrecked off Bergen in 1955, and scrapped shortly after.
She was one of only two German auxiliary cruisers to survive the war, after one 1940 cruise. Her captain, Helmuth von Ruckteschell, was one of only two German naval commanders convicted of war crimes at the end of the war.
Schmalenbach, Paul (1977). German Raiders 1895–1945. ISBN0-85059-351-4.
External linksedit
Hilfskreuzer Widder
April 10, 2024
german, auxiliary, cruiser, widder, widder, auxiliary, cruiser, hilfskreuzer, nazi, germany, kriegsmarine, that, used, merchant, raider, second, world, kriegsmarine, designation, schiff, royal, navy, raider, name, widder, represents, constellation, aries, germ. Widder HSK 3 was an auxiliary cruiser Hilfskreuzer of Nazi Germany s Kriegsmarine that was used as a merchant raider in the Second World War Her Kriegsmarine designation was Schiff 21 to the Royal Navy she was Raider D The name Widder Ram represents the constellation Aries in German Widder s sister ship NordmarkHistoryGermanyNameNeumarkNamesakeNeumarkOwnerHAPAGPort of registryHamburgBuilderHowaldtswerke KielYard number695Launched21 December 1929Completed1930FateRequisitioned 1939Nazi GermanyNamesakeAriesOperatorKriegsmarineBuilderBlohm VossYard number3Acquired1939Commissioned9 December 1939Decommissioned1941RenamedWidder 1939 Neumark 1940ReclassifiedAuxiliary cruiser 1939HomeportKielIdentificationHSK 3 Schiff 21 Raider DFateWar reparation to the UKUnited KingdomNamesakeUlyssesPort of registryLondonAcquiredcirca 1945RenamedUlyssesIdentificationUK official number 10773FateSold 1951West GermanyNamesakeFechenheimPort of registryBremenAcquired1951RenamedFechenheimFateWrecked near Bergen 1955General characteristicsTypecargo shipTonnage7 851 GRT 4 168 NRTDisplacement16 800 tonsLength499 ft 152 m overall 477 0 ft 145 4 m registeredBeam63 1 ft 19 2 m Draught27 ft 8 3 m Depth28 3 ft 8 6 m Decks2Installed power6 200 hp 4 600 kW Propulsion1 screw 1930 4 turbines single reduction gears 1954 two stroke diesel engineSpeed14 knots 26 km h 16 mph Range34 000 nmi 63 000 km 39 000 mi at 10 kn 19 km h 12 mph Endurance141 daysComplement364Sensors and processing systemswireless direction findingArmament6 15 cm 5 9 in SK L 45 1 75 mm 3 in gun 1 twin 3 7 cm 1 5 in SK C 30 2 twin 2 cm 0 79 in FlaK 30 4 53 3 cm torpedo tubes 92 x minesAircraft carried2 Heinkel He 114B Contents 1 Early history 2 Raider voyage 3 Later history 4 Raiding career 5 References 6 External linksEarly history editBuilt at Howaldtswerke Kiel she was launched in 1929 as the cargo ship Neumark for the Hamburg America Line HAPAG In 1939 the Kriegsmarine requisitioned her for use as a commerce raider She was converted by Blohm Voss in late 1939 and commissioned as the raider Widder on 9 December of that year She sailed on her first and only raiding voyage in May 1940 Raider voyage editWidder sailed as part of the Kriegsmarine s first wave of commerce raiders sailing on 6 May 1940 under the command of Korvettenkapitan later Fregattenkapitan Helmuth von Ruckteschell Leaving Germany on 6 May 1940 she made for Bergen in Norway On 13 May Widder encountered the British submarine HMS Clyde on the surface exchanging gunfire for more than an hour with no hits for either side After the engagement the cruiser sheltered in Sandsfjord On 14 May she put to sea crossing the Arctic Circle the next day On 21 August 1940 800 miles west of the Canary Islands she sank Anglo Saxon which had been carrying coal from Newport Wales to Bahia Blanca Argentina After refuelling from the auxiliary ship Nordmark she slipped through the Denmark Strait Over a 5 month period she captured and sank ten ships totalling 58 644 GRT Widder was reported to have machine gunned the crew of Anglo Saxon in their lifeboats One jolly boat with seven crewmen survived Over two months later on 27 October the last two survivors in the boat landed in the Bahamas after a 2 275 mile voyage One of the two was killed when his next ship was torpedoed in 1941 The other survived the war and testified against von Ruckteschell who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for war crimes He died in prison in 1948 Having completed her mission she returned to occupied France on 31 October 1940 Later history editDeemed unsuitable as a merchant raider due to persistent drive problems Widder was re christened Neumark and used as a repair ship in Norway playing a major role in repairing the battleship Tirpitz in 1943 44 After the war she was taken into British merchant service as Ulysses then sold back to Germany as Fechenheim in 1951 She was converted into a motor ship in 1954 She was wrecked off Bergen in 1955 and scrapped shortly after She was one of only two German auxiliary cruisers to survive the war after one 1940 cruise Her captain Helmuth von Ruckteschell was one of only two German naval commanders convicted of war crimes at the end of the war Raiding career editDate Ship name Country Tonnage Fate13 June 1940 British Petrol nbsp United Kingdom 6 891 GRT Sunk26 June 1940 Krossfonn nbsp Norway 9 323 GRT Captured10 July 1940 Davisian nbsp United Kingdom 6 433 GRT Sunk13 July 1940 King John nbsp United Kingdom 5 228 GRT Sunk4 August 1940 Beaulieu nbsp Norway 6 114 GRT Sunk8 August 1940 Oostplein nbsp Netherlands 5 059 GRT Sunk10 August 1940 Killoran nbsp Finland 1 817 GRT Sunk21 August 1940 Anglo Saxon nbsp United Kingdom 5 596 GRT Sunk1 September 1940 Cymbeline nbsp United Kingdom 6 317 GRT Sunk8 September 1940 Antonios Chandris nbsp Greece 5 866 GRT SunkReferences editMuggenthaler August Karl 1977 German Raiders of World War II ISBN 0 7091 6683 4 Roskill Stephen 1954 The War at Sea 1939 1945 Vol I Schmalenbach Paul 1977 German Raiders 1895 1945 ISBN 0 85059 351 4 External links editHilfskreuzer Widder Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title German auxiliary cruiser Widder amp oldid 1212138943, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
