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Sailor Steve · 08-26-14, 01:18 PM

August 26:

Two days after SMS Dresden captured SS Holmwood Captain Lüdecke decides to sink the British freighter. After removing the crew and taking what supplies they could use, Holmwood is sunk using scuttling charges.

SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse was one of the great pre-war passenger liners. Built in 1897, she once took the prize for the fastest liner on the seas. With the outbreak of war she was camoflaged, armed with six 10.5cm (4.1") guns, labeled an Armed Merchant Cruiser, and ordered to prey on Allied shipping. On August 7 she captured the fishing trawler Tubal Cain. After taking the crew aboard his own ship Captain Reymann sank the 227-ton trawler with gunfire. Her next victim was a little more substantial. On August 16 it was the 7,392-ton passenger/cargo ship SS Kaipara. Again Reyman took the crew on board his own ship before sinking the New Zealand-owned ship. Lastly Kaiser Wilhelm encountered the Nyanza, of 3,066 tons, later that same day. Again the crew were taken aboard Kaiser Wilhelm, and again the merchant was sunk. Sometime later Kaiser Wilhelm encountered two liners, SS Galician and Arlanza. Upon finding that they had women and children aboard, Reymann made the decision to let both ships go.

The 26th of August found Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse at the Spanish West African colony of Rio de Oro, taking on coal from two colliers, one German and one Austrian. Some sources say there was a third collier helping out. Some thirty British warships were on the lookout for Kaiser Wilhelm. The one that found her was HMS Highflyer, an old 2nd-class cruiser built in 1898, commanded by Henry Tritton Buller. As the British ship came in sight, Captain Reyman transferred his prisoners to the colliers and prepared his ship for battle. Buller called for Kaiser to surrender. Reymann claimed the protection of neutral waters. This claim was denied as Kaiser had already been in those same waters for several days, well beyond the 24-hour limit. The battle lasted from 15:10 to 16:45. Kaiser was no match for Highflyer's eleven 6" guns. The Germans scuttled their ship and the survivors made for shore.

An eyewitness account of the battle:

SMS Magdeburg was a German light cruiser operating in the Baltic Sea. Magdeburg had shelled the port of Libau on August 2 and the Dagerot lighthouse on the 12th. On August 17 Magdeburg had barely escaped a battle with two Russian armored cruisers, and only because the Russian commander thought that a pair of German armored cruisers were in the area. On August 26 Magdeburg's luck ran out when she ran aground near the Odensholm lighthouse. Despite efforts by the destroyer V26 to tow her off. The heavy Russian protected cruisers Bogatyr and Pallada showed up and began shelling Magdeburg with their multiple 8" and 6" guns. Despite attempts by Magdeburg's crew to destroy their ship the Russians captured the German ship, complete with code-books and cypher key, which were shared with the British Royal Navy.

08-26-14, 01:18 PM	#165
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	August 26: Two days after SMS Dresden captured SS Holmwood Captain Lüdecke decides to sink the British freighter. After removing the crew and taking what supplies they could use, Holmwood is sunk using scuttling charges. SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse was one of the great pre-war passenger liners. Built in 1897, she once took the prize for the fastest liner on the seas. With the outbreak of war she was camoflaged, armed with six 10.5cm (4.1") guns, labeled an Armed Merchant Cruiser, and ordered to prey on Allied shipping. On August 7 she captured the fishing trawler Tubal Cain. After taking the crew aboard his own ship Captain Reymann sank the 227-ton trawler with gunfire. Her next victim was a little more substantial. On August 16 it was the 7,392-ton passenger/cargo ship SS Kaipara. Again Reyman took the crew on board his own ship before sinking the New Zealand-owned ship. Lastly Kaiser Wilhelm encountered the Nyanza, of 3,066 tons, later that same day. Again the crew were taken aboard Kaiser Wilhelm, and again the merchant was sunk. Sometime later Kaiser Wilhelm encountered two liners, SS Galician and Arlanza. Upon finding that they had women and children aboard, Reymann made the decision to let both ships go. The 26th of August found Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse at the Spanish West African colony of Rio de Oro, taking on coal from two colliers, one German and one Austrian. Some sources say there was a third collier helping out. Some thirty British warships were on the lookout for Kaiser Wilhelm. The one that found her was HMS Highflyer, an old 2nd-class cruiser built in 1898, commanded by Henry Tritton Buller. As the British ship came in sight, Captain Reyman transferred his prisoners to the colliers and prepared his ship for battle. Buller called for Kaiser to surrender. Reymann claimed the protection of neutral waters. This claim was denied as Kaiser had already been in those same waters for several days, well beyond the 24-hour limit. The battle lasted from 15:10 to 16:45. Kaiser was no match for Highflyer's eleven 6" guns. The Germans scuttled their ship and the survivors made for shore. An eyewitness account of the battle: SMS Magdeburg was a German light cruiser operating in the Baltic Sea. Magdeburg had shelled the port of Libau on August 2 and the Dagerot lighthouse on the 12th. On August 17 Magdeburg had barely escaped a battle with two Russian armored cruisers, and only because the Russian commander thought that a pair of German armored cruisers were in the area. On August 26 Magdeburg's luck ran out when she ran aground near the Odensholm lighthouse. Despite efforts by the destroyer V26 to tow her off. The heavy Russian protected cruisers Bogatyr and Pallada showed up and began shelling Magdeburg with their multiple 8" and 6" guns. Despite attempts by Magdeburg's crew to destroy their ship the Russians captured the German ship, complete with code-books and cypher key, which were shared with the British Royal Navy. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo Last edited by Sailor Steve; 01-11-17 at 04:05 AM.