SMS Großer Kurfürst (1875)

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SMS Großer Kurfürst was an armored frigate launched in 1875 in Wilhelmshaven, following her sisterships SMS Preußen (launched 1873 in Stettin) and SMS Friedrich der Große (launched in 1874 in Kiel). Subsequently reclassified as Panzerschiffe (armored ships), they were the first armored ships with gun turrets built in Germany, as the new Imperial Navy sought independence from foreign shipbuilders. They were 96 meters long and had a displacement of 6,800 tons, with iron armor on teak planking. They had 1,834 square meters of sails and steam engines and a top speed under steam of 14 knots. The crew numbered 46 officers and 454 men.

[edit] The Sinking

During exercises off Folkestone in Kent on 31 May 1878, a squadron of German navy ships was sailing in two columns destined for Plymouth, with the flagship SMS König Wilhelm and SMS Preußen in one division and SMS Großer Kurfürst making up the other. As they were sailing under the cliffs, two small sailing craft crossed the bows of the German ships, provoking both König Wilhelm and Großer Kurfürst to make emergency manoeuvres. The unfortunate result was that both ships swung inwards, König Wilhelm moving to port and Großer Kurfürst to starboard. It later emerged that the young officer steering the König Wilhelm had become disoriented and moved in the wrong direction in spite of his orders to go to starboard.

The larger König Wilhelm tore into the side of her companion, spilling sailors into the sea, ripping off armoured plating and tearing large holes into Großer Kurfürst. The damage was fatal, and the ship rapidly began to sink, with her compatriots and numerous rescue craft despatched from Sandgate and Folkstone pulling as many sailors from the wreck as they could. Despite this enormous effort, 284 of her crew drowned when the ship sank into the Channel.

Many of the drowned German Mariners are buried in Cheriton Road Cemetery in Folkestone.