German destroyer Z32

History
Nazi Germany
Name: Z32
Ordered: 19 September 1939
Builder: AG Weser (Deschimag), Bremen
Laid down: 1 November 1940
Launched: 15 August 1941
Completed: 15 September 1942
Fate: Ran aground 9 June 1944
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type: Type 1936A (Mob) destroyer
Displacement:
  • 2,645 t (2,603 long tons) (standard)
  • 3,655 t (3,597 long tons) full load
Length: 127 m (416 ft 8 in) o/a
Beam: 12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Draft: 4.62 m (15 ft 2 in)
Installed power:
Propulsion:
Speed: 38.5 kn (71.3 km/h; 44.3 mph)
Range: 2,239 nmi (4,147 km; 2,577 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement: 321
Armament:

Z32 was a German Type 1936A (Mob) destroyer, which was completed in 1942 and served with the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She mainly operated from German occupied French Atlantic ports, escorting blockade runners and U-boats, and was sunk during the Battle of Ushant on 9 June 1944.

Construction and design

On 28 June 1939, orders for nine destroyers (Z31–Z39) of the new Type 1938B class were placed, with a further three destroyers of the class being ordered in July.[1] The Type 1938B were relatively small destroyers compared with the preceding Type 1936 and 1936A ships, to be armed with four 127mm (5 in) guns in two twin turrets, and designed for long range.[2] Following the outbreak of the Second World War, however, orders for the Type 1938B destroyers were cancelled, with a reversion to a slightly modified version of the previous Type 1936A class, the Type 1936A (Mob) class. Four destroyers (Z31–Z34) were re-ordered from the Deschimag consortium to be built at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen on that day, with a further three ships (Z37–Z39) ordered from the Germaniawerft yard.[3][4] Z32 was laid down on 1 November 1940 (with the yard number 1002[5]), launched on 15 August 1941 and commissioned on 15 September 1942.[6]

Z32 was 127.0 metres (416 ft 8 in) long overall and 121.9 metres (399 ft 11 in) at the waterline, with a beam of 12.0 metres (39.4 ft) and a draught of 3.92–4.62 metres (12 ft 10 in–15 ft 2 in) depending on displacement.[7] Displacement was 2,645 tonnes (2,603 long tons) standard and 3,655 tonnes (3,597 long tons) full load.[8] The ship's machinery consisted of six Wagner boilers feeding high-pressure superheated steam (at 70 atm (1,029 psi; 7,093 kPa) and 450 °C (842 °F)) to 2 sets of Wagner geared steam turbines.[9][10] Rated power was 70,000 shaft horsepower (52,000 kW), giving a speed of 38.5 knots (71.3 km/h; 44.3 mph). Range was 2,239 nautical miles (4,147 km; 2,577 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).[11] The ship had a complement of 321 officers and ratings.[8][10]

Z32's main armament was five 15 cm (5.9in) TbtsK C/36 naval guns, with one twin turret forward and three single mounts aft. Z32 was the first ship of the class to complete with the armament as development of the twin turret had been slow.[12][13] The forward gun was replaced by the intended twin turret in 1944,[10] Anti-aircraft armament consisted of 2 twin 3.7 cm SK C/30 anti-aircraft guns (later replaced by automatic Flak M42 guns) and nine 20 mm cannon in one quadruple and five single mounts.[14] A second quadruple 20 mm mount was fitted forward of the ship's bridge in 1943, replacing one of the single mounts.[4] Eight 533mm (21 in) torpedo tubes in two quadruple mounts were fitted, and up to 60 mines could be carried.[15]

Service

After commissioning and work up, Z32 joined the 8th Destroyer Flotilla, which was transferred via the English channel to the French Atlantic coast in Operation Karin from 5–8 March 1943, and despite being fired at by British coastal artillery off Dover, the Flotilla reached Bordeaux unscathed on 8 March.[16] On 28 March, Z32 was one of four destroyers that formed the distant escort for the Italian blockade runner Himalaya setting out from Bordeaux for the Far East, with 9 torpedo boats providing a close escort, but the force turned back when spotted by British air reconnaissance. On 30 March, Z32, together with the destroyers Z23, Z24 and Z37, set out to meet the incoming blockade runner Pietro Orseolo. Heavy British air attacks were repelled, but Pietro Orseolo was damaged by a torpedo from the American submarine Shad before reaching safety in the Gironde estuary on 2 April. On 9 April, Z32 set out on another attempt to cover the break out of Himalaya, but again this was foiled by British air attacks.[17] Other operations included covering German U-boats departing and returning to their French bases.[18]

On 24 December 1943, the 8th Destroyer Flotilla, consisting of six destroyers including Z32, and the 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla (of six torpedo boats) set out to meet the blockade runner Osorno, meeting her on 25 December. They managed to escort Osorno to the Gironde despite heavy air attack, but Orsono struck a submerged wreck and had to be beached to save her cargo.[19] On 26 December, the 8th Destroyer Flotilla, again including Z32 and the 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla set out again to meet another inbound blockade runner, Alsterufer. Unknown to the Germans, Alsterufer was attacked and set on fire by a B-24 Liberator bomber of No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF on 27 December and was abandoned by her crew. At about midday on 28 December, the British cruisers Glasgow and Enterprise, on patrol in the Bay of Biscay to intercept blockade runners, encountered the German destroyers and torpedo boats, resulting in the Battle of the Bay of Biscay. Heavy seas prevented the German force from using its theoretical advantage in speed and firepower, with the destroyer Z27 and the torpedo boats T25 and T27 were sunk. Z33 fired six torpedoes against the British cruisers, all of which missed.[18][20]

On 30 January 1944, Z32 was carrying out exercises in the south of the Bay of Biscay with Z23 and Z37 when she collided with Z37. Z32 suffered damage to her degaussing system and a fire on her forecastle caused by loose ready-use anti-aircraft ammunition, while one of Z37's torpedoes exploded, starting a fire and causing flooding. Z32 was under repair until 2 May, while Z37 considered to be beyond economic repair, and was disarmed.[21][22] Z32 was damaged again on 5 May when she ran aground, and was under repair for another month.[23]

On 6 June 1944, following the Normandy landings, the 8th Destroyer Flotilla, consisting of Z32 the destroyers Z24 and ZH1 and the torpedo boat T24 set off for Brest for operations against the invasion fleet. They were attacked by British aircraft during the passage, with Z32 damaged by British rockets. On 8/9 June, the four ships set out from Brest for Cherbourg, but were intercepted by eight Allied destroyers in the Battle of Ushant. ZH1 was sunk by torpedoes from the British destroyer HMS Ashanti, while Z32 being pursued by the Canadian destroyers Haida and Huron when she ran aground and was wrecked on the Île de Batz. The other two German ships escaped back to Cherbourg, while the British destroyer Tartar was damaged.[24][25]

References

Bibliography

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