Historical background

SMS ARIADNE was the lead ship of the Harbour Flotilla Jade/Weser (Hafenflottille Jade/Weser) at 01.08.1914. In the morning of the 28.08.1914, gunfire was recorded south of Heligoland. A message from light cruiser STETTIN came in, in which STETTIN asked for help. ARIADNE headed to Heligoland, but turned around shortly after because the gunfire near Heligoland stopped and STETTIN reported that hostile ships went in western direction. On her way back the ARIADNE sighted SMS CÖLN heading with full speed in western direction. Shortly after ARIADNE and SMS NIOBE were ordered to support the CÖLN. NIOBE was anchoring in Wilhelmshaven to bunker coal, so ARIADNE had to follow CÖLN alone. Around 14:00 the ARIADNE stand in battle for ca. 30 minutes with British battle cruisers, including HMS LION. ARIADNE was hit several times and slowed down quickly to 15 kn maximum speed. Around 15:00 light cruiser SMS DANZIG, SMS KOLBERG and SMS STRALSUND assisted ARIADNE and saved 250 crew members. At 16:25 ARIADNE capsized and sunk and 64 crew members died.

literature

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E. Gröner, Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815 - 1945. Panzerschiffe, Linienschiffe, Schlachtschiffe, Flugzeugträger, Kreuzer, Kanonenboote, Bd. 1 (München 1982).

H. Hildebrandt/ A. Röhr/ H.-O. Steinmetz, Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe. Biographien, ein Spiegel der Marinegeschichte von 1815 bis zur Gegenwart, Bd. 1 (Herford 1979).

Marine Archiv (Ed.) Der Krieg zur See. 1915-1918. Bd. 1. Von Kriegsbeginn bis Anfang September 1914 (Berlin 1920).

R. Scheer, Deutschlands Hochseeflotte im Weltkrieg. Persönliche Erinnerungen (Berlin 1919).