Greek destroyer Vasilefs Georgios (D 14)

"Vasilefs Georgios" ( _el. ΒΠ "Βασιλεύς Γεώργιος") was a Greek destroyer, the lead ship of its class, which served with the Royal Hellenic Navy and the German Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. The ship was named after King George I, and was the second ship to bear this name.

In Greek service

Built by Yarrow & Company (Scotstoun, Scotland) along with her sister ship "Vasilissa Olga", she was the most modern ship of the Greek Navy at the outbreak of the Second World War, serving as the flagship of the Destroyer Flotilla. During the Greco-Italian War she operated on convoy escort duty and participated in the first and third naval raids against Italian shipping in the Strait of Otranto (14 November – 15 November 1940 and 4 January – 5 January 1941).

On 14 April 1941 during the German invasion of Greece, while anchored in Sofikos Bay in the Saronic Gulf, she was attacked by German aircraft and suffered severe damages. Under the command of her captain, Commander P. Lappas, she managed to reach the Salamis Naval Yard where she was dry docked. However, due to the rapid German advance and the inability of repairs to be completed on time, she was finally scuttled to prevent capture.

In German service

The Germans nonetheless were able to raise and repair her, and commissioned her into the Kriegsmarine as "Hermes" (ZG 3) on March 21, 1942. She was a well-esteemed ship, and used as the flagship of the German Aegean flotilla, serving mainly in convoy escort duties, under Kapitän zur See Johannesson. On 16 November 1942 near Cape Kafireas one of these convoys came under attack by the RHN submarine "Triton" and resulted with the sinking of "Triton" by one of the escorting vessels.

From April 1943, under Fregattenkapitän Rechel, she was employed in escorting convoys to Tunisia. There she had a success, sinking the British submarine HMS "Splendid" on April 21. Ten days later however, she was attacked by Allied aircraft off Cape Bon, resulting in 23 dead and heavy damages. She was towed to La Goulette, and scuttled there on May 7, as the Allies entered Tunis.

References

ources

* [http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/b.georgios_d14_en.asp Summary of the ship's history from the Hellenic Navy website]
* [http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/captured/destroyer/zg3/index.html Short article in the "German Naval History" page]
* [http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/km/zerstoerer/za.htm#ZG3 Short summary from the "Württembergische Landesbibliothek"]
* cite book | first=Ulrich | last=Elfrath | title=Deutsche Zerstörer, 1934-1945 | publisher=Podzun-Pallas Verlag | isbn=3-7909-061