SMS Rostock

SMS "Rostock" was a light cruiser built for the German Imperial Navy. Construction started in 1911, and was finished in February 1914, months before the outbreak of World War I. The ship had a fairly eventful service history during the conflict, participating at the major naval battles at Dogger Bank and Jutland. cite web|title=WWI Naval Combat|url=http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/cruisers/sms-karlsruhe.html|accessdate=February 17|accessyear=2008]

Design

Dimensions and machinery

"Rostock" was 139 m long at the waterline, and 142.2 m in length overall. She had a beam of 13.7 m, and a draught of 5.79 m. The ship displaced 4,900 tonnes normally, and 6,191 tonnes fully laden. "Rostock" was powered by 2-shaft Navy turbines, which produced 26,000 shp, and a rated top speed of 27.8 knots. However, in trials, "Rostock" was able to drive her turbines to 43,628 shp, and a top speed of 29.3 knots.

Armament

"Rostock" carried the same armament as the preceding "Magdeburg" class light cruisers. She was armed with twelve 105mm (4.1 in) guns, mounted in single turrets. Two turrets were located fore in a pair, two aft in a similar situation, and four on either side of the middle of the ship. The ship was also armed with two 500mm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes, and 120 mines.

Armor

"Rostock" was also armored with the same protection layout as on the preceding "Magdeburg" class ships. She had an armored belt that was 2.5 in thick at the strongest points, and tapering to .5 in in weaker, less critical areas of the ship. The deck was also protected by armor plate, ranging from 2.5 to 1 inches in thickness.

ervice history

Upon commissioning, "Rostock" was assigned as a torpedo boat flotilla command ship. In July 1914, "Rostock" was serving as the escort to Kaiser Wilhelm II's royal yacht, SMY "Hohenzollern".Citation
last = Massie
first = Robert K.
title = Castles of Steel
publisher = Random House Publishing Group
year = 2003
isbn =0345408780.] On 24 January, 1915, "Rostock" formed part of the support for Admiral Hipper's battlecruiser squadron during a sortie to shell British towns near Dogger Bank. The German group encountered five British battlecruisers, resulting in the Battle of Dogger Bank, during which the armored cruiser "Blücher" was sunk.

"Rostock" also participated in the Battle of Jutland, on 31 May 1916. The ship met its end during the confused night fighting in the early morning hours of 1 June. The ship was torpedoed by the destroyer HMS "Achates", Citation
last = Butler
first = Daniel A.
title = Distant Victory
publisher = Greenwood Publishing Group
year = 2006
isbn =0275990737.] and sunk during the German flight from the battle, as was the pre-dreadnought battleship "Pommern".

References