SMS S14 (1912)

SMS S14[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] was a V1-class torpedo boat of the Imperial German Navy. She served with the German High Seas Fleet at the start of the First World War, and was sunk by an internal explosion on 19 February 1915.

History
German Empire
NameS14
BuilderSchichau-Werke, Elbing
Launched2 March 1912
Commissioned1 November 1914
FateSunk by external explosion, 19 February 1915
General characteristics
Displacement697 t (686 long tons)
Length71.1 m (233 ft 3 in) oa
Beam7.6 m (24 ft 11 in)
Draft3.11 m (10 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
Speed32 knots (59.3 km/h; 36.8 mph)
Range1,190 nmi (2,200 km; 1,370 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Complement74 officers and sailors
Armament

Construction and design

In 1911, the Imperial German Navy decided to break the pattern of each year's orders of torpedo boats being a development of the previous year's designs, as it felt that they were getting too big to work for the fleet. Instead the 12 torpedo boats (six each ordered from AG Vulcan and Germaniawerft[lower-alpha 3]) (the V1-class) were smaller than those ordered in recent years in order to be more manoeuvrable and so work better with the fleet. This change resulted in the numbering series for torpedo boats being restarted. The 1912 programme placed orders for a flotilla of 12 torpedo boats of similar design (S13 to S24) with Schichau-Werke.[2] The reduction in size resulted in the ships' seaworthiness being adversely affected, however,[2] with the 1911 and 1912 torpedo boats acquiring the disparaging nickname "Admiral Lans' cripples".[1][3]

The Schichau boats were 71.5 m (234 ft 7 in) long overall and 71.0 m (232 ft 11 in) at the waterline, with a beam of 7.43 m (24 ft 5 in) and a draught of 2.77 m (9 ft 1 in). Displacement was 568 tonnes (559 long tons) normal and 695 tonnes (684 long tons) deep load. Three coal-fired and one oil-fired water-tube boilers fed steam to two direct-drive steam turbines rated at 15,700 metric horsepower (15,500 shp; 11,500 kW), giving a design speed of 32.5 knots (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph).[3] 108 tonnes (106 long tons) of coal and 72 tonnes (71 long tons) of oil were carried, giving a range of 1,050 nautical miles (1,940 km; 1,210 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) or 600 nautical miles (1,100 km; 690 mi) at 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph).[2]

S14's armament consisted of two 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 naval guns[lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5] in single mounts fore and aft, one on the Forecastle and one aft. Four single 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes were fitted, with two on the ship's beam in the gap between the forecastle and the ship's bridge which were capable of firing straight ahead, and two on the ship's centreline aft of the funnels.[2][5] Up to 18 mines could be carried.[2][3] The ship had a crew of 74 officers and other ranks.[2]

Construction and service

S14, yard number 865,[3] was launched at Schichau's shipyard in Elbing, East Prussia (now Elbląg in Poland) on 2 March 1912 and was commissioned on 1 November 1912.[6]

First World War

S14 was a member of the 13th Half-flotilla of the 7th Torpedo boat flotilla of the German High Seas Fleet on the outbreak of war.[7] The 7th Torpedo Boat Flotilla supported the Raid on Yarmouth on 3 November 1914 and the Raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby on 3 December 1914.[8] S14 was sunk on 19 February 1915 by an internal explosion on the Jade (53°40′N 8°5′E). 11 of her crew were killed. The ship was salvaged later in the year and was scrapped at Wilhelmshaven.[6][9]

Notes
  1. "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" (German: His Majesty's Ship)
  2. The "S" in S14 denotes the shipyard at which she was built, in this case Schichau-Werke.[1]
  3. The Imperial German Navy's practice was to split a year's orders into half-flotillas of six torpedo boats from different builders, to differing detailed design.[1]
  4. SK stood for Schnellfeuerkanone (quick-firing gun).[4]
  5. In Imperial German Navy gun nomenclature, the L/30 denotes the length of the gun. In this case, the L/30 gun is 30 caliber, meaning that the gun is 30 times as long as it is in diameter.

References
  1. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 164
  2. Gardiner & Gray 1985, p. 167
  3. Gröner, Jung & Maass 1983, p. 51
  4. Gröner, Jung & Maass 1983, p. 17
  5. Moore 1990, p. 117
  6. Gröner, Jung & Maass 1983, p. 52
  7. Fock 1989, p. 347
  8. Fock 1989, p. 350
  9. Fock 1989, p. 348

Bibliography
  • Fock, Harald (1989). Z-Vor! Internationale Entwicklung und Kriegseinsätze von Zerstörern und Torpedobooten 1914 bis 1939 (in German). Herford, Germany: Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft mBH. ISBN 3-7822-0207-4.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1983). Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945: Band 2: Torpedoboote, Zerstörer, Schnellboote, Minensuchboote, Minenräumboote (in German). Koblenz: Bernard & Graef Verlag. ISBN 3-7637-4801-6.
  • Moore, John (1990). Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I. London: Studio. ISBN 1-85170-378-0.
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