Den tyske jageren Anton Schmitt ble i likhet med ni andre jagere satt ut av spill eller senket i aprildagene 1940 under tyskernes invasjon av Norge, operasjon Weserübung. Anton Schmitt og de ni andre jagerne var satt opp som Kriegsschiffgruppe 1 under operasjon Weserübung, og målet var å sikre byen Narvik og malmtrafikken fra Sverige. I tyskernes 3. Zerstörer flottille hørte jagerne Z 17 Diether von Roeder som Fuhrer zerstörer ( flaggskip ),  Z 18 Hans Lüdemann, Z 20 Karl Galster og Z 22 Anton Schmitt seg. Denne flottillen opphørte den 13 april 1940! Z 22 Anton Schmitt. I dagene som fulgte fra og med den 9 april, raste harde kamper mellom de tyske og allierte styrkene i Norge, og Narvik var ikke et unntak. Både britiske, norske, svenske og tyske skip endte sin historie i farvannet rundt Narvik eller i havnebassenget i disse aprildagene. Den 10 april var Anton Schmitt ankret opp i Narvik havn da britiske jagere strømmet inn fra fjorden og angrep skipene som lå der. I løpet av kort tid blir Anton Schmitt truffet av to torpedoer og går ned i havnebassenget i Narvik. Som med de andre tyske jagerne som endte sine dager i Narvik, ble også Anton Schmitt liggende i fred hvor den var til etter krigen, da det ble bestemt å rydde opp i Narvik havn for å gi adgang for de sivile skip i havnen. Anton Schmitt ble hevet og dumpet utenfor Narvik flyplass sammen med flere andre vrak. Idag hviler vraket av Anton Schmitt på en dybde av tolv til tyve meter i to deler, rett siden av vraket av de tyske jagerne Wilhelm Heidkamp \ Z 21 og Dieter Von Roder \ Z-17. Stedet er lett tilgjengelig med bil...

The German destroyer Anton Schmitt was like nine other destroyers put out of action or sunk i the April days 1940 under the German invasion of Norway, operation Weserübung. Anton Schmitt and the other nine destroyers were put together as Kriegsschiffgruppe 1 under operation Weserübung, and the target was to secure the city Narvik and the iron ore traffic from Sweden. In the German 3. Zerstörer flottille belonged the destroyers Z 17 Diether von Roeder as Fuhrer zerstörer ( flag ship ),  Z 18 Hans Lüdemann, Z 20 Karl Galster and Z 22 Anton Schmitt. This flotilla was disbanded on the 13th of April 1940! In the days that followed from the 9th of April, harsh battles raged between the German and allied forces in Norway, and Narvik was no exception. Both British, Norwegian, Swedish and German vessels ended their history in the waters around Narvik or in the harbor pool in these April days. On the 10th of April Anton Schmitt was at anchor in Narvik harbor when British destroyers streamed in from the fjord and attacked the vessels that laid there. In short time Anton Schmitt is hit by two torpedoes and goes down in the harbor pool in Narvik. As with the rest of the German destroyers which ended their days in Narvik, also Anton Schmitt was left alone to rest where it was, until after the war when it was decided to clean up in Narvik harbor to give free access to the civilian vessels in the harbor. Anton Schmitt was salvaged and dumped outside Narvik airport together with several other wrecks. Today the wreck of Anton Schmitt rest on a depth of twelve to twenty meters in two pieces, next to the wrecks of the German destroyers Wilhelm Heidkamp \ Z 21 and Dieter Von Roder \ Z-17. The site is easily accessed by car...


Name:
Former names:
 Material:
Dimensions:
Anton Schmitt
  
Steel
123,4x 11,75x 4,5 m.
       
Tons: Built: Homeport: Cargo:
3415 grt ( D ) 1936 ( D )  


History provided by German Kriegsmarine Encyclopedia;

The Zerstörer 1936 class were slightly bigger and improved to their predecessors, the Zerstörer 1934 and Zerstörer 1934A. While these ships were under construction, none of the earlier ships was commissioned and therefore none of their design flaws got obvious. It's interesting that most of the problems - especially those of the engines - were solved in this class of ships. The engines were much more reliable, the structural integrity was improved and they were much better seagoing ships. This was caused by the reduction of the top weight, the funnels were shortened and the height of the superstructure was reduced and the improved bow shape of the three last build ships. Although 26 of this ships were ordered, only 6 were completed All but one ships were sunk at Narvik and formed the destroyer graveyard in the Norwegian fjord. Until February 1940 the ship took part in four offensive mine laying operation in the North Sea, from 10.09.1939 the Heidkamp was the command ship of the Commander of Destroyers (Führer der Zerstörer). During in Operation Weserübung the ship was part of the Kriegsschiffgruppe 1 heading for Narvik where it was heavily damaged on 10.04.1940 at Narvik in a battle with British destroyers. Sunk after a torpedo hit from the British destroyer Hardy on 11.04.1940.

Edited 29.06.2007