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The German destroyer Wilhelm Heidkamp was
one of a total of ten German destroyers that ended their history
in the waters around Narvik city in April 1940. Wilhelm Heidkamp
and the nine other destroyers were put together as the Kriegsschiffgruppe
1, and their mission was to secure the city of Narvik. W.Heidkamp
was also the destroyer who sunk the Norwegian pansership Eidsvold
in the morning of April 9th. In the time that followed there were
heavy fighting between the Germans and the allied forces, and on
the 10th of April Wilhelm Heidkamp was hit by a torpedo from the
British destroyer Hardy. The torpedo blew away all the stern part
of Wilhelm Heidkamp, and of the crew 81 German men lost their lives.
But the ship did not sink after this torpedo attack and the commander
Hans Erdmenger got the destroyer towed in to the harbor where she
on the 11th of April had an explosion that shocked the vessel and
she quickly sank. And here the vessel rested until 1963 were she
as many other wreck from the days of second world war was removed.
Norsk Bjergningskompani removed the wreck and dumped her just outside
the airport outside Narvik city. The wreck of Wilhelm Heidkamp lies
today on a depth of ten to twenty five meters relatively in a good
condition. The site is easily accessed by car...
History provided by History provided by German Kriegsmarine Encyclopedia; Size (max): 3415 t |
Den
tyske jageren Wilhelm Heidkamp var en av totalt ti tyske jagere som
endte sin historie i farvannet rundt Narvik by i april 1940. Wilhelm
Heidkamp og de ni andre jagerne var satt opp som Kriegsschiffgruppe
1, og målet var sikringen av byen Narvik. W.Heidkamp var også
den jageren som senket det norske panserskipet Eidsvoll på morgenen
den 9 April. I tiden som fulgte raste harde kamper mellom de tyske og
allierte styrkene, og den 10 april ble Wilhelm Heidkamp selv truffet
fra en torpedo fra den britiske jageren Hardy. Torpedoen fra Hardy sprengte
vekk hele akterenden på Wilhelm Heidkamp, og av besetningen omkom
81 tyske menn. Men skipet sank ikke etter dette torpedo angrepet og
kommandanten Hans Erdmenger fikk jageren tauet inn til havnen hvor hun
den 11 april ble utsatt for en eksplosjon og sank raskt. Og her ble
skipet liggende midt i Narvik havn frem til 1963 hvor det som så
mange andre vrak fra den andre verdenskrigs dager ble fjernet. Norsk
Bjergningskompani fjernet vraket og dumpet det rett utenfor flyplassen
utenfor Narvik by. Vraket av Wilhelm Heidkamp ligger i dag på
en dybde av ti til tjuefem meter relativt godt intakt. Stedet er lett
tilgjengelig med bil... 
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, while
the other orders were modified to other designs. 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 |