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 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...

Name:
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Wilhelm Heidkamp
  
Steel
123,4x 11,75x 4,5m.
       
Tons: Built: Homeport: Cargo:
3415 grt Bremen ( D ) 1937 Bremen ( D )  

History provided by

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, 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.

Size (max): 3415 t
Length (Waterline): 120,60 m
Length (Total): 123,40 m
Beam: 11,75 m
Draft: 4,50 m
Crew: 323

Edited 29.06.2007