SMS Stuttgart

SMS Stuttgart was a Königsberg class light cruiser that served with the German High Seas Fleet, and was present at the battle of Jutland. She began her military career as a gunnery training ship, before joining the High Seas Fleet. At Jutland she was part of the Fourth Scouting Group (Stettin, München, Fraurnlob, Stuttgart and Hamburg).

During the night action at Jutland the Fourth Scouting Group fought a short but costly night action with the British Second Light Cruiser Squadron. The Fourth Scouting Group was on the left of the German fleet, the Second Light Cruiser Squadron to the rear of the British fleet. Stuttgart is not recorded to have suffered any damage during the battle.

In February-May 1918 the Stuttgart was converted to serve as a seaplane carrier. This involved removing six of the 4.1in guns (the four rearmost guns and the forecastle pair) and all of the quick firing 2in guns, in order to create the space needed for to provide a hanger for two aircraft and the cranes to manoeuvre them on and off the ship. A pair of anti-aircraft guns replaced the forward 4.1in guns. The aircraft and their equipment were carried behind the third funnel.

After the war Stuttgart was handed over to Great Britain, and in 1921 was scrapped.

The Kaiser’s Cruisers 1871-1918, Aidan Dodson and Dirk Nottelmann. Looks at the small cruisers that served in the navy of Imperial Germany, from its formation in the 1870s to the aftermath of the First World War, a period that saw the last sail powered cruisers replaced by recognisably modern steam powered turret armed warships after a prolonged period of debate, and Tirpitz come to dominate the Navy with the support of Wilhelm II. Splits the design process and service records into separate sections, so we can trace the development of the cruiser and then get a good overview of how the type performed in combat (Read Full Review)

Books on the First World War | Subject Index: First World War

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