Kyler’s Kaiserliche Marine Blog
Post #6: SMS Moltke Skagarrek Battle Damage
The battlecruiser SMS Moltke was the least damaged heavy unit of the 1st Scouting Group after the Skagerrak Battle. She would receive four shells strikes over the course of the engagement. The main photo shows the ship’s stern low in the water from damage on May 31st, 1916.
(The photo is a very rare & possibly unseen post-battle photograph of the battlecruiser. Shared for the first time on this page.)
Hit 1 was recorded around 17:16 on the stern of the ship. The unknown shell struck about 3 meters above the waterline. It passed through the stern and detonated against armor on the portside armor plate. It tore off the armor plate and the surrounding compartments were flooded
Hit 2 struck the ship at 17:26. The 15in shell hit near the waterline but did not penetrate the ship. It did dislodge the plate a bit and caused some flooding in the surrounding compartments.
Hit 3 at 17:27 was the most devastating strike. It would penetrate 200mm citadel armor near amidship starboard side near the fourth casemate 150mm gun. It would explode near the shell lift. It would cause the most casualties and deaths aboard the Moltke. Most of the crew were killed instantly and it also knocked the gun out of action. 16 of the 17 killed during the battle were related to this shell strike.
Hit 4 was another 15inch at 17:23 shell strike that caused similar damage to that of Hit 2. This shell did not go through the 270mm main belt near the forward amidship turret. Again, water filled some of the surrounding compartments and passageways.
In total, 17 crew perished and 20 more would be injured. The ship would take on 1,000 tonnes of water with flooding and counter flooding. She would eventually transfer to Hamburg to have repairs take place in a floating dock from June 7th to July 30th.
Sources:
Photograph: Personal Collection
Content & Line Drawings: Gary Staff’s “German Battlecruisers of World War One”