Hilfskreuzer
 |
| HK Kormoran |
| Hilfskreuzer (Auxiliary Cruiser) |
| Kormoran |
| Nationality |
German |
| Type |
Hilfskreuzer (Raider) |
| Ship Code |
41 |
| Raider Code |
G |
| Builder |
Krupp-Germania Werft, Kiel., converted by Deutsche Werft AG |
| Launched |
1938 |
| Previous Owner |
Hamburg - Amerika Line |
| Previous Name |
Steiermark |
| General Cruise Details |
| Commander |
Korvettenkapitän (Commander) Theodore Detmers (Knights Cross) |
| Sail date |
3 December 1940 |
| End cruise |
19 November 1941 |
| Fate |
Sunk by HMAS Sydney, west of Australia |
| Performance |
| Prizes |
12 ships |
| Tonnage Sunk |
75.374 |
| Days at Sea |
351 |
| Tons/Day (average) |
214,74 |
| Displacement |
| Tonnage |
8.736 |
| Dimensions |
| Lenght |
164 meters |
| Beam |
20,2 meters |
| Weapons |
| Main Battery |
6 x 155 mm |
| Secondary Battery |
2 x 37 mm |
| Torpedo Tubes |
5 |
| Mines |
360 |
| Aircraft |
| Fixed Wing |
2 |
| Smaller Boats |
| Schnellboot |
None |
| Propulsion |
| Horsepower |
16.000 |
| Endurance |
84.500 nautical miles |
| Speed |
19 knots |
| Fuel Type |
Oil |
| Complement |
| Wartime |
400 |
| Kormoran - War Records from 03-12-1940 to 19-11-1941 |
| Number |
Prize Name |
Type |
Flag |
Date |
Tonnage |
Fate |
| 1 |
Antonis |
Freighter |
Greece |
06-01-1941 |
3.730 |
Sunk |
| 2 |
British Union |
Tanker |
United Kingdom |
18-01-1941 |
7.000 |
Sunk |
| 3 |
Africa Star |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
29-01-1941 |
11.900 |
Sunk |
| 4 |
Eurylochus |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
29-01-1941 |
5.725 |
Sunk |
| 5 |
Agnita |
Tanker |
United Kingdom |
22-03-1941 |
3.550 |
Sunk |
| 6 |
Canadolite |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
25-03-1941 |
11.300 |
Captured |
| 7 |
Craftsman |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
09-04-1941 |
8.020 |
Sunk |
| 8 |
Nicolaos |
Freighter |
Greece |
21-04-1941 |
5.485 |
Sunk |
| 9 |
Velebit |
Freighter |
Yugoslavia |
26-08-1941 |
4.155 |
Sunk |
| 10 |
Mareeba |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
26-06-1941 |
3.470 |
Sunk |
| 11 |
Embiricos |
Freighter |
Greece |
26-09-1941 |
3.940 |
Sunk |
| 12 |
HMAS Sydney |
Light Cruiser |
United Kingdom |
19-11-1941 |
7.100 |
Sunk |
| Total Kormoran Prizes |
75.375 |
|
| Notes to: |
| 1 |
Sunk by explosives charges. |
| 2 |
Sunk by torpedo. |
| 3 |
Sunk by explosive charges. 72 prisoners. Two british young ladies (it’s said of outstanding beauty; in top of that, they climb up to Kormoran almost naked, as any regular shipwreacker take by surprise) enjoyed of non standard housing facilities; they got a first class cabin over the swimming pool deck, with their own bathroom. The German crew always gave them a courteus and very respectful treatment. |
| 4 |
Sunk by torpedo. Several deads. Meeting with Nordmark, for refuelling, and Duquesa, for refooding. 170 prisoners transferred to Nordmark. Meeting with Pinguin. Krüder propose to Detmers operate in team, but this, Fregattenkapitän, refuse to put himself reporting to Krüder, Kapitän zur See. Meeting with Admiral Scheer and U-105. |
| 5 |
Sunk by torpedo. 38 prissoners. |
| 6 |
Very good ship. Dispatched to Bourdeaux with prissoners. She arrives safely, and later converted to blockade runner Sudetenland. Meeting with U-105, U-106 and Nordmark. |
| 7 |
- |
| 8 |
Sunk by torpedo. Meeting with Dresden, Alsterufer and HK Atlantis. |
| 9 |
Gunfired and abandoned, but not sunk. She strands at Andaman Islands, with a part of her crew. |
| 10 |
Sunk by explosive charges. |
| 11 |
Sunk by explosive charges. Meeting with Kulmerland, for refuelling and refooding. |
| 12 |
Battle with HMAS Sydney, at very close distance (1.000 meters). Kormoran suffer four 6” hits, that provokes a major fire at centership. Abandoned (60 deads), explodes and capsized off Abrolhos Islands, Australia west cost. 320 shipwreackers interned five years on australian camp. HMAS Sydney sunk will all hands, after more than a thousand hits of 7,92, 20, 37, 75 and 152 mm, and also a torpedo hit. |
| Credits |
| Alfonso Arenas, Spain |
The architect and creator of the Hilfskreuzer section based on his knowledge and private archive. |
| Antonio Bonomi, Italy |
Supplied a lot of Hilfskreuzer material from his private archive. |
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