| Hilfskreuzer (Auxiliary Cruiser) |
| Thor |
| Nationality |
German |
| Type |
Hilfskreuzer (Raider) |
| Ship Code |
10 |
| Raider Code |
E |
| Builder |
Deutsche Werft AG Hamburg-Finkenwärder, converted by Deutsche Werft AG |
| Launched |
1938 |
| Previous Owner |
Oldenburg - Portugiesische |
| Previous Name |
Santa Cruz |
| General Cruise Details (1. Cruise) |
| Commander (1. cruise) |
Kapitän zur See (Captain) Otto Kähler (Knights Cross with Oak Leaves) |
| Sail date (1. cruise) |
6 June 1940 |
| End cruise (1. cruise) |
30 April 1941 |
| Fate (1. cruise) |
Safely returned to Germany |
| Performance (1. Cruise) |
| Prizes |
12 |
| Tonnage Sunk |
96.547 |
| Days at Sea |
328 |
| Tons/Day (average) |
294,35 |
| General Cruise Details (2. Cruise) |
| Commander (2. cruise) |
Kapitän sur See Günther Gumprich (Ritterkreuz) |
| Sail date (2. cruise) |
30 November 1941 |
| End cruise (2. cruise) |
9 October 1942 |
| Fate (2. cruise) |
Destroyed by fire at Yokohama port |
| Performance (2. Cruise) |
| Preys |
10 |
| Tonnage Sunk |
58.644 |
| Days at Sea |
314 |
| Tons/Day (average) |
177,03 |
| Displacement |
| Tonnage |
3.862 |
| Dimensions |
| Lenght |
122 meters |
| Beam |
16,7 meters |
| Weapons |
| Main Battery |
6 x 155 mm |
| Secondary Battery |
2 x 37 mm |
| Torpedo Tubes |
4 |
| Mines |
None |
| Aircraft |
| Fixed Wing |
1 |
| Small boats |
| Schnellboot |
None |
| Propulsion |
| Horsepower |
6.500 |
| Endurance |
40.000 nautical miles |
| Speed |
18 knots |
| Fuel Type |
Oil |
| Complement |
| Wartime |
349 |
| Thor - War Records from 06-06-1940 to 30-04-1941 and from 30-11-1941 to 09-10-1942 |
| Number |
Prize Name |
Type |
Flag |
Date |
Tonnage |
Fate |
| 1 |
Kertosono |
Freighter |
The Netherlands |
01-07-1940 |
9.290 |
Captured |
| 2 |
Delambre |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
07-07-1940 |
7.030 |
Sunk |
| 3 |
Bruges |
Freighter |
Belgium |
09-07-1940 |
4.985 |
Sunk |
| 4 |
Gracefield |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
14-07-1940 |
4.630 |
Sunk |
| 5 |
Wendover |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
16-07-1940 |
5.490 |
Sunk |
| 6 |
Tela |
Freighter |
The Netherlands |
17-09-1940 |
3.775 |
Sunk |
| 7 |
Kosmos |
Whale-oil Tanker |
Norway |
26-09-1940 |
17.800 |
Sunk |
| 8 |
Natia |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
09-10-1940 |
8.715 |
Sunk |
| 9 |
Trolleholm |
Freighter |
Sweden |
25-03-1941 |
5.045 |
Sunk |
| 10 |
Britannia |
Passenger |
United Kingdom |
25-03-1941 |
8.800 |
Sunk |
| 11 |
HMS Voltaire |
Armed Merchant Cruiser |
United Kingdom |
04-04-1941 |
13.245 |
Sunk |
| 12 |
Sir Ernest Cassel |
Freighter |
Sweden |
16-04-1941 |
7.740 |
Sunk |
| Subtotal Thor (Kähler) Prizes |
96.545 |
|
| Number |
Prize Name |
Type |
Flag |
Date |
Tonnage |
Fate |
| 1 |
Pagasitikos |
Freighter |
Greece |
23-03-1942 |
3.490 |
Sunk |
| 2 |
Wellpark |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
30-03-1942 |
4.650 |
Sunk |
| 3 |
Willesden |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
01-04-1942 |
4.565 |
Sunk |
| 4 |
Aust |
Freighter |
Norway |
03-04-1942 |
5.630 |
Sunk |
| 5 |
Kirkpool |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
10-04-1942 |
4.840 |
Sunk |
| 6 |
Nankin |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
10-05-1942 |
7.130 |
Captured |
| 7 |
Olivia |
Tanker |
The Netherlands |
14-06-1942 |
6.305 |
Sunk |
| 8 |
Herborg |
Tanker |
Norway |
19-06-1942 |
7.890 |
Captured |
| 9 |
Madrono |
Tanker |
Norway |
04-07-1942 |
5.895 |
Captured |
| 10 |
Indus |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
20-07-1942 |
5.185 |
Sunk |
| Subtotal Thor (Gumprich) Prizes |
55.580 |
|
| Total Thor Prizes |
152.125 |
|
| Notes to: |
| 1 |
Dispatched to Lorient. She arrived safely. |
| 2 |
– |
| 3 |
– |
| 4 |
– |
| 5 |
Sunk by explosive charges. |
| 6 |
Sunk by explosive charges. Battle with HMS Alcantara, that broke contact almost sinking, looking for safety at Rio de Janeiro. |
| 7 |
– |
| 8 |
Sunk by explosive charges. 368 prissoners on board, later transferred to Rio Grande, a blockade runner. Later, battle with HMS Carnarvon Castel, that broke contact on fire and with many deads, looking for safety at Montevideo. Meeting with Admiral Scheer and four supply ships. Admiral Scheer commander (later Admiral Krancke) offers association to Thor’s captain, but this refuses. Later, meeting with Eurofeld, Alsterufer, Spichern and the 10 whale catchers prized by Pinguin. |
| 9 |
Sunk by gunfire. |
| 10 |
Sunk by gunfire. |
| 11 |
Sunk by gunfire after 80’ battle. 72 deads, 197 rescued (included captain Blackburn). Prisoners tranfered to Ill, a german tanker (they safety reached Bourdeaux). |
| 12 |
Sunk with explosive charges. She safely reach Hamburg through British Channel. |
| - |
| 1 |
Sunk by torpedo. Meeting with Regensburg. Before, scape of HMS Durban and (some days later) HMS AMC Cheshire because excellent disguissing. |
| 2 |
De-radio by the Hydro. Sunk by torpedo. |
| 3 |
Sunk by torpedo after gunfire. |
| 4 |
– |
| 5 |
Sunk by torpedo after gunfire. |
| 6 |
Good ship. Dispatched with prisoners to Japan. Meeting with Regensburg. |
| 7 |
Sunk by gunfire. |
| 8 |
Good cargo. Dispatched to Japan. |
| 9 |
Good cargo. Dispatched to Japan. |
| 10 |
Sunk by gunfire. Thor entered safely Yokohama, to be destroyed after fire on alogside ship, Uckermark. |
