Hilfskreuzer
 |
| HK Widder |
| Hilfskreuzer (Auxiliary Cruiser) |
| Widder |
| Nationality |
German |
| Type |
Hilfskreuzer (Raider) |
| Ship Code |
21 |
| Raider Code |
D |
| Builder |
Howaldtswerke, Kiel, converted by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Launched |
1929 |
| Previous Owner |
Hamburg - Amerika Line |
| Previous Name |
Neumark |
| General Cruise Details |
| Commander |
Kapitän zur See (Captain) Helmut von Ruckteschell (Knights Cross with Oak Leaves) |
| Sail date |
6 May 1940 |
| End cruise |
31 October 1940 |
| Fate |
Safely returned to Germany |
| Performance |
| Prizes |
10 |
| Tonnage Sunk |
58.644 |
| Days at Sea |
178 |
| Tons/Day (average) |
329,46 |
| Displacement |
| Tonnage |
7.852 |
| Dimensions |
| Lenght |
152 meters |
| Beam |
18,2 meters |
| Weapons |
| Main Battery |
6 x 155 mm |
| Secondary Battery |
1 x 75 mm, 2 x 37 mm |
| Torpedo Tubes |
4 |
| Mines |
None |
| Aircraft |
| Fixed Wing |
2 |
| Smaller Boats |
| Schnellboot |
None |
| Propulsion |
| Horsepower |
6.200 |
| Endurance |
34.000 nautical miles |
| Speed |
14,8 knots |
| Fuel Type |
Petrol |
| Complement |
| Wartime |
363 |
| Widder - War Records from 06-05-1940 to 31-10-1940 |
| Number |
Prize Name |
Type |
Flag |
Date |
Tonnage |
Fate |
| 1 |
British Petrol |
Tanker |
United Kingdom |
13-06-1940 |
6.890 |
Sunk |
| 2 |
Krosffon |
Tanker |
Norway |
26-06-1940 |
9.325 |
Captured |
| 3 |
Davisian |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
10-07-1940 |
6.435 |
Sunk |
| 4 |
King John |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
13-07-1940 |
5.230 |
Sunk |
| 5 |
Beaulieu |
Tanker |
Norway |
04-08-1940 |
6.115 |
Sunk |
| 6 |
Oostplein |
Freighter |
The Netherlands |
08-08-1940 |
5.060 |
Sunk |
| 7 |
Killoran |
Barque |
Finland |
10-08-1940 |
1.815 |
Sunk |
| 8 |
Anglo Saxon |
Freighter |
United Kingdom |
21-08-1940 |
5.595 |
Sunk |
| 9 |
Cymbeline |
Tanker |
United Kingdom |
02-09-1940 |
6.315 |
Sunk |
| 10 |
Antonios Chandris |
Freighter |
Greece |
08-09-1940 |
5.865 |
Sunk |
| Total Widder Prizes |
58.645 |
|
| Notes to: |
| 1 |
Sunk by torpedo. |
| 2 |
Good ship. Dispatched to Bourdeaux. She reached port safely. |
| 3 |
Sunk by torpedo after heavy gunfire (ship erroneusly taken by a Q-Ship). 50 rescued (6 wounded), no deads. |
| 4 |
Sunk by gunfire. Officers taken on board. Crew left on their boates, to reach Antillas by their own way (they did it). Meeting with Rekum. Critical food situation. Ration system imposed, same to crew and prisoners. |
| 5 |
Sunk by gunfire. |
| 6 |
Sunk by torpedo. |
| 7 |
Sunk by explosive charges. |
| 8 |
Sunk by torpedo. Shipwreackers left on their boats (very bad food situation at Widder). |
| 9 |
Sunk by torpedo. |
| 10 |
Sunk by gunfire. Shipwreackers left in their boat (very close to Africa coast). Meeting with Eurofeld. Food problem solved. Later Widder reached Brest safely. |
| 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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