In Service: 15 March 1940 to 30 November 1942
Ordered:
Builder: Deutsche
Werft AG, Hamburg
Construction No:
Laid down: 1938
Launched: 16 March 1938
Commissioned: 15 March 1940
Type: Auxiliary cruiser
Class: Hilfskreuzer (Raider), converted freighter
Displacement: 9,200 tons
Length: 122 m
Beam: 16.7 m
Draft: 7.1 m
Propulsion: 1 × geared turbine, 4 × boilers producing up to 6,500 hp
Propellers: 1
Speed: 18 knots
Range: 40,000 nautical miles at 10 knots
Crew: 349 men and officers
Armament: 6 × 15 cm, 2 × 3.7 cm, 4 × 20 mm,
4 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes
Armour
Aircraft: 1 ×
Arado
Ar 196 seaplane
Electronics:
Operators: Kriegsmarine
Variants:
Other: Auxiliary
cruisers
Articles:
Thor (HSK 4) was an auxiliary cruiser in the Kriegsmarine
in World War II, for service as a commerce raider. Identified
in the Kriegsmarine as Schiff 10 to the Royal Navy she was
designated Raider E. Thor entered Yokohama on 9 October 1942
where she began refitting, priming for a third voyage. However
on November 30 a succession of explosions aboard the supply
ship Uckermark wiped out her superstructure, hurling a large
quantity of burning fragments onto Thor, which was moored
alongside. Both ships were quickly set ablaze, including the
Nankin/Leuthen plus the Japanese freighter Unkai Maru. All
four ships were ravaged in the fire leaving 12 of Thor's crew
killed. Thor's shipwreck was beyond repair and discarded.
Her captain, KzS Gumprich, later took command of the raider
Michel on her secondary raiding voyage, which she never returned
from.
15 March 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor is commissioned.
1 July 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor captured the Dutch freighter Kertosono
(9,290 t)
7 July 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor scuttled the British freighter
Delambre (7,030 t)
9 July 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor scuttled the Belgian freighter
Bruges (4,985 t)
14 July 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the British freighter Gracefield
(4,630 t)
16 July 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the British freighter Wendover
(5,490 t)
17 July 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the Belgian freighter Tela
(3,775 t)
28 July 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor has to engage the British Armed
Merchant Cruiser HMS Alcantara, as the British ship is faster
Thor hits, HMS Alcantara 3 times one between the bridge and
funnel, a second hit was aft, and the third hits on the waterline,
which caused flooding in the engine room, which allowed Thor
to escape.
25 August 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor met with the supply ship Rekum.
26 September 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the Norwegian whale-oil tanker
Kosmos (17,800 t)
9 October 1940
Thor sinks the British refrigeration ship Natia (8,715 t)
5 December 1940
The auxiliary cruiser Thor engages another British Armed Merchant
Cruiser HMS Carnarvon Castle Thor gains more than 20 hits
on HMS Carnarvon Castle forcing her to retreat.
25 March 1941
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the British passenger ship
Britannia (8,800 t)
25 March 1941
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the Swedish freighter Trolleholm
(5,045 t)
4 April 1941
The auxiliary cruiser Thor enagages the British Armed Merchant
Cruiser HMS Voltaire and sinks her after an intense battle
(13,245 t)
16 April 1941
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the Swedish ore carrier Sir
Ernest Cassel (7,740 t)
23 March 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the Greek freighter Pagasitikos
(3,490 t)
30 March 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the British Freighter Wellpark
(4,650 t)
1 April 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the British freighter Willesden
(4,565 t)
3 April 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the Norwegian freighter Aust
(5,630 t)
10 April 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the British freighter Kirkpool
(4,840 t)
10 May 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor captured the British freighter
Nankin (7,130 t)
14 June 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the Dutch Shell tanker Olivia
(6,305 t)
19 June 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor captured the Norwegian oil tanker
Herborg (7,890 t)
4 July 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor captured the Norwegian oil tanker
Madrono (5,895 t)
20 July 1942
The auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the British refrigerated
freighter Indus (5,185 t)
9 October 1942
The auxiliary cruiserThor arrived in Yokohama for
resupply and refit.
30 November 1942
The supply ship Uckermark caught fire and a series of explosions
spread the fire to Thor and 2 other ships 12 of Thor's crew
were killed and all ships were beyond repair.
Otto
Kähler
Takes command on 15 March 1940
Ends command on 20 July 1941
German Warships, 1815-1945: Major Surface Vessels.
ISBN-10: 0851775330
German Warships, 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels.
ISBN-10: 155750301X
German warships of the Second World War.
ISBN-10: 0668040378
For a complete list of
sources
