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The German cruiser Cap Trafalgar disguised herself as a British merchant ship and set sail on September 14, 1914, but was not expected to find the ship she disguised so soon.
In 1914, shortly after the outbreak of World War I, the German cruiser SMS Cap Trafalgar was converted to masquerade as the British armed merchant ship RMS Carmania. The German Navy hoped that with this covert tactic, Cap Trafalgar would be able to trick enemy ships into approaching and bombarding them violently, resulting in a quick victory.
However, his opponent in the first meeting at sea was the real Carmania, leading to a fierce naval battle between two armed passenger ships.
Cap Trafalgar was originally one of the most luxurious passenger ships in the world, it was launched on July 31, 2013, it is 187 meters long, 22 meters wide, has a displacement of 23,640 tons and can carry 1,600 passengers. The first class room and the stairs on board were inlaid with gold, and the private rooms were decorated in the highest fashion at the time. There is also a swimming pool and a café in the greenhouse. It is considered a symbol of luxury and luxury, as well as the technical level of Germany.
When the First World War broke out, the German army decided to requisition many commercial ships and convert them into auxiliary cruisers, to strengthen the navy’s fighting force in a short time.
On 8/18/1914, Cap Trafalgar and the SMS Eber gunboat were transferred to Montevideo, Uruguay, for conversion.
After this, Cap Trafalgar was converted into a cruiser, armed with two 104mm gunboats and six 37mm autocannons, all controlled by experienced officers of the German navy. The ship was codenamed Hilfskreuzer B (auxiliary cruiser B), commanded by Julius Wirth.
Cap Trafalgar and Eber during the conversion to auxiliary cruisers. Image: Wikimedia.
Cap Trafalgar is not the only passenger ship turned warship in South America. The British Navy also deployed the passenger ship RMS Carmania to the area, armed it, and converted it into an armed merchant ship. The ship was then fitted with eight 120mm caliber guns and was commanded by Navy Colonel Noel Grant.
While Cap Trafalgar searches for British cargo ships, Carmania searches for ships to ambush them. After a failed British trade trip, Cap Trafalgar returned to the logistics base on Trindade Island in the South Atlantic for refueling on September 13, 1914.
A day later, the ship Carmania discovered a column of smoke rising in the port of Trindade Island and assumed that the place was a German naval base. Hours later, Carmania approached Trindade and surprised German soldiers on the island when he saw two identical ships appear together.
Discovered, the German ship immediately turned away from the British ship. Captain Carmania seemed puzzled because the color of the enemy ship was very similar to his, but then he ordered the pursuit. The two ships quickly issued combat orders and moved into the open sea off the Trindade, to increase maneuvering space and take a favorable firing position.
British and German warships began fighting from a distance of 6.5 km. Carmania fired too early and missed its target, while Cap Trafalgar struck the British ship repeatedly.
However, Carmania had an advantage in firepower, being able to fire four 120mm cannons at the same time, while German ships could only use one 104mm cannon and three 37mm autocannons.
The two ships were getting closer than planned to gain the upper hand, dealing maximum damage to the enemy. At close range, Cap Trafalgar’s automatic artillery was effective in plowing the enemy ship’s surface. The bow of the Carmania, just below the main bridge, caught fire, forcing the captain and officers to leave the bridge and rush to the stern to avoid the fire.
The painting represents the naval battle between British and German ships. Image: Wikimedia.
Over the next two hours, the Carmania was hit 79 times, with 304 holes in the body, many of which were below water level, and the command tower was also completely destroyed by German artillery. British warships recorded 9 dead and 26 wounded.
However, the powerful 120mm guns of British warships also caused heavy damage to the enemy. Carmania fired the draft line of the German ship to create holes in the hull. Cap Trafalgar received a total of 73 shots, causing 380 holes.
Sailors on both sides also use rifles and machine guns to fire at the enemy from a distance of several hundred meters. One witness describes naval warfare more like the battle of the early 19th century than World War I.
Despite receiving less ammunition, the German ship suffered serious damage as a 120mm shell from the Carmania exploded in the hull, destroying many compartments below sea level. Cap Trafalgar leaned sharply to starboard and sank within 10 minutes of the captain’s order to abandon ship. A total of 16 crew members were killed, including Captain Wirth, 279 escaped and were taken prisoner by the British.
The Carmania was similarly damaged when the bow caught fire and all the guns were disabled, the communication and navigation equipment on the bridge was completely destroyed. The ship attempted to move south in hopes of meeting the British cruiser in the area. Carmania was rescued as immobile and on the verge of sinking on September 15.
Duy Son (According to the WATM)
