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| History |
12 Oct 35: Laid down at Germaniawerft, Kiel
18 Mar 37: Launched 08 Aug 39: Completed 10-11 Jan 40: Conducted offensive mining operation off Cromer with Z8 and Z9. This field sank three ships of 11,153 tons. 09-10 Feb 40: Repeated offensive mining operation off Cromer Knoll with Z8 and Z9. This field sank three ships of 11,855 tons. 22-23 Feb 40: 1st DD FLOT, FS Z16 (Fregattenkapitan Berger) with Z1, Z3 Z4, Z6, and Z13 conducted operation Wikinger, an offensive sortie intended to attack the British fishing industry in the North Sea. The force was attacked by German aircraft and then ran into a hitherto unknown British minefield resulting in the loss of Z1 and Z3. Z13 did not distinguish herself in this event, losing some crew drowned in an accident launching her picket boat, abandoning survivors in the water when her captain believed he saw torpedo tracks and almost ramming the wreak of Z1, mistaken for a submarine's conning tower. 06-07 Apr 40: Part of Group 1 (Narvik) in invasion of Norway with Z9, Z11, Z12, Z17, Z18, Z19, Z21 and Z22. She embarked approximately 200 troops of the 139th Regiment. The force assembled at Wesermunde at the beginning of April to embark supplies and troops. It departed Wesermunde at 2300 hours on the 6th and rendezvoused with the Hipper group. The force underwent an ineffective air attack on the 7th. Throughout the 7th weather conditions deteriorated, winds reaching force 7 that night. A number of crew and soldiers were washed overboard from ships in the force. 09 Apr 40: Arrived Narvik. With the other ships of the 4th DD FLOT (Z19 and Z9) she landed her troops at Elvegard at the head of Herjangsfjord where the depot of the Norwegian 6th Division was located. 10 Apr 40: Z13 was one of only three destroyers that managed to refuel. She then anchored at Elvegard at the head of Herjangsfjord north and west of Narvik Harbor with Z9 and Z12. 10 Apr 40: First Battle of Narvik. The British destroyers Hardy, Hunter, Havock, Hostile and Hotspur slipped past the two U-Boats guarding the entrance to Ofotfjord, sailed 25 miles up the fjord and completely surprised the five German destroys at Narvik. At 0530 they launched a gunfire and torpedo attack that sank two of these ships and crippled the other three while receiving only one minor hit in return. After almost an hour of mayhem, the British were making their last pass prior to withdraw when Z9, Z12 and Z13 emerging from Herjangsfjord to the northeast surprised them. The Germans advanced in line with, each ship offset to port which allowed all six of their forward guns to bear. They opened fire from 6,500m; the British replied and a running fight developed. The visibility was poor, however and the three German ships (commanded by Fregattenkapitan Erich Bey) were forced to turn hard to port to avoid torpedoes fired out of Narvik harbor by Z18. At this point, 0657, Z2 and Z11 emerged from Ballangenfjord, ahead of the British ships and opened fire. The Z9, Z12 and Z13 turned back to the fight and the two forces (particularly Z2) brought the British under an effective crossfire. Hardy was blasted and forced aground. Hunter was hit hard by gunfire, then torpedoed and finally rammed by Hotspur, herself damaged. Hotspur managed to extract herself, but Hunter sank. Z9, Z12 and Z13 briefly pursued the three retreating British destroyers up the fjord and then broke off to return to Narvik. Z12 was extremely short on fuel although Z9 and Z13 had refueled the night before. Bey's decision to abandon the pursuit was unfortunate, because the British destroyers encountered and sank the ammunition ship Rauenfels coming up the fjord loaded with 5" shells. These would be sorely missed during the Second Battle of Narvik. . 11 Apr 40: Z13 was fueled and operational. However, while moving to her dispersal point in Ballangenfjord, she ran aground and ripped her bottom open, flooding #2 and 3 boiler rooms, torpedo warhead room and transmitting station. This event rendered her useless for further operations except as a floating battery. She also retained two torpedoes, having delivered her others to Z11 and Z2. 13 Apr 40: Second Battle of Narvik. Z13 was in the process of being escorted by Z19 to Taarstadt were she was to lay in ambush for the expected British attack when British ships were reported coming down the fjord. While Z19 proceeded ahead to better assess the strength of the British force, Z13 limped into Djupvik in the hopes of still being able to effect an ambush. However, spotter aircraft from Warspite reported her position and Bedouin and Eskimo rounded the point north of Djupvik with guns and torpedoes tubes ready for action. At 1309 hours both sides opened fire at a range of 3,500m. Unable to maneuver, Z13 was an easy target. Although she fired both her remaining torpedoes, she was hit in #1 boiler room and #2 turbine room and took a torpedo forward which blew off her bow. Even Warspite got in the action firing two salvos into the unfortunate ship. Her captain ordered her scuttled, but only after 31 men were killed and many more were wounded. |
| Commanders | K.Kpt Schulze-Hinrichs from commissioning until 13 Apr 40 when the ship was sunk. |
| Stats |
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