|
|
|
| History |
22 Mar 35: Laid down
27 Mar 36: Launched 02 Jul 38: Commissioned 01 Sep 39: Attached to the Reconnaissance Force in Polish waters at the beginning of the war with Nuremberg, Leipzig, Koln, Z1, Z2, Z4, Z8, Z11, Z14, Z15, Z16. 10-11 Jan 40: Conducted offensive mining operation off Cromer with Z8 and Z13. This field sank three ships of 11,153 tons. 09-10 Feb 40: Repeated offensive mining operation off Cromer Knoll with Z8 and Z13. This field sank three ships of 11,855 tons. 18-20 Feb 40: Operation Nordmark. Part of escort for Scharnhorst with Z1 and Z20. Z9 aborted the mission and returned to port because of ice damage. 07 Apr 40: Part of Group 1 (Narvik) in invasion of Norway with Z11, Z12, Z13, Z17, Z18, Z19, Z21 and Z22. She embarked troops of the 139th Regiment. 09 Apr 40: Arrived Narvik. With the other ships of the 4th DD FLOT (Z19 and Z13) she landed her troops at Elvegard at the head of Herjangsfjord where the depot of the Norwegian 6th Division was located. 10 Apr 40: Z9 was one of only three destroyers that managed to refuel. She then anchored at Elvegard with Z13 and Z12. 10 Apr 40: First Battle of Narvik. The British destroyers Hardy, Hunter, Havock, Hostile and Hotspur managed sail past two guarding U-Boats 25 miles up Ofotfjord to surprise the German force at Narvik. They launched a gunfire and torpedo attack on the five German destroyers in Narvik harbor, inflicting considerable damage while receiving only one minor hit in return. After an hour of mayhem, the British were making their last pass prior to withdraw when they were surprised by Z9, Z12 and Z13 emerging from Herjangsfjord to the northeast. 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 encounted and sank the ammunition ship Rauenfels coming up the fjord loaded with 5" shells that would be sorely needed in the coming fight. Z9 was undamaged in this action although she shot off approximately 50% of her 5" ammunition. 11 Apr 40: Z9, Z13, Z18 and Z19 refueled. These ships were fully operational, but made no serious attempt to escape back to Germany. While deploying to Ballangenfjord, Z9 and Z13 ran aground. Z9 suffered light damage to her port screw, but Z13 was seriously damaged. 13 Apr 40: Second Battle of Narvik. Z9 was more operational than most of her companions: Her propeller damage did not greatly affect her speed, she had only half her ammunition supply, but she had all eight torpedoes available. The Germans sighted the British force sailing up the fjord at 1156 hours (battleship Warspite proceeded by the destroyers Bedouin, Eskimo, Cossack, Punjabi, Hero, Icarus, Forester, Foxhound and Kimberley). Z9 with Z11 and Z18 sailed from Narvik harbor at 1215. They met Z19, which had been on picket duty up the fjord. These four ships engaged the leading British destroyers, Z9 opening fire at 1258, through snow squalls, exchanging gunfire and torpedoes with little effect on either side. Z9 fired one salvo of four torpedoes at HMS Cossack and her last four shortly before turning back for Narvik at 1330. By this time most of their remaining ammunition had been shot off, (Z9 was, in fact, completely out of ammunition) and Bey ordered his ships to retreat up Rombaksfjord. With Z11, she retreated all the way up to the head of the fjord where, undamaged but confronted with the inevitable, she was scuttled with demolition charges. |
| Commanders | |
| Stats |
