Ironclads: Kaiser Class

[Brian James]

Kaiser Class Ironclad Armoured Cruiser SMS Deutschland pictured in the Kaiser Wilhelm Kanal (Kiel Canal) on December 16th 1897.was laid down at Samuda Brothers Shipyard, Cubitt Town, Isle of Dogs in London in 1872. She was launched in September 1874 and commissioned into the German fleet in July 1875. Deutschland mounted a main battery of eight 10.2 inch guns in a central battery amidships. She was the last capital ship built for the German Navy by a foreign ship-builder; all subsequent ships were built in Germany.
Deutschland served with the fleet from her commissioning until 1896, though she was frequently placed in reserve throughout her career. The ship was a regular participant in the annual fleet training maneuvers conducted with the exception of the mid-1880s, when she was temporarily replaced by newer vessels. She participated in several cruises in the Baltic and Mediterranean, often escorting Kaiser Wilhelm II on official state visits. Deutschland was rebuilt in the early 1890s as an Armoured Cruiser, though she was too slow to perform satisfactorily in this role. Nevertheless, she spent three years in the East Asia Squadron before returning to Germany in 1900. She was used in secondary roles after 1904, until 1908 when she was sold and broken up for scrap.

[Brian James]

Kaiser Class Ironclad Armoured Frigate SMS Deutschland pictured in 1890.