Armoured Cruisers: Prinz Adalbert Class

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Armoured Cruiser SMS Prinz Adalbert pictured in the Baltic in 1914. Following the outbreak of WWI in July 1914, both vessels were mobilized; Sistership Friedrich Carl was assigned to the Cruiser squadron in the Baltic Sea and was quickly sunk by Russian naval mines off Memel in November, though most of her crew was safely evacuated. Prinz Adalbert initially served in the North Sea, supporting the Raid on Yarmouth in November 1914 before transferring to the Baltic to replace her lost sister. Prinz Adalbert had little better luck, being torpedoed by British submarines twice in 1915, the first, in July, caused serious damage and necessitated lengthy repairs. The second, in October, caused an internal magazine explosion that destroyed the ship and killed almost her entire crew. Six-hundred and seventy-two men were killed, the greatest single loss of life for the German Navy in the Baltic during the war; there were only three survivors of her sinking.