Destroyer Z10 Hans Lody

History

14 May 36: Launched

13 Sep 38: Commissioned.

01 Sep 39: With the Reconnaissance Force (Vizeadmiral Densch). Thisincluded: light cruisers Nurnberg (FS) Leipzig, Koln, destroyers(Konteradmiral Lutjens) Z1 (FS) Z2, Z4, Z8, Z9, Z10, Z11, Z14, Z15, Z16,6xS-Boats, 21xMS, 5xEscorts and 10xUB. This force was excessive for thetask of containing the Polish naval units in home waters (destroyerWicher, ML Gryf and 5xss with smaller auxiliaries.) and was quicklyallocated other tasks.

03-20 Sep 39: With forces laying the West Wall mine barrage in the NorthSea. Ships involved in one or more operations included Nurnberg,Leipzig, Koln, Konigsbeg and Emden; the 1st DD FLOT (Z2, Z4, Z14, Z15,Z16) 2nd DD FLOT (Z1, Z6, Z7, Z8), 4th DD FLOT (Z10, Z11, Z12) 5th DDDIV (Z17, Z18, Z19 and Z20, 5th TB FLOT (Greif, Mowe, Albatros, Kondor,Falke) and the 6th TB FLOT (Leopard, Seeadler, Ilis, Wolf and Luchs)along with 3xML.

04 Sep 39: An anti-sweep device exploded while Z10 was loading mines forthe operations specified above. This accident killed two, wounded sixand caused light damage to her stern. This was the only losses sufferedby the Germans during their initial large scale minelaying operations.

28-30 Sep 39: Z10 with Z14, Z15 and 4xTB conducted mercantile warfare inthe Skagerrak and Kattegat, stopping and inspecting 45 vessels.

22-24 Oct 39: Z10 with Z3, Z11, Z12, Z14 and Z15, conducted ananti-shipping patrol in the Skagerrak.

18-19 Nov 39: Z10 with Z15 and Z16 conducted an offensive miningoperation off the Humber Estuary. This field sank seven ships of 38,710GRT. On their return to home waters, the force was met by Leipzig andthe 6th TB FLOT (4xTB).

27-28 Nov 39: Z10 conducted an anti-mercantile sweep off the southerncoast of Norway with Z11, Z20, Z14, Z3 and Z15. Heavy weather causedthe operation to be aborted and Z3 suffered serious damage whilereturning to port.

06-07 Dec 39: Z10 (FS with Fregattenkapitan Bey commanding) escorted Z12on an offensive mining operation off Cromer. At 0255, just 15 minutesafter the lay had been completed, the German ships sighted the Britishdestroyers Juno and Jersey about 8,000m away. The Germans turned to aparallel course and by 0310 had closed range to 4,600m while remainingundetected themselves. Z10 fired three torpedoes at Juno, the leadBritish ship while Z12 sent four more torpedoes at Jersey. Z10’s salvomissed, but Z12 scored with one torpedo. The blow started a large fireand caused damage that required ten months to repair. Juno turned backto assist her mate, making smoke; apparently the British believed asubmarine had attacked them. Bey still had the advantage of surpriseand at least five more torpedoes on Z10, but he decided to break off theaction and return for home. Two ships of 5,286 GRT were sunk by theminefield.

Dec 39: Entered dock for refit.

May 40: Completed refit.

04 Jun 40: Departed Kiel with Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, Hipper, Z7, Z15and Z20 to attack Allied supply lines off northern Norway (OperationJuno). Z10 was working up at the time and not considered fullybattleworthy, but the shortage of escorts required her participation.

07 Jun 40: After refueling off the coast of Norway (a process whichrequired eighteen hours), German aerial reconnaissance reported twogroups of Allied shipping. Hipper and the destroyers were detached fromthe battlecruisers to attack the southern group.

08 June 40: At 0555 Hipper located a tanker and, with assistance fromZ10, attacked her and her escort, the trawler Juniper. Z10 finished offthe trawler with gunfire and the burning tanker with a torpedo. Shethen sighted the large transport Orama and with Z20 chased her untilHipper came up. Both the cruiser and Z10 pounded this vessel withgunfire, and then Z10 sank her with two torpedoes. The German shipsconducted rescue operations and saved 274 men.

09 Jun 40: Returned to Trondheim with Hipper and the other threedestroyers. Z10 captured a trawler on the way.

10/11 Jun 40: Sortied with Gneisenau and Hipper and Z7, Z15 and Z20 intothe Arctic. Poor weather and negative reconnaissance results forced anearly end to the operation.

21-23 Jun 40: Scharnhorst, damaged by a torpedo hit during theengagement in which she and Gneisenau sank the British carrier Glorious,departed Trondheim escorted by Z10 with Z7, Z15, Z20 and the TBs Grief,Kondor, Falke and Jaguar. Six Swordfish attacked the force en route,but lost two of their number at no cost to the Germans. All arrivedsafely at Kiel on 23 Jun.

25-28 Jul 40: Gneisenau had sortied on 20 Jul to cover Scharnhorst’sreturn to Germany. On 20 Jul she was torpedoed in her turn. Aftertemporary repairs, she sailed from Trondheim escorted by Z10 withNurnberg, Z5, Z14, Z20 and the TBs Luchs, Iltis, Kondor, Jagukar andT5. The force arrived in Kiel on 28 Jul, although Luchs was sunk inpassage by a British submarine.

09 Sep 40: Z10 (FS, Kapitan zur See Bey commanding) departedWilhelmshaven with Z6, Z14, Z16, Z20 to provide escort for a large groupof minelayers being deployed to French ports in anticipation of theinvasion of England. All arrived safely in Cherbourg on 11 Sep afterundergoing an attack by RAF Blenheims on the morning of the 11th.

18 Sep 40: Z10 and the other ships of her flotilla suffered a large RAFraid on Cherbourg. Z10’s boats assisted in rescuing survivors from asteamer which was sunk during the attack.

19-20 Sep 40: Bey’s force with flagship Z10 , Z6, Z14, Z16 and Z20sortied from Cherbourg on an offensive patrol into the English Channel,but poor weather caused him to abort the mission. The flotilla thentransferred to Brest.

28/29 Sep 40: The Channel destroyer forces conducted an offensive miningoperation in Falmouth Bay. Z6 and Z16 escorted the destroyers carryingmines: Z5, Z10 (FS), Z14, Z15 and Z20. This field accounted for fivesmall ships of 2,037 tons.

10 Oct 40: Z10 suffered splinter damaged in an attack on Brest byBritish Fleet Air Arm Swordfish.

17 Oct 40: Bey sortied from Brest with Z10 (FS), Z6, Z14, Z15 and Z20on an offensive sweep into the SW approaches of the English Channel.He was surprised at 1700, 40 miles south, southwest of the Scillies by aforce of British cruisers and destroyers (Newcastle, Emerald withJackal, Jupiter, Kashmir, Kelvin, and Kipling). The first notice ofthe British presence was five shells, fired at extreme range, splashingastern of Z10. The Germans turned toward Brest while the British gavechase. The range closed from 30,000m to 16,000m by 1800: and 6″ shellswere bracketing the German ships. The British were able to close rangeso effectively because Z15 was experiencing boiler problems and the needto take evasive action precluded the steering of a straight course. Toforce the British to do some defensive maneuvering themselves, Z10 andZ20 each fired three torpedoes dead astern while Z15 turned to port andfired four more from 14,500m. The Newcastle’s spotter aircraft advisedher ship of the torpedoes and at 1841 the cruiser turned to comb them.At 1901 she was bombed by a Do 17. The splashes from the bombs and thesmoke from the antiaircraft fire led the Germans to believe they had hitNewcastle with a torpedo. This attack did succeed in opening the rangeand by 1921 the British had abandoned the chase.

24/25 Nov 40: Bey sortied from Brest into the area off Plymouth withZ10, Z20 (FS), and Z4. The force attacked a fishing fleet withoutresults but subsequently located a convoy of three ships. They sank oneof these ships (2,156 GRT) and damaged another. The RN 5th DD FLOTunsuccessfully attempted to intercept the Germans.

28/29 Nov 40: The German destroyer force at Brest (Z10, Z20 (FS), andZ4) commanded by Bey attempted to repeat its success in the waters offPlymouth of four night previous. The force encountered two tugs pullinga lighter and required 35 minutes firing at 300-400m to sink the lighterand one of the tugs (424 tons). More alert than on the previousoccasion, the RN 5th DD FLOT (Javelin, Jupiter, Kashmir, Jackal andJersey) intercepted the Germans. However, each of the three Germanships fired four torpedoes before the British were able to get off theiropening salvo. The British had only fired twice when their lead ship,Javalin, was hit on her bow and stern by two of Z10’s torpedoes. Thebalance of the British force chased the Germans for two and a quarterhours before breaking off. Z10 was the rear ship and was straddledseveral times, but never hit. The German force suffered very minordamage and no casualties. Javalin survived.

Early Dec 40: Z10 sailed for Germany with Z20 for refit.

19 May 41: Z10 escorted the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen off the Belt withZ16 and Z23. The 5th MS FLOT also participated. 21 May the forceentered Bergan. On the 22nd off Trondheim the destroyers weredismissed.

24 May 41: Z10 sailed from Trondheim for Wesermunde.

11 Jun 41: Z10 with Z16, Z20, Z23, Z24 departed Kiel to escort Lutzow toTrondheim. A solitary Beaufort torpedoed Lutzow at 0220 on 13 June offKarmoy and the force turned back for Germany.

04 Jul 41: 6th DD FLOT (Capt. Schulze-Hinrichs with Z10 (FS), Z4, Z7,Z16 and Z20 Z10 sailed from Bremen bound for a deployment on the Arcticcoast. They arrived in Trondheim on the 5th.

10 Jul 41: 6th DD FLOT arrived in Kirkenes on the Arctic coast ofNorway.

12 Jul 41: The 6th FLOT sortied to attack Soviet shipping on the Murman.

13 Jul 41: The flotilla including encountered a convoy of one Sovietauxilliary escort, SKR22 (Passat), a former fishing trawler armed with2x45mm guns and two Soviet trawlers off Cape Teriberka. 0248: Inforty minutes of shooting the Germans expended 80% of their main batteryammunition to sink the escort and one of the trawlers. The otherSoviet ship escaped. On their passage back to Kirkenes the Germansrepelled two Soviet air attacks. Z10 was near missed in the firstattack and shot down one plane.

22 Jul 41: The 6th FLOT sortied for another sweep of the Murman Coast,but condenser problems forced Z10 drop out from the formation andSchulze-Hinrichs to shift his flag. She returned to Kirkenes forrepairs.

09/10 Aug 41: 6th DD FLOT Z10, Z4 and Z16 sortied toward the mouth ofthe Kola inlet. They surprised and sank the Soviet patrol ship Tuman(SKR-12) after a gallant resistance, and were then shelled by Sovietshore batteries, which near missed Z4, inflicting some damage. TheGermans repelled Soviet air attacks as they withdrew.

30 Aug 41: Z10 escorted a convoy of four steamers from Tromso bound forKirkenes with Z20, UJ178 and two coastal patrol boats (vorpostenbotte).The British submarine Trident fired two torpedoes at the convoy just100m off Z10’s port bow. Two of the steamers were sunk (of 1,676 crewand passengers aboard the two ships, 342 died). Despite the very goodfix on the submarine’s location and the proximity of Z10, Tridentsurvived a light two-hour depth charging (only 39 were dropped) withminor damage.

27 Sep 41: Z10, in serious need of refit, departed the Arctic bound forGermany. She entered dock in October.

May 42: Z10 completed her refit and began working up in the Baltic.

15-20 May 42: Operation “Walzertraum:” Lutzow escorted by Z10 with Z4,Z27, Z29 and F1 sailed from Swineminde bound for Kristiansand. Theentire force arrived there safely on the 18th and then continued on toTrondheim where they arrived on the 20th.

Jun 42: While at Trondheim Z10 suffered flooding from a valveaccidentally left open and was non-operational for the first two weeksin June.

02 Jul 42: Z10 sailed from Trondheim with Tirpitz, Hipper, Z6 Z14, Z20,T7 and T15 to rendezvous at Altenfjord with forces coming from Narvik(Lutzow, Scheer, Z4, Z24, Z27, Z28, Z29, Z30) The mission’s ultimateobjective was to launch an attack on British convoy PQ.17

03 Jul 42: Z10 ran aground at Grimsoystraumen on uncharted, submergedrocks. Lutzow, Z20 and Z6 shared this fate. The German ships weremaking the dangerous passage through the fjords at night in an attemptto forestall British aerial reconnaissance. Z10 suffered severe damageto her propellers and shafts and ripped her bottom in several locations.

Jul 42: Z10 slowly returned to Trondheim with Z6 and Z20.

25 Jul 42: Towed from Trondheim bound for Germany with Z6, also undertow.

28 Jul 42: Attacked by RAF Beauforts south of Stavanger.

29 Jul 42: Arrived Kiel. Originally it was estimated six months wouldbe required to repair her damage. This resulted in the order to pay offthe ship and break up her crew. Z10’s captain, Pfeiffer succeeded innegotiating a reversal of this decision.

End of April 43: Z10 sailed from Germany for the Arctic. Her repairstook longer than Pfeiffer promised.

06-08 Sep 43: Participated in Operation Sizilien: an attack onSpitzbergen with Tirpitz, Scharnhorst, 4th DD FLOT (Z29, Z33, Z31) 5thDD FLOT (Z15, Z27, Z30) and 6th DD FLOT (Z6, Z10 Z20). The destroyersof the 5th and 6th FLOTs embarked a battalion of the 349th GrenadierRegiment, approximately 100 men per ship. The objectives of thisoperation appear to have been to boast moral and to give the shipsinvolved some badly needed sea time and a taste of offensiveoperations. Z10 experienced machinery problems en route, however, shewas able to continue with the operation. Upon arriving and landing hertroops, Z10 was detached to act as anti-submarine screen forScharnhorst. She refueled from the battlecruiser as her fuelconsumption had been unusually high.

25 Nov 43: Departed the Arctic for redeployment south with Z15. Z15 wasrammed by a steamer en route.

04-07 Dec 43: Based in Horten in Oslofjord. Participated in twodefensive mining operation with Z6, Z31 and 2xML designed to block theentrance to the Skagerrak.

15-19 Feb 44: With Z15 and 2xML participated in laying three defensivemine barrages, Dorothea B, C and D in the northern Skagerrak.

01-02 Apr 44: Laid the Katzbach A defensive mine barrage west of theSkagerrak with Z15, 3xML and 4xMS.

06-07 Apr 44: Laid the Katzbach B defensive mine barrage west of theSkagerrak with Z15, 3xML and 4xMS.

14-15 Apr 44: Laid the Leipzig defensive mine barrage west of theSkagerrak with Z15, 3xML and 4xMS.

25-26 Apr 44: Laid the Ligny defensive mine barrage west of theSkagerrak with Z15, 3xML and 4xMS. During her five months at Horten Z10also escorted convoys bound for Norway and worked with the 1st S-Boattraining FLOT.

End of Apr 44: Returned to Germany for refit.

18 Feb 45: Returned to service.

05 May 45: Z10 with a force including Z6, Z14, Z25, T17, T19, T23, T28,T35 and four smaller warships embarked 45,000 refugees from Hela.Soviet torpedo boat sortied from Kolberg against the German force, butthey are repelled. The force proceeded to Copenhagen where therefugees were disembarked.

07 May 45: Z10 with Z6, Z14, Z20, Z25, Z38, Z39, T17, T19, T23, T28,T33 returned to Hela where they took off another 20,000 evacuees. Theseare offloaded in Glucksburg on 09 May.

Z10 was awarded to the United Kingdom as a war reparation. She wasoriginally used as an instructional hulk to train engineering personnelin the working of the high-pressure boiler system. Her last German crewmember remained with her in this capacity until November, 1946. Shethen was used as an accommodation ship in Southhamption. She was brokenup at T. Young in Sunderland beginning 17 July, 1949.

Commanders