KMS Admiral Scheer

The Admiral Scheer was the second of the Deutschland class "pocket battleship" and sister to the Lützow and Admiral Graf Spee. The Admiral Scheer served on the Non-Intervention Patrol during the Spanish Civil War in 1936-37. In 1939-40 she was in dry dock to be refitted as a heavy cruiser. She was initially troubled by main diesel problems, and did not begin independent raidings until November 1940. Then she cruised the Atlantic, sinking 17 merchant ships totaling 113,223 tons. On her fifth operation she faultily concentrated her effort on the armed merchant cruiser Jervis Bay, allowing the convoy to scatter; even though the armed merchantman was sunk. Afterwards she moved to the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean before arriving at port saftly in April 1941. Her greatest contribution was disruption to Allied shipping. Three hunter groups failed to locate her and all convoys were to be accompanied by a battleship, of which the Britain have not too many to spare.
In spite of the early success, the Admiral Scheer spent the rest of her career in the Baltic and the far north, fighting Soviet forces and helping with training duty. She also operated in a few fruitless forays against Arctic convoys. The Admiral Scheer was sunk by RAF bombers in Kiel on 9 April 1945. The wreck was later covered with rubble when the dock was filled in.

Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the full picture.

Technical data and/or diagram of Deutschland class pocket battleships.

On 1 April 1941, after the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer had returned safely home from a long raiding operation in the South Atlantic, the crew was personally welcomed by C-in-C, Admiral Raeder.

Admiral Scheer in port.

The gun on the deck of this English merchant ship offered only symbolic protection against the sudden attacks of German raiders in the South Atlantic. Admiral Scheer took on the work of her sister ship Admiral Graf Spee a year after the latter's spectacular end.

Admiral Scheer took no part in operations in the first year of the war owing to the long time she spent in dock. The picture shows her after she had been remodelled as a heavy cruiser. She was to be the msot successful of the German pocket battleships.

Admiral Scheer in the Bay of Biscay, photographed from the airship Graf Zeppelin. The crew has crowded forward to wave to the airship. At high speed, as in the picture, the ship had a range of 9,100 miles; at lower speeds her range was wider. Because of their wide radii of action these first diesel-powered big ships could steam over the oceans without relying heavily on land bases.

Admiral Scheer in March 1939. She was modified during the first winter of the war, receiving a slender fighting top in place of its massive control tower.

Admiral Scheer dressed overall and her crew lining the ship's side.

Admiral Scheer, commissioned in November 1934, was the most successful ship of its class in the war.

Seen here shortly after completion, Admiral Scheer operated as far afield as the Indian Ocean during her epic sortie in 1940-41.

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Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the full picture.
	Technical data and/or diagram of Deutschland class pocket battleships.
	On 1 April 1941, after the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer had returned safely home from a long raiding operation in the South Atlantic, the crew was personally welcomed by C-in-C, Admiral Raeder.
	Admiral Scheer in port.
	The gun on the deck of this English merchant ship offered only symbolic protection against the sudden attacks of German raiders in the South Atlantic. Admiral Scheer took on the work of her sister ship Admiral Graf Spee a year after the latter's spectacular end.
	Admiral Scheer took no part in operations in the first year of the war owing to the long time she spent in dock. The picture shows her after she had been remodelled as a heavy cruiser. She was to be the msot successful of the German pocket battleships.
	Admiral Scheer in the Bay of Biscay, photographed from the airship Graf Zeppelin. The crew has crowded forward to wave to the airship. At high speed, as in the picture, the ship had a range of 9,100 miles; at lower speeds her range was wider. Because of their wide radii of action these first diesel-powered big ships could steam over the oceans without relying heavily on land bases.
	Admiral Scheer in March 1939. She was modified during the first winter of the war, receiving a slender fighting top in place of its massive control tower.
	Admiral Scheer dressed overall and her crew lining the ship's side.
	Admiral Scheer, commissioned in November 1934, was the most successful ship of its class in the war.
	Seen here shortly after completion, Admiral Scheer operated as far afield as the Indian Ocean during her epic sortie in 1940-41.