KMS Coronel

The raider KMS Coronel, also known as Schiff (Ship) 14, was the last to try to leave Europe. Coronel was originally the freighter Togo, built in 1938 by Bremer Vulkan. On 31 January 1943, Captain Ernst Thienemann set out with Coronel to attempt a break out.
Just before the outbreak of the war, Togo was in French Cameroon. Her captain, Eugene Rousselet, took quick and decisive actions to prevent his ship from falling into French hands. In Germany, Togo was converted to serve as minelayer and patrol vessel before she was refitted to become a raider.
The English Channel was almost closed to any Axis vessels by 1943. Coronel hit ground twice on 9 February near Dunkirk. She was shelled by Dover's heavy batteries, and subsequently bombed by a British fighter-bomber. Thienemann entered Boulogne to assess damage, which would take four months to repair -- an impossible task to be performed in occupied France.
Thienemann decided to turned back. Coronel was again shelled by Dover, and bombed by the RAF and US Eighth Air Force on 13 February. Further damage was inflicted on Coronel, which, however, made it to Cuxhaven on 28 February.
The ship was rebuilt to accommodate electronic gadgets to direct fighters till the end of the war. She used her old name Togo and carried troops from Poland and East Prussia. She was subsequently sold to and by other nations after the war. The resilient ships was still serving in the early 1970s.

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

Technical data and/or diagram of KMS Coronel.

An overview of the tactics used by the raiders that led to their enormous success.

The auxiliary cruiser Coronel in the Baltic at the end of her working-up period.

The Coronel was the last German auxiliary cruiser to try to break through the Channel in February 1943. Bomb damages prevented her from leaving Europe. She was later converted into a nightfighter control ship for the Luftwaffe. Note the large disk-shaped antenna towards the stern of the ship.

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Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the full picture.
	Technical data and/or diagram of KMS Coronel.
	An overview of the tactics used by the raiders that led to their enormous success.
	The auxiliary cruiser Coronel in the Baltic at the end of her working-up period.
	The Coronel was the last German auxiliary cruiser to try to break through the Channel in February 1943. Bomb damages prevented her from leaving Europe. She was later converted into a nightfighter control ship for the Luftwaffe. Note the large disk-shaped antenna towards the stern of the ship.