KMS Komet

"I passed the Bering Strait between 0200 and 0230 this morning. This trip has been enough for me; I would not do it voluntarily a second time." Admiral Robert Eyssen

The raider KMS Komet, also known as Schiff (Ship) 45, was the sixth to set sail. Komet was originally the freighter Ems, built in 1936 by Deschimag. Captain Robert Eyssen took Komet out of Gotenhaven on 3 July 1940 to commence the 516-day long adventure, which took the crew from pole to pole.
The voyage was destined to be unique ever since Eyssen had planned his route. Taking advantage of the flimsy Nazi-Soviet friendship, Eyssen had decided to sail well into the Arctic and around Russia with some Soviet help. The trip took Komet farther north than any other raider had gone. After 23 trying days among packed ice, Komet entered the Pacific, eager to do some damage.
Eyssen, however, did not catch his first prey till 25 November. Two days later he sank the largest victim of all German raiders, Rangitane. Meanwhile, Eyssen joined Orion's Weyher and a few supply ships to form the German "Far East Squadron," the first since World War I. Komet became the flagship since Eyssen was the senior officer present.
Luck was not with the Germans, though, and Orion and Komet caught only a few inter-island merchantmen. This could have ruined Eyssen's plan to land at Nauru, a major source of phosphate for Britain. Amazingly the Australians did not significantly tighten security measures and Eyssen took the opportunity. Komet arrived at Nauru on 27 December, and, after driving the curious natives away, shelled everything beneficial to Britain's war effort. Extensive damage was inflicted to the phosphate plants and oil tanks. The island's phosphate shipments recovered only long after the war.
After becoming the only raider to attack land targets, Komet traveled to the southernmost point, well into the Antarctic, reached by any raider, to try to catch Allied whalers, without success. Then Eyssen visited the Kerguelens and prowled the Indian Ocean, and later returned to the Pacific, empty handed. After Pinguin was sunk, the converted minelayer Adjutant (manned by Pinguin's men) was assigned to Eyssen, who found little use of it. Nevertheless, he had Adjutant mined the water outside Wellington, New Zealand.
Komet then roamed about the Pacific, finding nothing but boredom and inactivity. When permission was given by Berlin to attack ships in eastern Pacific, Eyssen sank three ships in five days, fully eight months after shelling Nauru.
Afterwards Komet rounded Cape Horn and headed home. On 26 November 1941, Eyssen entered Cherbourg. The last leg to Germany was not without incident; Komet was harassed by British torpedo boats and hit by a bomb, which failed to explode. On 30 November, Komet arrived at Cuxhaven, ending her first cruise.
Komet's second cruise began on 7 October 1942 and lasted only two days. Captain Ulrich Brocksien was assigned command of Komet, now refitted with radar set and new guns. British intelligence was aware of the German attempt to dash through the English Channel. In a fast and furious fight, Komet was sunk after an explosion amidships, caused by gunfire, said the Germans; by torpedo hits, claimed the British.

Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the full picture.
	Technical data and/or diagram of KMS Komet.
	An overview of the tactics used by the raiders that led to their enormous success.
	A map showing Komet's journey.
	Robert Eyssen, captain of Komet.
	The auxiliary cruiser Komet which made the most difficult voyage of all. Her commander had to sail through the Arctic braving not only the ice but Soviet suspicion of his innocent-looking ship.
	The North German Lloyd Line motorship Ems of Bremen.
	Komet gunports No. 2 and No. 4 open.

Back to German Auxiliary Cruisers Page
Back to Kriegsmarine Page
Back to Homepage