World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseTorpedo boat Seeadler was commissioned into service in May 1928. In late 1936, she was assigned to the 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla of the German Navy and made several trips to Spain during the Spanish Civil War. In 1937, she escorted heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer during the bombardment of Almería, Spain, and was targeted, though not hit, by shore-based batteries. In mid-1938, she was transferred to the newly formed 4th Torpedo Boat Flotilla. In Sep 1939, 4th Flotilla was disbanded, and she was transferred to 6th Torpedo Boat Flotilla, operating in the North Sea region. During the invasion of Norway, she accompanied the task force centered around light cruiser Karlsruhe which captured the fortress of Kristiansand, Norway on 9 Apr 1940. Karlsruhe, would be hit by British submarine Truant with a torpedo at 1858 hours on the same day just as the group set sail for Kiel, Germany; Seeadler carried a number of survivors of Karlsruhe. Between May and Aug 1940, she was refitted at Wesermünde, Germany. Transferred to France, she was assigned to 5th Flotilla which operated in the English Channel. In Nov 1940, she, along with the rest of 5th Flotilla, would be transferred to Saint-Nazaire, France, from which port she embarked on several minelaying missions. Between Mar and May 1941, she was refitted in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. After serving as a convoy escort, she was again refitted at Rotterdam between Dec 1941 and Feb 1942. In Feb 1942, she escorted battleship Scharnhorst, battleship Gneisenau, and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen during the Operation Cerberus "Channel Dash". Between Mar and May 1942, she escorted merchant raiders Michel and Stier as they operated in the English Channel. While escorting Stier, on 13 May, Seeadler was hit by a torpedo from a British motor torpedo boat, capsized, and then broke in half. 85 of her crew members were killed in the sinking.

Motor Torpedo Boat Seeadler (SE) Interactive Map

Photographs

Seeadler Operational Timeline