View source for SMS V2

{{Short description|V1-class torpedo boat of the imperial German Navy}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
 | Ship image =File:SMS V 2.jpg
 | Ship caption = 
}}
{{Infobox ship career
 | Hide header = 
|Ship country=[[German Empire]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|German Empire|naval}}
 | Ship name =  ''V2''
| Ship namesake = 
 | Ship ordered =  1911
 | Ship builder =  [[AG Vulcan Stettin]], [[Germany]]
 | Ship laid down = 
 | Ship launched =  14 October 1911
 | Ship commissioned =  28 March 1912
 | Ship decommissioned = 
 | Ship in service = 
 | Ship out of service = 
 | Ship struck = 
 | Ship reinstated = 
 | Ship honours = 
 | Ship fate =Stricken 18 November 1929
 | Ship notes = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
 | Hide header = 
 | Header caption = 
 | Ship class = 
 | Ship displacement ={{convert|697|t|LT|abbr=on}}
 | Ship length ={{convert|71.1|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[length overall|oa]]
 | Ship beam ={{convert|7.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
 | Ship draft ={{convert|3.11|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
 | Ship propulsion =  *4× [[water-tube boiler]]s
*2× [[steam turbine]]s
*{{convert|17000|PS|shp+kW}}
 | Ship speed =  {{convert|32|kn|1}}
 | Ship range ={{convert|1,190|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|17|kn}}
 | Ship complement =  74 officers and sailors
 | Ship sensors = 
 | Ship EW = 
 | Ship armament =*2 x [[8.8 cm SK L/30 naval gun|{{convert|8.8|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}}]]/30 guns
*4 x {{convert|50|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s
 | Ship notes = 
}}
|}

'''SMS ''V2'''''{{#tag:ref|"SMS" stands for "''[[Seiner Majestät Schiff]]''" ({{langx|de|link=no|His Majesty's Ship}})|group=lower-alpha}}{{#tag:ref|The "V" in ''V2'' denotes the shipyard at which she was built, in this case AG Vulcan.<ref name="conways06 p164"/>|group=lower-alpha}} was a [[V1-class destroyer|V1-class torpedo boat]] of the [[Imperial German Navy]]. The ship was built by [[AG Vulcan Stettin|AG Vulcan]], completing in 1912. She served in the [[First World War]] with the German [[High Seas Fleet]], taking part in the [[Battle of Heligoland Bight (1914)|Battle of the Heligoland Bight]] in 1914 and the [[Battle of Jutland]] in 1916. She was retained by the post-war German Navy and was stricken in 1929 and scrapped.

==Construction and design==
In 1911, the Imperial German Navy placed orders for a flotilla of 12 torpedo boats as part of its shipbuilding programme for that year, with one half flotilla of six ordered from [[AG Vulcan Stettin|AG Vulcan]], and six from [[Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft|Germaniawerft]].{{#tag:ref|The Imperial German Navy's practice was to split a year's orders into half-flotillas of six torpedo boats from different builders, to differing detailed design.<ref name="conways06 p164">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Gray|1985|p=164}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} The 1911 torpedo boats were smaller than those ordered in recent years in order to be more manoeuvrable and so work better with the fleet, which resulted in the numbering series for torpedo boats being restarted. The reduction in size resulted in the ships' seaworthiness being adversely affected,<ref name="conways06 p167">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Gray|1985|p=167}}</ref> with the 1911 torpedo boats and the similar craft of the 1912 programme acquiring the disparaging nickname "Admiral Lans' cripples".<ref name="conways06 p164"/><ref name="Grov2 p51"/>

''V2'', [[yard number]] 318, was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] from Vulcan's [[Stettin]], Prussia (now [[Szczecin]] in Poland) shipyard on 14 October 1911 and commissioned on 12 January 1912.<ref name="Grov2 p51">{{Harvnb|Gröner|1983|p=51}}</ref>

The ship was {{convert|71.1|m|ftin}} [[length overall|long overall]] and {{convert|70.2|m|ftin}} [[waterline length|at the waterline]], with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|7.6|m|ftin}} and a [[Draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|3.11|m|ftin}}. [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] was {{convert|569|t|LT}} normal and {{convert|697|t|LT}} deep load. Three coal-fired and one oil-fired [[water-tube boiler]]s fed steam to two direct-drive [[steam turbine]]s rated at {{convert|17000|PS|shp kW}}, giving a design speed of {{convert|32|kn}}.<ref name="Grov2 p51"/> {{convert|107|t|LT}} of coal and {{convert|78|t|LT}} of oil were carried, giving a range of {{convert|1190|nmi}} at {{convert|17|kn}} or {{convert|490|nmi}} at {{convert|29|kn}}.<ref name="conways06 p167"/>

Armament consisted of two [[8.8 cm SK L/30 naval gun|{{convert|8.8|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK L/30]] naval guns{{#tag:ref|In Imperial German Navy gun nomenclature, the L/30 denotes the length of the gun. In this case, the L/30 gun is 30 [[Caliber (artillery)|caliber]], meaning that the gun is 30 times as long as it is in diameter.|group=lower-alpha}} in single mounts fore and aft, together with four 50&nbsp;cm (19.7&nbsp;in) [[torpedo tube]]s with one reload torpedo carried. Up to 18 [[Naval mine|mine]]s could be carried. In 1916 the L/30 guns were replaced by more powerful [[8.8 cm SK L/45 naval gun|{{convert|8.8|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK L/45]] guns.<ref name="conways06 p167"/><ref name="Grov2 p51"/> In 1921 she was rearmed with two [[10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun]]s and two 50&nbsp;cm torpedo tubes, and was fitted with new boilers,<ref name="Grov2 p51"/> while her [[forecastle]] was extended rearwards, eliminating the exposed well-deck forward of the ship's bridge.<ref>{{Harvnb|Dodson|2019|pp=140–141}}</ref> The ship had a crew of 74 officers and other ranks.<ref name="conways06 p167"/>

==Service==
In May 1913 ''V2'' was a member of the 9th Half-Flotilla, 5th Torpedo Boat Flotilla,<ref>{{Harvnb|''Rangeliste der Kaiserlisch-Deutschen Marine''|1913|p=62}}</ref> and remained part of the 9th Half-Flotilla in May 1914.<ref>{{Harvnb|''Rangeliste der Kaiserlisch-Deutschen Marine''|1914|p=64}}</ref>

===First World War===
On 28 August 1914, a British force of destroyers and cruisers supported by battlecruisers made a sortie into the [[Heligoland Bight]] in order to ambush German torpedo boats on patrol, which caused the [[Battle of Heligoland Bight (1914)|Battle of Heligoland Bight]]. The 5th Torpedo Boat Flotilla, including ''V2'', were sent out from [[Heligoland]] to investigate sightings of British submarines (which were deployed as bait to draw out German ships), and ran into several British destroyers. The Flotilla then turned away to try and escape the trap, but the torpedo boat {{SMS|V1||2}}, which along with {{SMS|S13|1911|2}} could not make full speed and lagged behind the rest of the flotilla, was hit by British shells before the arrival of the German cruiser {{SMS|Stettin||2}} allowed the 5th Flotilla to escape.<ref name="castles p98-9,102-4">{{Harvnb|Massie|2007|pp=98–99, 102–104}}</ref><ref name="mono11 p122-3,62">{{Harvnb|Naval Staff Monograph No. 11|1921|pp=122–123, 162}}</ref> In total, however, three German light cruisers ({{SMS|Ariadne||2}}, {{SMS|Cöln|1909|2}} and {{SMS|Mainz||2}}) and one torpedo boat of the German outer screen ({{SMS|V187||2}}) had been sunk.<ref name="castles p111-5">{{Harvnb|Massie|2007|pp=111–115}}</ref>

On 23 January 1915, a German force of Battlecruisers and light cruisers, escorted by torpedo boats, and commanded by Admiral [[Franz von Hipper]], made a sortie to attack British fishing boats on the [[Dogger Bank]].<ref name="castlesp377">{{Harvnb|Massie|2007|p=377}}</ref> ''V2'', part of the 10th Torpedo Boat Half-Flotilla of the 5th Torpedo Boat Flotilla, formed part of the escort for Hipper's force.<ref>{{Harvnb|Groos|1923|pp=193, 214}}</ref> British Naval Intelligence was warned of the raid by radio messages decoded by [[Room 40]], and sent out the Battlecruiser Force from [[Rosyth]], commanded by Admiral [[David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty|Beatty]] aboard {{HMS|Lion|1910|2}} and the [[Harwich Force]] of light cruisers and destroyers, to intercept the German force.<ref name="castlesp375-0">{{Harvnb|Massie|2007|pp=377–380}}</ref> The British and German Forces met on the morning of 24 January in the [[Battle of Dogger Bank (1915)|Battle of Dogger Bank]]. On sighting the British, Hipper ordered his ships to head south-east to escape the British, who set off in pursuit.<ref name="castles p385">{{Harvnb|Massie|2007|p=385}}</ref> The armoured cruiser {{SMS|Blücher||2}} was disabled by British shells and was sunk, but the rest of the German force escaped, with the German battlecruiser {{SMS|Seydlitz||2}} and the British battlecruiser {{HMS|Lion|1910|2}} badly damaged.<ref>{{Harvnb|Massie|2007|p=413}}</ref> On 15 April 1915, ''V2'', searching for the British submarine {{HMS|E5||2}}, which had torpedoed and damaged the ''[[Sperrbrecher]]'' (or auxiliary minesweeper) ''Schwarzwald'' on 14 April, dropped several depth charges on an oil slick south of the [[Amrum Bank]] thought to from a submarine. Further searches by minesweepers could not find any hint of the suspected submarine, and in fact, ''E5'' had already left the [[German Bight]] by the time ''V2'' carried out her attack.<ref>{{Harvnb|Naval Staff Monograph No. 29|1925|pp=188–189}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Groos|1924|pp=83, 87–88}}</ref>

At the [[Battle of Jutland]] on 31 May–1 June 1916, ''V2'' was part of the 9th Half-Flotilla, 5th Torpedo Boat Flotilla, operating in support of the main German battle fleet.<ref name="Camp p14,25">{{Harvnb|Campbell|1998|pp=14, 25}}</ref> At about 03:15 hr [[Central European Time|CET]] (i.e. 02:15 hr [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]) on the night of 31 May/1 June ''V2'', {{SMS|V4||2}} and {{SMS|V6|1913|2}} were accompanying the German Fleet on its journey back to base  when a large underwater explosion, probably due to a floating mine, blew the bows off ''V4'', killing 18 and wounding four. ''V2'' and ''V6'' rescued the survivors from V4 before ''V6'' [[Scuttling|scuttled]] ''V4'' with shellfire and a torpedo.<ref name="Camp p301">{{Harvnb|Campbell|1998|p=301}}</ref>

===Postwar service===
''V2'' survived the war, and was one of the twelve destroyers that the [[Reichsmarine]] was allowed to retain under the [[Treaty of Versailles]].<ref name="conways22 p223">{{Harvnb|Gardiner|Chesneau|1980|p=223}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|Although treated as destroyers under the treaty, ''V2'' and other ships of her class were always referred to as torpedo boats by the Germans.<ref name="conways22 p223"/>|group=lower-alpha}} She was stricken on 18 November 1929 and was sold for scrap on 25 March 1930 for 61000 [[Reichsmark]] and broken up at [[Wilhelmshaven]].<ref name="Grov2 p51"/>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Campbell|first=John|title=Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting|year=1998|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-750-3}}
*{{cite book |last1=Dodson |first1=Aidan |title=Warship 2019 |date=2019 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford, UK |isbn=978-1-4728-3595-6 |pages=129–144 |editor1-last=Jordan |editor1-first=John |chapter=Beyond the Kaiser: The IGN's Destroyers and Torpedo Boats After 1918}}
*{{cite book|editor-last1=Gardiner |editor-first1=Robert |editor-last2=Chesneau |editor-first2=Roger |title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 |year=1980 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
*{{cite book|editor-last1=Gardiner|editor-first1=Robert|editor-last2=Gray|editor-first2=Randal|title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921|year=1985|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=London|isbn=0-85177-245-5}}
*{{cite book|last=Gröner|first=Erich|title=Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945: Band 2: Torpedoboote, Zerstörer, Schnelleboote, Minensuchboote, Minenräumboote|year=1983|publisher=Bernard & Graefe Verlag|location=Koblenz, Germany|isbn=3-7637-4801-6|language=German}}
* {{cite book |last=Groos |first=O. |title=Der Krieg in der Nordsee: Dritter Band: Von Ende November 1914 bis Unfang Februar 1915 |series=Der Krieg zur See: 1914–1918 |year=1923 |location=Berlin |publisher=Verlag von E. S. Mittler und Sohn |url=https://www.digar.ee/arhiiv/et/raamatud/17105 |via=National Library of Estonia}}
* {{cite book |last=Groos |first=O. |title=Der Krieg in der Nordsee: Vierter Band: Von Unfang Februar bis Dezember 1915 |series=Der Krieg zur See: 1914–1918 |year=1924 |location=Berlin |publisher=Verlag von E. S. Mittler und Sohn |url=https://www.digar.ee/arhiiv/nlib-digar:134741 |via=National Library of Estonia}}
* {{cite book |last=Massie|first=Robert K. |title=Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany and the Winning of the Great War at Sea |year=2007 |publisher=Vintage Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-099-52378-9}}
*{{cite book|title=Monograph No. 11: Heligoland Bight—The Action of August 28, 1914|series=Naval Staff Monographs (Historical)|volume=III|year=1921|publisher=The Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division|pages=110–166|url=http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Naval-Staff-Monographs-Vol.III_opt.pdf#67|oclc=220734221|ref={{harvid|Naval Staff Monograph No. 11|1921}}}}
*{{cite book |title=Monograph No. 29: Home Waters Part IV: From February to July 1915 |series=Naval Staff Monographs (Historical) |volume=XIII |year=1925 |publisher=The Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/Naval-Staff-Monographs-Vol.XIII_opt.pdf  |ref={{Harvid|Naval Staff Monograph No. 29|1925}} }} 
*{{cite book|title=Rangeliste der Kaiserlisch-Deutschen Marine für das Jahr 1913 |year=1913|publisher=Ernst Siegfried Mittler und Sohn|language=German |location=Berlin |url=http://digital.ub.uni-duesseldorf.de/ihd/periodical/pageview/8154959|ref={{harvid|''Rangeliste der Kaiserlisch-Deutschen Marine''|1913}}}}
*{{cite book|title=Rangeliste der Kaiserlisch-Deutschen Marine für das Jahr 1914 |year=1914|publisher=Ernst Siegfried Mittler und Sohn|language=German |location=Berlin |url=https://digital.ub.uni-duesseldorf.de/ihd/periodical/pageview/8162520|ref={{harvid|''Rangeliste der Kaiserlisch-Deutschen Marine''|1914}}}}

{{V1 class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:V2}}
[[Category:Torpedo boats of the Imperial German Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built in Stettin]]
[[Category:1911 ships]]
[[Category:World War I torpedo boats of Germany]]
[[Category:V1-class destroyers]]