In
Service: 13 May 1937 to 1947
Ordered: Builder: Deutsche
Werke AG, Kiel
Construction No: 245
Laid down: 7 January
1935
Launched: 30 November 1935
Commissioned: 13 May 1937
Type: Destroyer / Zerstörer
Class: Zerstörer 1934
Displacement: 2,223 tons standard 3,156 tons full load
Length:
119.3 m
Beam: 11.3 m
Draft: 4.23 m
Propulsion:
2 × shafts 2 × Wagner geared turbines producing up to 70,000 shp
Propellers: Speed: 38.7 knots
Range: 1,825 nautical
miles at 19 knots
Crew: 325 men and officers
Armament:
5 × 12.7 cm L/45 SK C/34
carried 600 rounds
4 × 3.7 cm L/83
SK C/30
carried 8000 rounds
6 × 2 cm MG L/65 C/30
carried 12000
rounds
8 × 2 cm MG L/65 C/30 after mid 1942
carried 16000 rounds
8 × 53.3 cm torpedo tubes
8 torpedo's carried
4 × depth charge
launchers
60 mines
Armour Aircraft: Electronics:
Operators: Kriegsmarine
Variants: Other:
Destroyers Articles: 13 May 1937 The destroyer Richard Beitzen iscommissioned.
1 September 1939 The destroyer Richard Beitzen carries out operations
in the Danzig Beight along with Köln, Leipzig, and Nürnberg.
12 to 13 December 1939 The destroyer Richard Beitzen carries out mine
laying operation against Newcastle. Along with the destroyers, Erich Steinbrinck,
Bruno Heinemann, Friedirch Ihn and Hermann Künne. On the way back meet up
with light cruisers Nürnberg, Leipzig and Köln. Nürnberg and Köln
are both hit by torpedoes from the British submarine HMS Salmon escort the returning
ships.
6 to 7 January 1940 The destroyer Richard Beitzen carries
out mine laying operations against the Thames estuary. Along with the destroyers
Friedrich Ihn, Friedrich Eckold, Erich Steinbrinck, Hermann Schoemann and Karl
Galster.
10 to 11 January 1940 The destroyer Richard Beitzen
carries out mine laying operations against Newcastle. Along with the destroyers
Anton Schmitt, Karl Galster, Wilhlem Heidkamp, Friedrich Ihn and Friedrich Eckold.
9 to 10 February 1940 The destroyer Richard Beitzen carries out
mine laying operations along with the destroyers Hermann Schoemann, Wilhlem Heidkamp
Max Schulz, Theodor Riedel and Friedrich Eckold.
22 February 1940
The destroyer Richard Beitzen takes part in operation Wikinger (German sortie
into the North Sea) along with Erich Koellner, Friedrich Eckold, Max Schulz, Leberecht
Maa�, and Theodor Riedel, They receive orders to proceed against British shipping
at Dogger Bank. On the way there a Luftwaffe bomber attacks the destroyers, sinking
the Lebercht Maas. During the rescue of Lebercht Maas crew, Max Schulz hits a
mine and is lost with all hands
29 to 30 April 1940 The destroyer
Richard Beitzen escorts the minelayers Roland, Preussen and Kaiser, Along with
Bruno Heinemann and the torpedo boats Wolf, Möwe, Kondor and Leopard, during
the course of laying mines the torpedo boat Leopard is rammed and lost by the
mine layer Kaiser.
9 May 1940 The destroyer Richard Beitzen
escorts the minelayers, Kaiser, Preussen, Roland and Corba, Along with Bruno Heinemann
and Hermann Schoemann and the torpedo boat Greif plus three S-boats during the
course of operation British aircraft are detected and the operation cancelled.
17 to 18 April 1940 The destroyer Richard Beitzen carries out
mine laying operations in the North Sea along with the destroyers Bruno Heinemann
and Hermann Schoemann.
19 to 20 April 1940 The destroyer Richard
Beitzen carries out mine laying operations in the North Sea along with the destroyers
Bruno Heinemann and Hermann Schoemann.
20 to 22 October 1940
The destroyer Richard Beitzen is transferred to Brest.
24 to 25 November
1940 The destroyer Richard Beitzen carries out operations against Plymouth
along with the destroyers Hans Lody, Karl Galster, they engage several British
patrol boats and sink two
28 to 29 November 1940 The destroyer
Richard Beitzen carries out its second operation against Plymouth along with the
destroyers Hans Lody, Karl Galster, they engage several British patrol boats and
sink three.
21 January 1941 The destroyer Richard Beitzen
is transferred to Rotterdam.
23 to 24 January 1941 The destroyer
Richard Beitzen escorts the minelayers, Roland, Kaiser and Corba, while they carry
out mine laying operations against the British South East Coast. Along with the
torpedo boat Seeadler and Iltis.
28 to 30 January 1941 The
destroyer Richard Beitzen is transferred to Brest along with torpedo boats Kondor,
Seeadler and Iltis.
1 to 2 February 1941 The destroyer Richard
Beitzen escorts heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper while leaving Brest. Along with the
torpedo boat Seeadler and Kondor.
13 to 14 February 1941 The
destroyer Richard Beitzen escorts heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper while returning
to Brest. Along with the torpedo boat Seeadler and Kondor.
16 to 18
March 1941 The destroyer Richard Beitzen is transferred to Germany.
1 to 2 July 1941 The destroyer Richard Beitzen is transferred
to Bergen along with Hans Lody.
4 to 11 July 1941 The destroyer
Richard Beitzen is transferred to Kirkenes along with the rest of 6th destroyer
flotilla Herman Schoemann, Friedrich Eckold, Karl Galster, and Hans Lody.
12 to 16 July 1941 The destroyer Richard Beitzen carries out
operations along with the rest of 6th destroyer flotilla Herman Schoemann, Friedrich
Eckold, Karl Galster, and Hans Lody. And sink two Russian patrol boats.
22 to 24 July 1941 The destroyer Richard Beitzen carries out operations
along with the rest of 6th destroyer flotilla Herman Schoemann, Friedrich Eckold,
and Karl Galster. And sink one Russian patrol boat and one floatplane.
4 to 5 August 1941 The destroyer Richard Beitzen escorts troop ships
in North Norway along with Friedrich Eckold.
9 to 10 August 1941
The destroyer Richard Beitzen carries out operations near Kola inlet.
Along with Friedrich Eckold, and Hans Lody. And sinks one Russian patrol boat
SKR 12 Tuman Richard Beitzen is damaged by coastal artillery.
14 to
17 August 1941 The destroyer Richard Beitzen is escorted by the torpedo
boats Iltis and Seeadler.
14 to 17 January 1942 The destroyer
Richard Beitzen escorts battleship Tirpitz to the Trondheimfjord. Along with Paul
Jakobi, Bruno Heinemann and Z29.
18 to 20 January 1942 The
destroyers Richard Beitzen returns to Germany along with Bruno Heinemann , Paul
Jakobi and Z29.
24 to 26 January 1942 The destroyer Richard
Beitzen is transferred to Le Havre along with Herman Schoemann, Paul Jakobi and
Bruno Heinemann. During the journey Bruno Heinemann is struck by two mines and
is lost.
27 to 28 January 1942 The destroyer Richard Beitzen
is transferred to Brest along with Paul Jacobi.
1945 The destroyers
Richard Beitzen is seized as a prize of war by the British.
1947
The destroyers Richard Beitzenis broken up, and scrapped.
Hans-Joachim
Gadow
Takes command on May 1937
Ends command on May 1938
Moritz Schmidt
Takes command on May 1938
Ends command on October 1939
Hans
von Davidson
Takes command on November 1939
Ends command on January
1943
Hans
Dominik
Takes command on January 1943
Ends command on January 1944
Walter
Lüdde-Neurath
Takes command on April 1944
Ends command on June
1944
Rudolf
Gade
Takes command on June 1944
Ends command on September 1944
Helmut
Neuss
Takes command on September 1944
Ends command on May 1945
German
Warships, 1815-1945: Major Surface Vessels.
ISBN-10: 0851775330
German
Warships, 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels.
ISBN-10: 155750301X
German warships of the Second World War.
ISBN-10: 0668040378
For a complete list of
sources 
