German light cruiser Frankfurt damaged in battle of Jutland according to the Dutch newspaper De Tijd dated 20 June 1916

An item dated St. Petersburg 19 June reported that in the sea battle in the Skagerrak (1) the German dreadnought Frankfurt (2) seemed to be heavily damaged according to a telegram sent by the minister of navy to the town council of Frankfurt. In this telegram was reported that the wounded sailors and the families of the killed sailors on board of her received an annuity. She returned 31 May from the battle and was described of one of the newest German dreadnoughts. The Dutch newspaper Het nieuws van den dag voor Nederlandsch-Indië dated 17 June referred to the German newspaper Kielerzeitung which admitted that this new cruiser was damaged in the battle.

Notes

1. In the literature common known as the battle of Jutland between the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet on 31 May-1 June 1916.

2. She was indeed present in that battle and of her crew ere 3 men killed and another 18 wounded. In contrary to what the Dutch newspaper claimed was the SMS Frankfurt just a light cruiser of the Wiesbaden-class, laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft in Kiel as the ‘Ersatz Hela’ in January 1913 with yard number 40, launched on 20 March 1915 and commissioned on 20 August of the same year. She survived the scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow on 21 June 1918 while British sailors managed to beach here before she could sink. Salvaged in July was she assigned to the USA although not earlier taken over as 11 March 1920 and commissioned in the US navy on 4 June. A year later she sunk on 18 July being used as a bomb target off Cape Henry, Virginia. The Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 14 February 1920 reported a war crime on board of the ship. Lacking enough evidence was in a trial in Edinburgh the sailor James Woolly of the British HMS Resolution captain Alington released which was accused of murdering a German prisoner-of-war belonging to the crew of the Frankfurt when she was lying in Scapa Flow. The German sailors was on Monday 23 June around midnight shot just two days after the scuttling of the German fleet. The British sailors had a party with extra rum and Woolley stated that he wanted revenge for his two brothers killed during the war. On board of the Frankfurt were then 80 Germans. The Dutch newspaper Het Vaderland dated 20 July 1921 described her final fate. During the whole day were American army and navy aircraft bombing the Frankfurt when a 600 pound bomb dropped in the water near her and exploded causing her collapsing. She was totally hit by 11 bombs of which five not exploded. Lacking enough severe damage were five destroyers ordered to destroy her when the collapsed.