German battle cruisers SMS Goeben
German light cruiser SMS Magdeburg sister ship of the Breslau
An item referred to an announcement of the British Admiralty reporting that the German battle cruiser Goeben (1) and the light cruiser Breslau (2) fought with British naval forces in the entrance of the Dardanelles on Sunday morning 20th. The Breslau sunk and the Goeben escaped although stranded off Nagara while she was heavily damaged and was now attacked by Allied aircraft. At British side were the monitor Raglan (3) and the small monitor M 28 (4) lost. The newspaper Rotterdamsch nieuwsblad dated 22nd added to this item that the Turkish names of the Goeben respectively were Sultan Selim and Midilli. The Ragnar was commanded by viscount Broome and the M 28 by lieutenant Donald.
Notes
1. Moltke-class. Sister ship Moltke. Building ordered on 8 April 1909, laid down at the shipyard of Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany on 28 August 1909, launched on 28 March 1911, commissioned on 2 July 1912, handed over to the Turkish government on 16 August 1914, renamed Yavuz Sultan Selim and commissioned in the Turkish navy. Decommissioned on 20 December 1950, renamed Yavuz in 1935, stricken on 14 November 1954 and finally broken up in 1973. Displacement 22.979 tons/22.616 long tons (design)-25.400 tons/25.000 long tons (full loaded) and as dimensions 186,6 x 30 x 9,2 metres or 612.2 x 98.5 x 30.3 feet. The Parsons turbines supplied via 4 screws 51.289 (design)-84.609 (maximum) shp allowing a speed of 25,5 (design)-28,4 (maximum) knots and with a speed of 14 knots a range of 4.120 nautical miles. Her crew numbered 1.053 men included 43 officers. The armour consisted of a 10-29cm/3.9-11” thick belt. a 2,54-7,62cm/1-3” inch deck with the gun turrets, barbettes and conning tower protected by respectively 23cm/9.1”, 23cm/9.1” and 34cm/14”. The armament consisted of 5x2-28cm/11” L/50 guns, 12-15cm/5.9” guns and 12-8,8cm/3.5“ guns.
2. Of the Magdeburg-class, laid down at A,G. Vulcan in 1910, launched on 16 May 1911, commissioned on 10 May 1912 in the German Imperial navy, transferred to the Ottoman Empire on 16 August 1914, commissioned as the Midilli and sunk after hitting a mine off Imbros on 20 January 1918. Displacement 4.570 tons and as dimensions 138,7 x 13,5 x 4,4 metres or 455.1’ x 44,3’ x 14.5”. Speed 27,5 knots. Crew numbered 354 men. Armament after 1917 8-15cm/5.9” L/45 quick firing guns, 2-50cm/19.7” torpedo tubes and she carried 120 mines with her. Armour consisted of a 6cm/2.4” thick belt, maximum 6cm/2.4” thick deck and the conning tower protected by 10cm/3.9”.
3. Ex-Robert E. Lee renamed 1915, M.3 renamed on 20 June 1915 and Lord Raglan renamed on 23 June 1915. Sunk on 20 January 1918. With a displacement of 6.150tons and dimensions 320 x 90’, armament of 2-25,56cm/14” guns, 2-15,25cm/6” guns and 2-12pd guns. Launched at Harland&Woldd, Gowan, Ireland on 29 April 1915.
4. Of the M-class coastal monitors, Launched by Raylton Dixon on 8 September 1915. Displacement 540 tons and as dimensions 170’ x 31’. Armament consisted of 1-23,3cm/9.2” gun and 1-7,62cm/3” gun.
