Action of 16 January 1916: Difference between revisions

Action of 16 January 1916
Part of World War I
SMS Mowe, a photo taken from SS Appam in January of 1916.
Date January 16, 1916 Location off Madeira, Atlantic Ocean Result German victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
	unknown
Strength
1 steamer	1 auxiliary cruiser
Casualties and losses
none	18 killed, 5 wounded, 1 steamer scuttled

The Action of 16 January 1916 was a single ship action of World War I. It was fought between a German auxiliary cruiser and a British merchant ship off the Portuguese islands of Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean.

Most successful of German commerce raiders during the war, SMS Mowe was commanded by Corvette Captain Nikolaus zu Dohna-Schlodien and was assigned to duty in the Atlantic. The Mowe was origionaly a freighter launched in 1914 until converted in 1915. She displaced 9,800 tons and was armed with four 150-milimeter guns, one 105-milimeter gun and two torpedo tubes. Her opponent was the one gun merchant ship, SS Clan Mactavish of Great Britain.

Mowe was steaming approximately 120 miles south of Madeira on January 16, 1916, with the merchant steamer SS Appam, a vessel previously captured by the Germans who installed a prize crew and transferred several dozen prisoners of war to. At sunset lookouts aboard the Mowe sighted smoke on the horizon, a sure indication of a ship. Immediately Captain Dohna-Schlodien ordered the Appam to remain behind while he went to investigate. Several minutes later, at about 9:00 pm, the Mowe came within a distance to where her lookouts could make out that the smoke had originated from a large merchant ship, later identified as the 5,816 ton Clan Mactavish of the Clan Line company. By the time SMS Mowe came within close range, it was dark, so the Germans approached cautiously. Using a signal lamp, Dohna-Schlodien requested the steamer's name but the British responded by asking that the Germans first identify themselves. The Captain signaled that his ship was the SS Author, sailing from Liverpool to Natal. Mowe reportedly looked very similar to the Author which was sunk by the Germans a few weeks earlier. The Clan Mactavish then signaled her name and that they were returning to Britain from Australia.

This was the end for the merchantman, now identified as enemy, Captain Dohna-Schlodien crossed the steamer's bow and ordered the her to halt, a signal which certainly shocked the unsuspecting Britons. Instead of stopping, the British altered course and increased speed, hoping to outrun the raider. Warning shots were fired but they were ignored so a chase began. The one gun of the British ship, mounted on the stern, was manned and opened fire on the chasing Germans but the shots were not well directed. Some splashed into the water near the auxiliary cruiser but ultimately none struck the German vessel and therefore they suffered no damage or casualties in the engagement. The German sailors responded to the British with counter battery fire from their 150-milimeter guns and for several moments the two vessels fought. Clan Mactavish fired at the pursuing Mowe and during this she sent distress calls out which were recieved by the cruiser HMS Essex. However, the telegraphist aboard the cruiser failed to inform his superiors of the action so no help was sent. Eventually, after taking several hits topside, the one gun Clan Mactavish began to burn and her captain signaled the mowe that they were surrendering. Mowe then maneuvered in for boarding.

All of the German round where hits with the exception of the warning shots. The steamer was quickly siezed, prisoners removed, and charges set for scuttling. Within moments of boarding, the explosives laid in Clan Mactavish were detonated and she sank to the bottom of the ocean. Eighteen British sailors were killed in battle or just after and five others were wounded.

After destroying the steamer, the Germans reunited with Appam and set a westward course, thus avoiding any possibility of encountering the British cruisers in the area. Two of the cruisers were just over 100 miles from the battle area that night and could have been moved to a position of intercepting the Germans had the telegraphist aboard Essex responded. Mowe went on to sink several more Allied ships before returning home. Upon arrival, Captain Dohna-Schlodien recieved an Iron Cross second class.

• Naval warfare of World way I

• the story of SMS Möwe