In the annals of naval history, few stories are as captivating and audacious as that of the SMS Seeadler. This three-masted steel-hulled sailing ship, known as a merchant raider, emerged as one of the last fighting sailing vessels to play a role in warfare during World War I. With a history replete with captures, deceptions, and high-sea escapades, the Seeadler's journey is one of audacious adventure.
From Pass of Balmaha to SMS Seeadler
The Seeadler's odyssey commenced under the US flag as the Pass of Balmaha. Her transformation into a raider for Imperial Germany was nothing short of extraordinary. In 1915, while en route to Arkhangelsk, Russia, laden with a cargo of cotton, Pass of Balmaha encountered the British auxiliary cruiser Victorian off the Norwegian coast. This chance meeting set in motion a series of events that would see the ship's capture by U-36, a German submarine commanded by Captain Ernst Graeff.
The British decision to order the striking of neutral American colors and hoist the Union Jack incited resistance from Pass of Balmaha's Captain Scott. In an attempt to evade the British grasp, Scott covertly hid the British prize crew and replaced the Union Jack with the Stars and Stripes. Nonetheless, suspicions lingered. U-36 intercepted the vessel, and to prevent being impounded, Scott revealed the hidden British prize crew, who were subsequently taken prisoner. In return for their cooperation, the American crew members were allowed passage to a neutral country, while Pass of Balmaha was claimed by the German Navy.
SMS Seeadler: The Birth of a Sailing Raider
By 1916, with the North Sea blockaded by the Allies, the prospects for German warships were bleak. Any commerce raiders hoping to evade the blockade faced the challenge of securing coal and bases for resupply. In a remarkable twist of strategy, the Germans decided to equip a sailing ship, as it wouldn't rely on coal.
Thus emerged the Seeadler, a seemingly innocuous Norwegian wood carrier. Disguised under the command of Kapitänleutnant Felix von Luckner, Seeadler set sail on December 21, 1916. To increase its chances of success, the crew was carefully selected, with many members fluent in Norwegian. The ship was equipped with an auxiliary engine, hidden compartments, additional accommodation, concealed weaponry, including 105 mm guns and heavy machine guns, and even torpedo tubes.
The SMS Seeadler's Epic Voyage
Over the course of the next 225 days, Seeadler embarked on a swashbuckling voyage across the Atlantic and Pacific, defying the British and US Navies at every turn. Her story is one of deception, as she skillfully evaded capture while capturing 15 ships in the process. Remarkably, this daring escapade resulted in minimal casualties, with only one accidental casualty occurring on either side during the entire journey.
Seeadler's daring voyage commenced on December 21, 1916. Just five days later, on Christmas Day, she encountered a British armed merchant cruiser between the Faeroes and Iceland. In a bid to outwit her pursuers, the crew, except those fluent in Norwegian, remained concealed below decks, armed and ready. Boarding officers initially believed Seeadler to be the Norwegian Irma, but their suspicions were aroused due to an unmentioned auxiliary engine. Captain Felix von Luckner deftly diverted their attention with a well-placed rope, averting disaster.
Seeadler's impressive sail power afforded her a wide operational range. She ventured into the Atlantic, swiftly capturing two steamers near the Azores before turning her sights to the South Atlantic, where her mission was to disrupt the sailing trade.
By July 28, 1917, Seeadler sought refuge outside the narrow entrance to a lagoon on the uninhabited island of Mopeha. With scurvy affecting the crew, the island offered a reprieve, teeming with coconuts and turtles. The crew established a camp ashore. However, disaster struck on August 2 when an abrupt sea storm wrecked Seeadler. Although Captain von Luckner initially attributed the disaster to a tsunami, evidence from Seeadler's logbook and the positioning of her anchor and ship parts suggested poor anchoring when the crew disembarked. In the aftermath, two boats, provisions, firearms, and materials to construct shelters were salvaged. Von Luckner, accompanied by three officers and two seamen, embarked on a mission to capture a schooner and rescue the remaining crew members.
Von Luckner ingeniously convinced the British Chief Resident on Atiu in the Cook Islands that they were Dutch Americans, securing fresh fruit and provisions. Their journey continued westward, but suspicion grew among the inhabitants of Aituaki. Eventually, the Germans reached Wakaya, where they were apprehended by the local police. Initially imprisoned in Suva and later transferred to New Zealand, von Luckner plotted escape. He led a daring breakout, capturing a schooner and reaching the Kermadec Islands before being recaptured by the cable steamer Iris. Despite tighter confinement, he continued to plan further escape attempts. Meanwhile, the remaining crew, under the leadership of Leutnant Kling, managed to seize a small French schooner, which they sailed to Easter Island. There, they were intercepted by a Chilean cruiser and interned as belligerents who had taken refuge in neutral territory.
Seeadler's legacy included the capture or sinking of three British and one French steamers, totaling 12,000 tons gross, and 12 sailing ships, four of them British, with a combined tonnage of just under 18,000 tons. While her accomplishments were indeed remarkable for a ship of her class, they held limited significance in the grand scale of Allied trade during the war at sea.
The End of the Seeadler
The tale of the SMS Seeadler lives on as a testament to audacity, cunning, and the enduring allure of high-sea adventure. In the annals of naval history, her exploits continue to captivate, reminding us of an era when even sailing ships could play a role in modern warfare.