SMS Friedrich der Große

The battleship SMS Friedrich der Große was the second vessel of the Kaiser-class, belonging to one of Germany's first Dreadnought battleships.

Friedrich der Große was launched on June 10th, 1911 by A. G. Vulcan, Stettin-Bredow and commissioned on Oct. 15th, 1912.
After conducting sea trials in early 1913, Friedrich der Große became the fleet flagship on March 2nd, 1914.
After the outbreak of WW 1 German Dreadnoughts undertook some raids against Britain's East Coast, Friedrich der Große took part in the shelling of Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby on Dec. 15/16th, 1914. They encountered 6 British battleships but under direct orders of Kaiser Wilhelm II, to avoid risking the fleet, the German squadron broke off the engagement and returned to Germany.
In 1915 Friedrich der Große mainly covered mining operations in the North Sea and in Aug. 1915 covered the return of the merchant raider Möwe.
On April 24th, 1916 another raid on Britain's East coast took place, Lowestoft being shelled.
In the Battle of Jutland, May 31st, 1916, Friedrich der Große fired 72 main battery shells and 151 secondary gun rounds and sustained no damages or casualties. She had sunk the destroyer HMS Nomad and engaged HMS Warspite, hitting her with 13 heavy shells.
In Oct. 1917 the battleship took place in Operation Albion, the landing and occupation of the Baltic islands of Hiiumaa, Saaremaa and Muhu (Dagö, Ösel and Moon).
Following the capitulation on Nov. 11th, 1918 Friedrich der Große belonged to the 72 German ships that had to be surrendered to Great Britain and was interned at Scapa Flow.
On June 21st, 1919, the day the Treaty of Versailles was signed the CinC, Read Adm. Ludwig von Reuter gave order to scuttle all vessels, to avoid them being seized by Great Britain. Friedrich der Große capsized and sank at 12.16 p.m. The wreck was raised in 1936 and scrapped by 1937.
On Aug. 30th, 1965 Great Britain returned the ship's bell to Germany, now residing in the Fleet Headquarter at Glücksburg.