A-class Torpedo Boat

The A-class torpedo boats were a class of German single-funnelled torpedo boat/light destroyer designed by the Reichsmarineamt for operations off the coast of occupied Flanders in the First World War. The A designation was to avoid confusion with older classes and designs. They were known as "coastal torpedo boats" (German: ''Küstentorpedoboote'') to differentiate from larger, ocean-going torpedo boats.

Six groups of vessels were built under the class between 1914 and 1918, increasing in displacement from 109 tons to 335 tons. All had a raised forecastle, shallow draught, and carried one (for most) or two (for ''A1''-''A25'') torpedo tubes amidships.

''A1''–''A25''

* ''A2'' and ''A6'' were sunk by British destroyers on 1 May 1915 during the Battle off Noordhinder Bank.
* ''A3'' was lost in 1915.
* ''A15'' was sunk by French destroyers on 23 August 1915.
* ''A13'' was bombed in dock in 1917.
* ''A10'' was sunk by mines in 1918.
* ''A7'' and ''A19'' were sunk by British and French destroyers on 21 March 1918.
* ''A1'', ''A18'' and ''A21''–''A25'' surrendered and were stricken between 1921 and 1922.
* ''A11'' and ''A17'' were sunk during the Kapp Putsch in 1920.
* ''A4'', ''A12'' and ''A14'' were abandoned in Antwerp after the German evacuation at the end of the First World War. Taken over by Belgium. Remained operational until 1927.
* ''A5'', ''A8'', ''A9'', ''A16'' and ''A20'' were interned in the Netherlands at the end of the war, and handed over to Belgium as reparations in 1919. Decommissioned in 1927 and most scrapped. ''A20'' remained in use as training vessel and captured by Germans in 1920. Scrapped 1948.

''A26''–''A55''

* ''A26''–''A29'', ''A31'', ''A33''–''A39'', ''A41'', ''A44''–''A46'', ''A48'', ''A49'', and ''A52''–''A55'' were surrendered and stricken between 1920 and 1921.
* ''A30'', ''A40'', ''A42'' and ''A47'' interned in the Netherlands at end of the war and allocated to Belgium in 1919 under Versailles Treaty. Discarded in 1927.
* ''A32'' was sunk during the "Operation Albion" in 1917, raised and repaired in 1923, and served as ''Sulev'' in the Estonian Navy. Taken by Russia in October 1940, it was renamed ''Аметист'' ("Amethyst") and served in the Soviet Navy as a patrol vessel until scrapped in 1950.
* ''A43'' was scrapped in 1943.
* ''A50'' was mined in 1917.
* ''A51'' was scuttled in 1918.

''A56''–''A79''

* ''A56''–''A58'' were mined in 1918.
* ''A59'', ''A60'' and ''A61'' caused severe damage to on 19 October 1917.
* ''A59'' was transferred to Poland in 1921, becoming . Became target ship in 1937 and captured by Germans in 1939. Sunk under tow.
* ''A60'' was mined in 1917.
* ''A61'' and ''A62'' were transferred to Britain in 1920, scrapped in 1923.
* ''A63'' and ''A66'' were given to France in 1920, scrapped in 1923.
* ''A64'' was transferred to Poland 1921 becoming . Stricken in October 1936 and scrapped.
* ''A65'' was given to Brazil, and scuttled in Britain.
* ''A67'' was scrapped incomplete in 1921.
* ''A68'' was transferred to Poland in 1921, becoming . Converted to oil hulk 1939. Sunk by German bombers 3 September 1939.
* ''A69'', ''A70'', ''A74''–''A76'', and ''A78'' were stricken in 1920.
* ''A71'', ''A73'', ''A77'' and ''A79'' were mined in 1918.

''A80''–''A91''

* ''A80'' was transferred to Poland in 1921 as . Renamed ''Podhalanin'' in 1922. Converted to oil hulk in 1939. Sunk by German bombers while under tow on 24 September 1939.
* ''A81'', ''A86''–''A91'' were stricken in 1920.
* ''A82'' was scuttled at Fiume in 1918.
* ''A83''–''A85'' were scrapped incomplete, 1919.

''A92''–''A113''

* ''A92''–''A95'' were stricken, 1920.
* ''A96''–''A113'' were scrapped while still on the stocks, 1919

Citations

References

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* {{cite book , last=Gröner , first=Erich , title=Torpedoboote, Zerstörer, Schnellboote, Minensuchboote, Minenräumboote , work=Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945 , volume=II , publisher=Bernard & Graefe , location=Koblenz , year=1983 , isbn=3-7637-4801-6

World War I torpedo boats of Germany
Torpedo boats of the Imperial German Navy