The Wreck of SMS Scharnhorst - When Armored Cruisers Fought Battlecruisers

[@petestorz172]

The last image of an 88 mm gun also shows the mfr's name, Krupp. The 210 mm guns appear to be at maximum elevation, i.e. elevated for maximum range. The RN battle cruisers' 12" main guns' maximum range was about 10 Km farther - SMS Scharnhorst was outgunned and out-ranged.

[@sftommy01]

except Scharnhorst initially closed the range and scored some hits on Sturdee's force, a failure he allowed that to happen, one hit came very near a BC magazine.

[@justacomment1657]

​@@sftommy01well the german squadron Commander Basicly had no choice. the BC were faster and had longer range, so running was no option. evident by the fact that no ship of the German squadron came out alive. Despite the two armored cruisers attempt to buy time to escape.

[@drtidrow]

The battlecruisers were specifically designed to hunt down and destroy armored cruisers like the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau... von Spee knew he was screwed as soon as he found out he was facing battlecruisers.

[@timonsolus]

Maybe this turret was jammed or knocked out early in the action. Alternatively, maybe the guns are elevated high to compensate for the listing of the ship as it was sinking - we know the crew kept fighting until the ship sank underneath them.

[@lord_vader6545]

@@drtidrow…wrong Scharnhorst friend, this is the SMS Scharnhorst, not the KMS Scharnhorst.

[@Ccccccccccsssssssssss]

Thanks for making this. Coronel and the Falklands are for me two of the most meloncholy battles. Two fleets at the far ends of the world, sunk and wiped out almost to a man in the dark lonely southern seas.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

Both desperately sad. Nine out of every ten men who fought at Coronel were dead by the end of the Battle of the Falklands. Cradock's Memorial in York Minster applies to both sides :- God forbid that I should do this thing, to flee away from them. If our time be come, let us die manfully for our brethen, and let us not stain our honour. Perhaps Spee should have the last word. After docking in Valparaiso, two days after Coronel, he was entertained to dinner by the German business community. The toast was offered 'Damnation to the British Navy.' Spee refused it, and remained seated. After everyone else had resumed their seats, he rose alone, raised his glass, and said ' I drink to the memory of a gallant and honourable foe.'

[@Ccccccccccsssssssssss]

@@dovetonsturdee7033 Beautiful. Thank you for that.

[@pcka12]

One of my relatives, an engineer, went down on HMS Good Hope at Coronel.

[@OttoDog-q6g]

Great video on the SMS Scharnhorst wreck. I was surprised to see how much was actually intact after 100 years.

[@alephalon7849]

I initially expected the later Scharnhorst, but it's good to see you cover the armored cruiser and show how it set up a tradition of ships named Scharnhorst going down swinging.

[@PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars]

Also, the tradition of Scharnhorst sailing in company with Gneisenau.

[@kurtman752]

She went swinging but hood blew up in pieces

[@dianeunderhill8506]

@@kurtman752 Hood was well and truly avenged! Bismarck disabled by an outdated Swordfish plane so leaving this mighty ship at the mercy of the Royal Navy who sent her to the seabed! Mission well and truly accomplished!

[@kurtman752]

@@dianeunderhill8506 but plenty more men died in hood all of them except 3,more Bismark sailors survived,also many swordfish crews got wasted by fw 190s in the channel dash,plus then Japs wasted force z ,they sunk brand new prince of Wales ,plus repulse, Bismark was well avenged by axis mission accomplished you yobybal

[@myparceltape1169]

​@@dianeunderhill8506 Almost entirely true except that the Swordfish sunk a greater total tonnage of any WWII plane.

[@gayprepperz6862]

The one time that battlecruisers were used as intended. That the Scharnhorst has been discovered is wonderful. She was a gallant ship, crewed with a gallant crew and captain. She deserves to be remembered and honored as allied ships have been (and deserved).

[@lafeelabriel]

Got to give them respect for going down fighting, trying (and failing sadly, apart from one of them) to buy time for the rest of their cruisers to escape.

[@lafeelabriel]

Spee knew, just like Craddock did at Colonel, that barring a miracle he was never going to run away from this fight successfully. And his chances of winning it were even less than his chances of escaping.

[@marcosfernandez7207]

Craddock was also a courageous man, that in the same way faced impossible odds.

[@lafeelabriel]

@@myparceltape1169 And nearly missed him. If Sturdee had left a day later as he originally planned to, or if Spee had followed Maerker's advice and not attacked the Falklands there's a very real chance Spee would have gotten away. From that battle at least. Whether he would have made it home is a whole another matter.

[@lafeelabriel]

@@myparceltape1169 No he'd mostly been sent to stop Fisher from having him court martialled..

[@lafeelabriel]

@@myparceltape1169 Yes the Invincible and the Inflexible *were* sent to hunt Spee, but the choice of Sturdee to lead the squadron had nothing to do with his competence (or perceived lack there of) as a admiral.

[@alexh3153]

I was so excited to see this at first. I’ve been dying to see the wreck of the wwii scharnhorst

[@Chameleon_Effect74]

same

[@michaelmcclellan6944]

If I am not mistaken it was on this where admiral von spree died in 1914...he was a a gunnery exerpt and basically a very fine naval officer with a strong sense of family values

[@Pablo-kw5jb]

Spee. Not Spree...

[@michaelmcclellan6944]

@@Pablo-kw5jb ok.....i gotta admit I am not the best speller in the world....i am a product of the American public schools

[@josephthomas8318]

Don't blame the schools for your poor spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

[@victorgrech1136]

I think he lost his two sons in this battle

[@michaelmcclellan6944]

@@josephthomas8318 then just know I am the future of America

[@grahamdominy8309]

Really very, very, interesting.Thank you for the images and for your insight.

[@Th.G.M.]

One can also read „Krupp“ on the metal plate, above „8,8 cm“.

[@Backwardlooking]

A ferocious battle as was the equally mismatched Battle of Coronel both of which I first read about as a teenager in 1965. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇺🇸

[@ronhall9394]

Correct - there's been a burst of recent interest in the Battle of the Falklands and most accounts deservedly praise the gallantry of the German mariners against 'overwhelming odds', however Craddock and his brave mismatch of obscelecent ships at Coronel are glossed over - the RN faced overwhelming odds - and just as Spee did, went down fighting.

[@Backwardlooking]

@@ronhall9394 Yes . I still have my Pan Paperback. Additionally C.S.Forester wrote a great fictional novel Brown on Resolution which is linked to the escape of one German light cruiser to the Pacific Coast of South America. That actually occurred. There is a KZbin video as well.

[@myparceltape1169]

If he had avoided Coronel he stood a decent chance of getting home.

[@lordwintertown8284]

I guess I'm the odd one out for 0:06 heh, Always thought of the Armoured Cruiser before the Battleship, It's a shame WWI naval battles that ain't say Jutland are so forgotten & everyone's gaze is to WWII & the Battleship Scharnhorst. I'm grateful for finding this channel a few months back as these shipwreck videos are glorious & have probably sent a few people to this channel when asked what maritime channels I watch heh.. I kinda wish they'd make a war film based on the Battle of the Falklands Islands for it would probably be a good watch or a doco film series maybe if they feared a film wouldn't sell well.

[@AnchoredPast]

Your not the only one funny enough. I normally have to ask people to clarify which Scharnhorst they are talking about before I even start a conversation.

[@AnchoredPast]

Funny enough im finishing work on a video of the Battle of the Falkland Islands, and lets just say this video is a emense help for the ending on my video when im talking about them finding the wreck of the SMS Scharnhorst. Im going to be pointing my veiwers your way on this one so they can get a better understanding of what the wreck looks like. Very nice job, and probably my favorite one to date. Agian well done, and thank you.

[@GhostofSicklesleg]

Just subbed to your channel and look forward to watching your content!

[@kwd3109]

That was so interesting! Thank you and well done.

[@timbonjovi]

I'm surprised you didn't mention that the paint on the shield that's on the bow is still there. The yellow and black checkerboard can clearly be seen

[@franksposato6072]

Fantastic video again! If you are still going to cover the Guadalcanal wrecks, you may want to check Drachinifel's recent video about Callaghan with Mr. Lundgren.

[@JGCR59]

A brave ship and crew. It is interesting how well and aggressively Spee fought against these odds. Invincible was hit 21 times during the engagement.

[@obsidianjane4413]

@16:10 The control wheels, fittings, and plaque are brass which is why they are uncorroded and unencrusted. Sometimes bling has its historical value.

[@lyedavide]

I am astonished at how intact this wreck is. Her crew deserve recognition for fighting right up till the end. Most crews would have abandoned ship once it became clear that the ship was sinking.

[@RockTuner]

you should make a video on the wrecks of the Almirante Oquendo and Vizcaya near Santiago de Cuba. They are armored cruiser wrecks from the Spanish American war. They are both pretty shallow and can be seen on Google Maps/Google Earth

[@DoctorUmbraTV]

SMS Dresden was sunk in Juan Fernandez Island in Chile and it's a very popular diving spot. Back in 2006 the ship's bell was rescued from the wreck, at a depth of about 70m.

[@Alphachanel]

I watched the two part documentary on the hunt and discovery when it was broadcast on Channel 4 (UK), while interesting on the background about the lead up the to battle the footage shown of the discovery was very brief (less than a minutes worth if I remember correctly). He speculated that the damage around the first funnel was a shell impact.

[@robertunderwood6011]

your Vids are the best part of my sunday

[@apis_aculei]

Forgotten in the English-speaking area but unforgotten in the German and South American Spanish-speaking area is the famous imperial East India squadron that taught the British at Coronel the first defeat in a naval battle after over 100 years.

[@ronwilson9815]

Not forgotten among navy people in the UK, Coronel was a wake up call not to be forgotten, the shock wave when news reached Britain was immense.

[@williamkennedy5492]

Thats why they are at the bottom of the sea !

[@garrymartin6474]

The Germans sank some obsolete and light Royal Navy ships that were stationed where it was thought they would not have to be called into action. They had as big an advantage as the Royal Navy Battlecruisers had over them.

[@kurtman752]

​@@williamkennedy5492just like your ships shortly before in 1914 too boz🤡

[@andrewstackpool4911]

Primarily because the German squadron was significantly superior. The RN destroyed it when it had a proper squadron there. Not a real victory followed by the destruction of Emden by HMAS SYDNEY. I wouldn't put too much into a defeat of a inferior force. Graf Spee found the same result

[@hendrickotto103]

could the gun at 14:10 be a saluting or signaling piece ? In view of its mounting on the hull's edge....

[@TheAndresun]

Nice Video. It would be perfect, if you would mark the pictures with drawings from this ship. Like you did with i.e. the Japanese carriers. Still very interesting! Thank you!

[@HandyMan657]

Thanks, Skynea. Take care.

[@JasonS76]

I'll say it again advancement of sonor images over the past few years really is impressive. Good move switching things up and focusing on a ww1 wreck for a change. Most military wrecks explored and talked about by people tend to be ww2. While they're appreciated ofcourse seeing older wrecks is always welcome. Especially if they're in good enough shape to explore.

[@GrenMagg]

It is possible that what you see in the upper deck pictures is the steel deck with silt on and what looks like the rows of planking is in fact lines of the caulking pitch.

[@hoodoo2001]

At 16:14 you can see on the 8.8 cm gun the manufacturers name, KRUPP. Krupp of course was the major manufacturer of cannons in Germany and at the time was a manufacturing Empire.

[@AnchoredPast]

KRUPP was most known for both their guns and their armor. Funny enough you wouldn't see one without the other.

[@davidmurray5399]

Another problem for von Spee was the condition of his ships boilers after the trek across the Pacific. The quality of the coal led to excessive 'furring', residue that diminished the efficiency of ships engines, reducing their speed. Knowing the likely fate of his squadron if it was caught by the Royal Navy, I'm somewhat surprised von Spee didn't order at least one of his sons ashore in Santiago.

[@kevinyoung9557]

Have you ever done a video of the USS San Diego a wreck that I believe was the only casualty for the US Navy during WW1. She is located off the coast of Long Island south of Fire Island.

[@davidmcintyre8145]

These were probably the best of the classic armoured cruisers and fought creditably though both ships had worn out engines. It should be noted that both names of the class and that of their commander have been used until at least 1980 and it is likely that a new class named Scharnhorst,Gneisenau and Graf von Spee may well join the German navy along it can be hoped with a ship named Langsdorff

[@MooreFishing-ky3wq]

I doubt it , the German government seem keen on letting the ethnic Germans go extinct ……… more or less they’ll probably have a Merkel class or Mohammed class .

[@Kaiserzeit1871]

A big compliment to Mensun Bound who found the Scharnhorst. As far as I know, no one had ever looked for the Scharnhorst before. And unfortunately not at all from Germany.

[@ninjamasterbuilder8675]

This original sharnhorst is kinda like titanic's bow section underwater with the rusticals and the way it's in the mud however without the comparable damage to striking the seabed and the rusticles aren't devouring the ship as fast as titanic

[@johnmehaffey9953]

I watched the programme about scharnhorst and admiral Von spree and his family were delighted if you could be delighted to find his ship and his last resting place, the family were very humble but proud of their ancestors, if I’m correct I think Von spree lost his son as well but don’t quote me as I’m trying to recollect this from a while ago

[@johnholt890]

Ironic she was sunk at the “Battle of Falklands” no one could imagine there would be a full war there 68 years later hence the name. Furthermore that her admiral had a pocket battleship named after him which was also sunk by the Royal Navy in South American waters albeit further north in WW2.

[@justacomment1657]

Graf Spee was classified as Panzerschiff (Armored Ship) - later prior ww2 reclassified heavy cruiser for the Kriegsmarine. The term "Pocket Battleship" originates in a British newspaper of the time and it kinda stuck.... these ships were never intended to be used like battleships or battlecrusisers. Their intend was to force Britain to a new naval treaty to allow sidelining the limitations imposed by the Versailles treaty. They succeeded in the second, the combat value of those vessels was always quite debatable... they were to slow.

[@originalkk882]

@@justacomment1657 Yet the Graf Spee was armed with 6 x 11 inch guns, just 3 less than the WW2 Scharnhorst. Heavy cruisers had 8 inch guns. The German ships were intended as long range commerce raiders, hence the diesel engines, but with armament to defeat any enemy cruisers.

[@maconescotland8996]

@@justacomment1657 The Graf Spee and her sisters had heavier armament than cruisers so they could outgun them in any confrontation - if encountering better armed battleships they had superior speed to avoid an engagement.

[@andrewcox4386]

A lot of the gun furnishings would have been brass or bronze so it's not surprising that they are well preserved. The manufacturer, Krupp, is also legible on the manufacturers plate

[@ArcofZen]

Great video, wish it was possible to dive!

[@bloody_bones5673]

As someone who owns the Scharnhorst in war thunder, I can confirm that you “feel the power” when you use the ship in battle.

[@manuellangius2896]

Thats not the same Scharnhorst, thats the 2nd Scharnhorst 30years later model....

[@bloody_bones5673]

@@manuellangius2896 yep, still the same name tho

[@annoyingbstard9407]

Cartoon boat games are always a good sign of naval power.

[@leroysgamesandmore2226]

Still no Indianapolis shipwreck video and when we getting a battleship Danton video?

[@JGCR59]

I think I could see remnants of the bow crest on the bow photos

[@andyfriederichsen]

4:10 I don't know about anyone else, but I think it's interesting how many animals have colonized these wrecks.

[@angelikamaris8728]

A sea battle in 1914 near the Falklands between Britain and Germany ? Was 'New Berlin' already exist at Antarctica?

[@JohnJ469]

11:04 How big are those crabs?

[@johnguzman8879]

Rip Admiral Spee

[@whiteheatherclub]

There should be no need to think that this video is about the ship sunk in 1943. The title says SMS. Seiner Majestät Schiff (His Majesty's Ship). That was used for ships of the Kaiser's Navy.

[@sonnyd.6777]

Modern sonar images gives me the creeps! Why do they cast those scary shadows? Curious me.

[@GreyGhostEnty6]

when i saw the thumbnail i was thinking it was the KMS Scharnhorst not SMS but i enjoyed it still

[@mattwilliams3456]

1.25x speed. So glad these warship wrecks are being given attention before they’re just unrecognizable lumps of rust. I wish we still had Paul Allen to fund and run expeditions for that.

[@BuzbyWuzby]

The gun plate also says "...KRUPP"

[@torjarlthomassen]

What about SMS Blucher sunk at the shallow water at dogger bank in 1915

[@justacomment1657]

nice picture of kms Scharnhorst - anyone know where that is from?

[@Redgolf2]

Thank you

[@vandalorianvandalorian4769]

One way to improve your presentation is to have arrow overlays on the areas where you’re referring to.

[@eric-wb7gj]

TY 🙏🙏

[@GuentherVanRaven]

Just to get it right: this isn‘t the battle cruiser from WW2? The one that fought alongside Gneisenau?

[@taras3702]

No, this one was a WW-1 warship sunk during WW-1.

[@johndickie5577]

The World War One cruiser that fought alongside the Gneisensau?

[@GuentherVanRaven]

@@johndickie5577 Dafuq? Did the WW1 Scharnhorst also fight alongside Gneisenau in WW2?

[@doabarrellroll69]

​@@GuentherVanRaventhe original Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were armoured cruisers that were sunk together in the Battle of the Falkland Islands in WWI. The two WWII ships were named in reference to these two ships.

[@GuentherVanRaven]

@@doabarrellroll69 Aha, now I understand. Thanks!

[@pliashmuldba]

Biggest naval battle ever, the battle of Jutland ( Denmark ) Another fun fact, during WW1 the Germans had a zeppelin base at the town of Esbjerg, which back then was German as it was part of what they took from Denmark in 1864. Anyway this base in Esbjerg to my knowledge was the first land installation bombed by planes launched of a aircraft carrier.

[@TheEarl777]

850 brave men Glad they’ve been found so the respect owed can be paid to them.

[@pcka12]

The gun barrel is probably stainless steel

[@dwayneroberts6616]

I realize Germany didn't have many ports to operate from but I always wondered why they didn't realize how important a dominant navy is. They should have laid low played it cool with GB and kept building their navy sending them out as far from GB as possible so they don't have any clashes. Then when you have a larger force you can begin to gather them into larger fleets. Germany has always had great seamen and ships just always out numbered.

[@AndreasKonig-qq7yk]

there was no chance, my ancestors could ever outbuild the british! germany was a continental state and therefore had to have a strong army. the british could pool all their money into their navy.

[@alexanderfaust2361]

скорее всего, от немалого веса, нырнул во мрак как титаник, и также носом зарылся в отложения

[@chpet1655]

always thought the Germans should have stuck with the 9.4 inch gun for their Armoured Cruisers rather than the smaller and quicker firing 8.3 inch gun. Not sure this would have done anything to save the Squadron but still it might have been a better fight

[@Aubury]

Fishers 1st generation Battlecruisers doing what they were made to do. Not in the battle line of Jutland.

[@thurin84]

11:33 looks like shes got a bad case of crabs lol.

[@ragnarragnarson5184]

My Grandfather was on one of the ships that was involved in sinking her

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

TIME FOR SOME NECROMANCY IN ORDER TO SAVE THE WHALES!

[@hajoos.8360]

Armoured cruisers were failed constructions. A smaller warship must be always faster than their bigger opponents. The German navy in WWI & II suffered under a not existing tradition in seawarfare. Crews & ingeneers were fine, but commanders & admirals a desaster. At the beginning of the battle of the Falklands Spee sailed in the morning, in good weather, good visability into the open sea. What an idiot. Being in sight of British battle-cruisers there were only 2 options remaining. 1. Engaging the Brits at anchor. Every torpedo will hit. No British range advantage and the crews could swim to the shore in case of sinking. 2nd option was to follow the coast sailing southwest, being covered by islands to make it for the sund.

[@MsEliasc]

...all warships should go underwater , without oil.............

[@iamrichrocker]

great video..and research/editing..wonder why Hitler did not build up his navy better..and can imagine if he had built carriers..with their tech know how and craftsmanship they would have been formiddable..and the Atlantic stage of war would have been a lot tougher..

[@MrGoesBoom]

this is a ww1 wreck, Hitler was busy in the trenches at this time and had nothing to do with the Navy

[@Revener666]

would have taken huge resources to rebuild enough to be able to compete with the UK navy. Besides they really did not need ships for the ambitions on land.

[@theonlymadmac4771]

They didn’t have the resources for a massive navy parallel to a massive navy and a massive airforce and they were lacking the dockyard facilities to build more and faster. And for building what they did they had to take up so much debt that they had to fight a war in order to plunder other countries so that those had to pay the debts. Something which Hitler admitted to his inner circle.

[@jeffadams9807]

She Got Pounded By The Brit's...

[@kurtman752]

Just like the hood boooommmm

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

She fought gallantly to the last, and did nothing to cheapen her sacrifice. Unlike the comment by the immature kurtman creature.

[@stephenjones6500]

​@@kurtman752just like nearly all the kreigsmarine .......

[@kurtman752]

@@stephenjones6500 and just like your merchant marine,you lost all those merchant ships along with their crews,plus all the warships and their sailors who won? .nobody wins in war boz🤡

[@kurtman752]

@@dovetonsturdee7033 tell that to the hundred brit boz🤡s talking 💩here we are the best blah blah , the fact is that you helped your most formidable foe ever the Soviet union and now nuke armed fist Russia🤣good job

[@fus149hammer5]

The german navy in WW1 were basically bullies. Go beat up the smaller kid but when his big brother turns up run away. This german squadron sank a british squadron of basically obsolete victorian ships only there to police the furthest reaches of the empire. They weren't expected to fight against first rate warships but at least they stood and fought to the death in true Royal Navy tradition, they didn't even try to escape. The germans? As soon as they suspected reinforcements were on the way they tried to clear off but got caught out planning to raid the Falklands in order to steal the coal stored there. All they found was a large, faster more heavily armed task force with revenge in mind waiting for them. At the end of the day the german navy spent most of its time running away be it after shelling undefended civilian towns like Whitby and Scarborough and even at Jutland after sinking some smaller british ships, the moment the grand fleet came over the horizon the high seas fleet shat it's collective pants and ran back to mummy never to go to sea again except to surrender. The german navy in WW1 didn't exactly cover itself in glory.

[@GreyGhostEnty6]

when i saw the thumbnail i was thinking it was the KMS Scharnhorst not SMS but i enjoyed it still