Z4 Richard Beitzen (1942)
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Z4 Richard Beitzen
was part of the 1st destroyer division at the outbreak of the war, operating in the Baltic Sea near Danzig and later transferred to the North sea after the Polnish campaign. Z4 Richard Beitzen
took part in three mining operations off the British coast, including the ill fated Operation Wikinger. In 1940/41, the ship was send to France, damaging the British destroyer Javelin
in November 1941. After repairs and refits in Germany, Z4 Richard Beitzen
was send to France again in January 1942 as part of the 5th Z-Flottila and was used as an escort vessel during Operation Cerberus . After this, the whole flotilla was operating in Norway and Z4 Richard Beitzen
took part in the Battle of the Barents sea on 31.12.1942 . The ship remained in Norway until the end of 1943, then used for escort duties between Norway and Germany and patrols at Jutland while being stationed in Horten. In March 1945 it was badly damaged in a night air raid while escorting a convoy at Jutland and it was taken over by the British on 14.05.1945 in Oslo. Transferred to England and scrapped in 1947.
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