View source for SMS Greif (1914)

{{other ships|SMS Greif}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Alcantara 1916.jpg
|Ship caption=HMS ''Alcantara'' (left) and SMS ''Greif'' (right) dueling at close range during the [[action of 29 February 1916]].}}

{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[German Empire|Germany]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|German Empire|naval}}
|Ship name=''Greif''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Neptun Werft]], [[Rostock]]<ref name="schmalenbach46">Schmalenbach (1977) pp. 46–49</ref>
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=1914<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship acquired=1915<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship commissioned=23 January 1916<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Sunk [[Action of 29 February 1916|29 February 1916]]
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=
|Ship displacement=9,900&nbsp;tons normal<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship length={{convert|131.7|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship beam={{convert|16.4|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship draught={{convert|7.5|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship draft=
|Ship propulsion=Two coal-fired boilers, one 3,000 shaft horsepower (12&nbsp;MW) 3-cylinder triple expansion reciprocating steam engine driving one propeller<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship speed={{convert|13|kn|km/h|1}}<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship range={{convert|35000|nmi|km}} at {{convert|10|kn|km/h}}<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>
|Ship complement=10 officers & 297 men<ref name="schmalenbach24">Schmalenbach (1977) p.24</ref>
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=Four [[15 cm SK L/40 naval gun|{{convert|15|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK L/40]] guns (4 × 1) with 600 rounds ammunition, one [[10.5 cm SK L/40 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK L/40]] rapid-fire gun with 200 rounds ammunition, and two {{convert|50|cm|in|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s with 12 torpedoes<ref name="schmalenbach71">Schmalenbach (1977) pp. 70–71</ref>
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
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|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''SMS ''Greif''''' was a [[German Empire|German]] [[Cargo ship|cargo]] [[steamship]] that was converted into a [[merchant raider]] for the [[Imperial German Navy]].<ref name="schmalenbach46"/>

==Construction and conversion==
Built as ''Guben'', she was a {{GRT|4962}} [[steel]]-[[Hull (watercraft)|hulled]] ship owned by the German-Australian Line (DADG), [[Hamburg]].<ref name="schmalenbach46"/> She was converted for naval service at [[Kaiserliche Werft Kiel]] in 1915 and commissioned as ''Greif'' on 23 January 1916.<ref name="schmalenbach46"/> 

==Service history==
''Greif'' sailed from the [[Elbe]] port of [[Cuxhaven]] on 27 February 1916<ref name="proceedings">Poole (July 1975) pp. 52–57</ref> under the command of ''[[Fregattenkapitän]]'' Rudolf Tietze (born 13 September 1874, previously was commander of the [[battleship]] {{SMS|Wörth}}).<ref name="schmalenbach16">Schmalenbach (1977) p.16</ref> The [[Royal Navy]] had learned of ''Greif''{{'}}s sailing and was waiting in the [[North Sea]].<ref name="schmalenbach34">Schmalenbach (1977) p.34</ref>

===Action of 29 February 1916===
{{main|Action of 29 February 1916}}
''Greif'' was disguised as the [[Norway|Norwegian]] ''Rena'' bound for [[Tønsberg]], [[Norway]], when intercepted by the {{GRT|15620}} [[armed merchant cruiser]] {{RMS|Alcantara|1913|2}} on the morning of 29 February 1916.<ref name="proceedings"/> ''Alcantara'' closed to {{convert|2,000|yd|sigfig=2}} and slowed to lower a boarding [[Cutter (boat)|cutter]] when ''Greif'' hoisted the German battle ensign, increased speed, and opened fire.<ref name="proceedings"/> ''Alcantara'' returned fire with her six {{convert|6|in|mm|0|adj=on}} guns and two 3-pounders.<ref name="proceedings"/> Range was never more than {{convert|3,000|yd|sigfig=2}}.<ref name="proceedings"/>

''Alcantara'' was hit by a [[torpedo]] amidships on her [[Port and starboard|port]] side, and one of ''Alcantara''{{'}}s [[Shell (projectile)|shells]] exploded the ready ammunition for ''Greif''{{'}}s after gun.<ref name="proceedings"/> Both ships lost speed.<ref name="proceedings"/> ''Greif''{{'}}s crew abandoned ship 40 minutes after opening fire.<ref name="proceedings"/> ''Alcantara'' sank first.<ref name="proceedings"/> The {{sclass2|C|cruiser|0}} [[light cruiser]] {{HMS|Comus|1914|2}} and [[Admiralty M-class destroyer|M-class]] [[destroyer]] {{HMS|Munster||2}} then arrived to sink the stationary ''Greif''<ref name="proceedings"/> and rescue 120 German survivors.<ref name="schmalenbach24"/> An estimated 187 Germans perished along with 72 Britons.
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==See also==-->

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite journal |last=Poole |first=Francis |title=Alcantara vs. Greif: Duel of the Merchant Cruisers |publisher=United States Naval Institute Proceedings | date=July 1975 }}
* {{cite book |last=Schmalenbach |first=Paul |year=1977 |title=German Raiders |place=Annapolis, MD |publisher=[[United States Naval Institute|Naval Institute Press]] |isbn=0-85059-351-4}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Greif (ship, 1915)}}

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{{February 1916 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greif, SMS}}
[[Category:1914 ships]]
[[Category:Auxiliary cruisers of the Imperial German Navy]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1916]]
[[Category:World War I commerce raiders]]
[[Category:World War I cruisers of Germany]]
[[Category:World War I shipwrecks in the North Sea]]
[[Category:Naval magazine explosions]]