Kapitänleutnant Cleve, SMS Yorck and SMS Prinz Adalbert

[The Treasurer]

I'm currently working on the stories of SMS Yorck and SMS Prinz Adalbert and could use some help with identifying the navigator of the latter.

Yorck ran into the German minefield in thick fog at the entrance to the fleet anchorage in the Jade in November 1914 and sank. Her navigator, Kapitänleutnant Cleve, was found wanting and sentenced to one year's detention in a fortress. Her Captain, Pieper, got two. The sentences are reported in the Norddeutsche Volksblatt on 24th December.

I've identified Cleve as being Paul Cleve, based on information in Qualifikationsberichte der Seeoffiziere 1889 - 1918. By 1915 he was in Turkey, where Pieper was also employed.

However, a Kapitänleutnant Cleve was the navigator of Prinz Adalbert when she ran aground off Steinort on 24th January 1915. The reports in the KTB don't give his first names, but I strongly suspect it was Paul. There is no record of his dismissal in the material in Prinz Adalbert's KTB, but I suspect he was and was then sent to Turkey.

I obviously suspect the second Cleve is the same person. However, if anyone can confirm if this is the same person, that would be very helpful!

[GreyC]

I don´t know if that helps, but at the end of February 1916 a Halbflottille of Torpedobootszerstörern under command of  Korvettenkapitän Paul Cleve was formed, which included V 47, V 67 und V 68. Korvettenkapitän Paul Cleve then was 1. Offizier onboard the EMDEN Juli 1917 – Juli 1918.

GreyC

Edited 26 February by GreyC

[The Treasurer]

11 minutes ago, GreyC said:

I don´t know if that helps, but a Korvettenkapitän Paul Cleve was 1. Offizier onboard the EMDEN Juli 1917 – Juli 1918.

GreyC

Thanks - it appears to be the same person. His navigational difficulties didn't seem to stop him progressing and he seems to have worked hard to redeem himself in Turkey. It is really his whereabouts in Jan 1915 that I need to nail though. The odd thing is why he would be navigating Prinz Adalbert only weeks after being sentenced in a court-martial for navigational failures.

Edited 26 February by The Treasurer

[charlie2]

He is one and the same person but there is no mention of service in Turkey in the Marine Ehrenrangliste.

Charlie

[Michael Lowrey]

It’s all the same Cleve, as there was one one German naval officer by that name in World War I (though there was also an Oberleutnant zur See named von Cleve). It’s subtle, but the entry for Paul Cleve in the Ehrenrangliste suggests that the punishment he received included a six-month delay in promotion to Korvettenkapitän. The officers listed directly above and below were promoted on April 16, 1915 with seniority for that date of “A“ and “B.” Cleve is only promoted on October 17, 1915 but was given backdated seniority of April 16, 1915 with priority of “A1” for that date.

Edited 26 February by Michael Lowrey

[The Treasurer]

Thanks very much @charlie2 and @Michael Lowrey. Apologies for the Turkey red herring. He was evaluated whilst commanding the Boots-Abteilung by Türk. Somehow this had become Turkey in my head by the time I wrote the message next morning - Pieper did go out to Turkey and played a prominent role there.

That certainly clears things up and thanks for the extra insight over the promotion. Remarkable that he ran Prinz Adalbert aground after running onto the mines in Yorck. His evaluations do mention the cloud hanging over him from the Yorck (misattributed to Freya). I can only conclude that the semi-custodial sentence of the court in December was actually commuted, or that the Volksblatt mis-reported the verdict.

[KizmeRD]

Presumably Kapitän (later Konteradmiral) Titus Türk.

MB

[The Treasurer]

18 hours ago, KizmeRD said:

Presumably Kapitän (later Konteradmiral) Titus Türk.

MB

Yes - thanks. Flanders and not Turkey; by 1916 commanding the unit identified by @GreyC.