Need ID on a ship...

[MichelB]

Can someone ID this scruiser? Note the mast in front of the bridge? Photograph taken around the 1920's in the Netherlands.
Rough guesses welcome...

[chuck]

A 1890s era Holland class cruiser on the way to being scrapped?

[MichelB]

That's what a lot of people seem to think, but they never had their mast in front of the bridge, and had different hull lines.

[Gone Asiatic]

Perhaps a decommissioned ship from another navy sold to the Netherlands for scrap?
Actually, it has a flag flying from its aft mast, so unlikely decommissioned. Perhaps under tow after an
engineering casualty.

[JWintjes]

The first thought I had was also a Holland class, but apart from the things Michael already mentioned the section behind the main mast is far too long for a Holland, these being fairly symmetrical ships.

It has a certain Russian look to it, I'd say.

Jorit

[Rob]

I would have guessed at Utrecht?

Cheers,

Rob

[Rob]

If not Utrecht, then my other guess is a German Gazelle class?

Cheers,

Rob

[MichelB]

My current idea is one of the older italian cruisers: Puglia, Elba, Liguria, Lombardia, Etruria, who were scrapped after WW1. But I'm not resting...

[Filipe Ramires]

The mast ahead of the bridge is a very uncommon feature...it should be helpful to reduce the choice list. Can't find many candidates here that fit this.

[Filipe Ramires]

Michel, looking at those italian cruisers you name:
- You can rule out Etruria...she was sunk on the 13th of August 1918 due to an explosion next to her of an ammo barge.
- The other 4 survived the war and were disposed during the 20's.

[bengtsson]

If not Utrecht, then my other guess is a German Gazelle class?

Cheers,

Rob

Bridge layout looks very like Gazelle class. Funnels match, but look just a touch to thick. Masts fit. The main deck line seems to drop a bit at the very aft end, that doesn't fit a Gazelle. Plenty of them around after the war. Could be a Gazelle. But don't hold me to it.

Bob B.

[MichelB]

Well, the Gazelles had a very prominent ram bow that I can't see here.

[JWintjes]

The hull doesn't match with a Gazelle (though that was my first idea as well) - no sponsons for the 105mm guns. Also, it looks a little bit too large and the tops too substantial.

Jorit

[Werner]

The Spanish Estramadura of 1900?

[peppe]

may be sms irene or prinzess wilhelm?
peppe

[bengtsson]

She is flying the same flag as the Tug towing her. What does that tell us?

Bob B.

[MichelB]

That was standard practice with that towing company. Especially when the ship had already been sold for scrapping. btw. it's the Dutch flag.

[bengtsson]

That was standard practice with that towing company. Especially when the ship had already been sold for scrapping. btw. it's the Dutch flag.

I kinda thought that, but asked anyways. Desperation?

Wouldn't a simple copy of Jane's fighting ships from the era solve the problem? I don't have any Janes.

Bob B.

[bengtsson]

Okay, I'm going out on a limb here. It could very well be Italian as was suggested earlier. The photo matches say ELBA quite well. The Funnels fit, the masts fit , the hull lines look good. The give away is the huge ventilators between the funnels. The strarboard one shows up perfect on the photo, you can't miss it. Right where it should be between the funnels. There were some other of these ship around after the war. Who know's where they were broken up?
I don't claim to be right , but this ELBA matches the best of all the ships I've looked at.

Bob B.

[MichelB]

I used my Jane's Fighting Ships of WW1 to get to my recognition silhouttes, then Image Googled the closest matches.

As for the Irene or Prinz Wilhelm, they lack a guns at the foredeck. I believe I see one at the picture.