Reynhard Sheer German admiral Date of Birth: 30.09.1863 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Reinhard Scheer
2. Naval Career
3. Commander and Battle Strategies
4. Commander of the High Seas Fleet
5. The Battle of Jutland
6. Later Career and Legacy

Biography of Reinhard Scheer

Reinhard Carl Friedrich Scheer, a German admiral, was born on September 30, 1863, in Oberkirchen, Hanover. He passed away on November 26, 1928, in Marktredwitz. Scheer joined the German Navy in 1879 and quickly rose through the ranks.

Naval Career

In 1884, Scheer became the commander of the ship "Bismarck" and later commanded the "Sophie" from 1888 to 1889. He participated in the blockade of colonies in East Africa. In 1907, Scheer became the commander of a battleship and later served as the Chief of Staff of the High Seas Fleet from 1909 to 1911. From 1911 to 1913, he was the Director of the General Department of Naval Administration. He was also one of the closest collaborators of Alfred von Tirpitz, the Secretary of State of the Imperial Naval Office.

Commander and Battle Strategies

On February 4, 1913, Scheer took command of the 2nd Battle Squadron. He led the squadron in the Fleet sortie on December 15, 1914, to cover the raid of Admiral Hipper on Scarborough and Hartlepool. Later that month, he was appointed the commander of the 3rd Battle Squadron, which included the newest dreadnoughts. While Scheer directed the training and education of the crews, he did not personally participate in any combat actions.

Commander of the High Seas Fleet

On January 9, 1916, Scheer succeeded Hugo von Pohl as the Commander-in-Chief of the High Seas Fleet. He was a proponent of active naval operations and presented a plan to Emperor Wilhelm II that involved using a large surface fleet in conjunction with submarines and aviation. Scheer believed that by conducting private operations near the English coast, he could lure part of the British fleet into the open sea and destroy it. His plan was approved by the Supreme Command, with the exception of the unrestricted submarine warfare clause.

The Battle of Jutland

Scheer improved the lookout and patrol service of the fleet and increased its readiness. On May 31, the British light cruiser "Caroline" was severely damaged in an air raid. In March and April, both the German and British fleets made several sorties but did not engage in significant combat. In late April, Scheer conducted a raid on the base of Yarmouth, achieving some success. He commanded the German forces in the Battle of Jutland from May 31 to June 1, 1916. Despite facing a numerically superior British fleet under the command of David Beatty, Scheer managed to inflict heavy damage on the enemy. Several ships on both sides suffered heavy losses, but the battle ended inconclusively.

Later Career and Legacy

Scheer continued his efforts to weaken the British Navy through unrestricted submarine warfare, mining operations, attacks on blockaded ships, and exploiting favorable opportunities. In 1917, the focus shifted to submarine warfare, with Scheer overseeing the considerable expansion of the U-boat fleet. However, by 1918, the Allies introduced convoy systems, reducing the effectiveness of submarine attacks. Scheer's attempts to undermine the British fleet and break the blockade of Germany proved unsuccessful.

On August 6, 1918, Scheer was replaced by Franz von Hipper and appointed Chief of the Admiralty Staff. In November 1918, he was dismissed from his position and retired from the navy. Scheer authored the memoir "The German Navy in the World War" in 1940. Despite his failures, Scheer remains a significant figure in German naval history and the commander who led the German fleet in the pivotal Battle of Jutland.