The British mail ship Vienna was captured in Hamburg at the outbreak of World War I. Armed and renamed Meteor , the ship was used as mine layer and auxiliary cruiser. In its first operation in May - June 1915, it laid mines off Archangels, camouflaged as a Russian freighter. In a second operation in August 1915, the Meteor laid mines near the Firth of Moray. During this operation, the Meteor was able to sink the small British auxiliary cruiser Ramsey on 08.08.1915. One day later, the ship was detected by a British cruiser squadron and was scuttled by its own crew to prevent a battle.
Operating in the White Sea and North Sea, the Meteor sunk one frighter and the Ramsey only.