Z18 Hans Lüdemann

Hans Lüdemann is commissioned.

Visit to Norway.

Participation in fleet torpodo excercises.

Mine laying operations.

Mine laying operations.

Merchant warfare near Jutland under command of destroyer Wilhelm Heidkamp.

Mine laying operations together with the destroyers Karl Galster, Friedrich Eckold, Wilhelm Heidkamp, Diether von Roeder and Hermann Künne against the Humber estuary.

Mine laying operations together with the destroyers Karl Galster, Wilhelm Heidkamp and Hermann Künne against the Themse estuary. The returning ships are escorted by the light cruisers Nürnberg and Köln and the torpedo boats Iltis, Leopard, Seeadler and Wolf.

Repairs in Stettin.

Arrival in Wesermünde, 200 Gebirgsjäger are boarded for "Opration Weserübung".

Operation Weserübung: Hans Lüdemann joins the destroyers Georg Thiele, Wolfgang Zenker, Anton Schmitt, Erich Giese, Bernd von Arnim, Diether von Roeder, Erich Koellner, Hermann Künne and Wilhelm Heidkamp in the Narvik Attack Group.

As part of Kriegsschiffgruppe 1, the Hans Lüdemann spotts the British destroyer Glowworm, which is later sunk by the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper.

Together with Anton Schmitt, the Hans Lüdemann is detached to Ramnes-Hamnes Narrow to land the troops and attack the coastal batteries there. No batteries were found, the troops are boarded again and the two destroyers proceed to Narvik. The troops are landed at the Postpier and the destroyer anchors at the harbor entrance.

The ship is ordered to refuel at the tanker Jan Wellem. Because of misunderstood orders, the destroyer Diether von Roeder did not replace the refuling destroyer on its guard position. Therefore, the 2nd British destroyrer flotilla was able to surprise the German ships in Narvik harbor at 05:30. While approaching the British ships, the Hans Lüdemann gets two hits, disabling the ruder and the forward gun. After other German destroyers entered the battle, the Hans Lüdemann retreated to the Postpier and started to repair its damages at 07:00.

At noon, the damages were repaired and the ship continued with scout and guard duties.

12:10: Alarmed by Hermann Künne, the Hans Lüdemann approaches 9 incoming British destroyers from its position at Narvik harbor entrance. 12:45: The destroyer opens fire on the British ships. 13:50: Together with Wolfgang Zenker, Bernd von Arnim and Georg Thiele, the ship moves to the Rombaken. Hans Lüdemann is hit by several shells after all torpedoes and most of its ammunition is fired. After the rudder is disabled, the ship is beached at the end of the Rombaken Fjord. and prepared for self destruction. 15:00: The explosives on board only cause little damage and little fires on the ship. 17:00: After investigated by British sailors of the destroyer Hero, the ship is destroyed by a torpedo hit.

Hans Lüdemann is burned out and breaks into two parts.