9. The German raider Admiral Scheer appeared in the Atlantic in late 1940
In late October 1940, the German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer steamed into the Atlantic through the Denmark Straits and attacked a convoy, sinking five ships and scattering the rest. It was the first action of the most successful raiding cruise of the war. Admiral Scheer both sank merchant ships and took them as prizes, as it operated under the prize rules which required a warning before opening fire. In early 1941, the German cruiser entered the Indian Ocean. The ship did further damage there, successfully eluded more than a half dozen British ships sent to hunt it down, and returned to the Atlantic. In late March the German ship returned to Kiel via the Denmark Strait and Norway.
During its six-month cruise in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, Admiral Scheer destroyed over 113,000 gross registered tons of shipping, sinking 17 ships. The ship also captured as prizes several merchant ships and tankers. The Royal Navy began a campaign to destroy the German network of supply ships which had supported the cruiser, allowing it to remain at sea for such a long period. The campaign intensified after Bismarck’s failed attempt to conduct surface raiding later in the spring of 1941. By the time Admiral Scheer was ready for sea again, there were no longer the means for the ship to operate independently in the Atlantic, and the planned operation was canceled.
