SMS G85

History
German Empire
Name:	G85
Ordered:	1914 Mobilization (Mob) order
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany
Launched:	24 July 1915
Commissioned:	14 December 1915
Fate:	Sunk by the Royal Navy, 20 April 1917
General characteristics
Class & type:	Großes Torpedoboot 1913-class torpedo boat
Displacement:	1,051 tonnes
Length:	83.5 m (274 ft)
Beam:	8.33 m (27.3 ft)
Draught:	3.74 m (12.3 ft) (fwd); 3.45 m (11.3 ft) (aft)
Speed:	34.5 knots (63.9 km/h; 39.7 mph)
Range:	1,100 nautical miles (2,000 km; 1,300 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement:	83 officers and sailors
Armament:	3 × 4.1 in (105 mm) guns 6 × 500 mm torpedo tubes 24 mines

SMS G85 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1913-class torpedo boat of the German Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, and the 40th ship of her class.

Construction

Built by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany, she was launched in December 1915. The "G" in G85 refers to the shipyard at which she was constructed.

Service

G85 was sunk in the Battle of Dover Strait on 21 April 1917 by HMS Swift. In this action, two groups of German destroyers set out to bombard Allied positions ashore at Dover, England and Calais, France. However, Swift intercepted G85 and sank her with a torpedo.

SMS G42 was also sunk in this action.

References

• Technical specs of the Großes Torpedoboot 1913 class