Q&A · 7:14-11:06

Checking the disputed Ersatz Yorck keel date

Conflicting references agree that Ersatz Yorck was laid down in July 1916 but differ on the exact day.

Battlecruisers Ersatz Yorck Class Battlecruisers Imperial German Navy Naval Historiography Shipbuilding World War I

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Question

Was Ersatz Yorck laid down at Vulcan's Hamburg yard on 1 July 1916?

Short answer

July 1916 is well supported, and 1 July is plausible, but the surviving references conflict over the exact day.

Notes

Three ship references disagree on the precise keel date. One says July 1916, another gives 1 July, and a third gives 10 July. Their agreement makes July secure while leaving the exact day uncertain. The exact day therefore deserves more caution than the month.