SMS Rheinland was one of four Nassau-class battleships, the first

dreadnoughts built for the Imperial German Navy and launched on

September 26, 1908. Her service with the High Seas Fleet during World

War I included fleet advances into the North Sea, some in support of

raids by I Scouting Group as well as the Battle of Jutland, in which

Rheinland was engaged by British destroyers. The ship also saw duty in

the Baltic Sea during the Battle of the Gulf of Riga. She returned to

the Baltic as the core of an expeditionary force to aid the White Finns

in the Finnish Civil War in 1918, but ran aground. The damage done by

the grounding was too severe and Rheinland was decommissioned to be used

as a barracks ship for the remainder of the war. In 1919, following the

scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow, Rheinland was ceded to the

Allies who, in turn, sold the vessel to ship breakers in the Netherlands

to eventually be broken up to scrap metal. (This article is part of a

featured topic: Battleships of Germany.).

Read more:

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Today's selected anniversaries:

1907:

The British Colony of New Zealand officially became a dominion

to reflect its political independence since the 1850s.

1944:

World War II: The Soviet Army completed the Tallinn offensive,

driving German forces out of Estonia.

1983:

The racing yacht Australia II, captained by John Bertrand, won

the America's Cup and ended the New York Yacht Club's 132-year defence

of the trophy.

2008:

Swiss pilot and inventor Yves Rossy flew a wingpack powered by

jet engines across the English Channel.

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Wiktionary's word of the day:

scrum-half:

(rugby) player who introduces the ball into a scrum.

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Wikiquote quote of the day:

  Trying to use words, and every attempt Is a wholly new start,

and a different kind of failure Because one has only learnt to get the

better of words For the thing one no longer has to say, or the way in

which One is no longer disposed to say it.  

--Four Quartets

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