 The German destroyer Z4 Richard Beitzen was a Type 1934 destroyer built for the Kriegsmarine during the 1930s . At the beginning of World War II in September 1939 , the ship was initially deployed to blockade the Polish coast , but she was soon transferred to the Kattegat where she inspected neutral shipping for contraband goods . In late 1939 and early 1940 , the ship laid two offensive minefields off the English coast that claimed 17 merchant ships . Richard Beitzen was in reserve during the Norwegian Campaign of early 1940 and was transferred to France later that year where she made several attacks on British shipping . 
