Built at the Scottish shipyards of W. Hamilton & Company in 1913, the Saint Theodore was captured by the Raider Möwe on 12 December 1916 off the Portuguese coast. She was first sent south to a prearranged rendezvous point, where she was then converted at sea to the raider Geier by the addition of two 5.2cm guns from the Möwe. Taken under command by Kapitänleutnant Wolf, she was ordered to engage British shipping throughout the general area.

The Geier’s career spanned just two months during which she sailed over 4,500 nm from her original position to the Brazilian coast. She managed to sink two sailing vessels, the Canadian Jean and the Norwegian Staut. After once again rendezvousing with the Möwe, Captain Graf Dohna-Schlodien decided to dispose of the Geier rather than to attempt coaling in the rough seas. She was scuttled off the Island of Trindade on 14 February 1917.