German trawler V 603 Carsten

History
Name	Carsten (1923–48) Thon (1948–54)
Owner	L. Janssen & Co. (1923–39) Kriegsmarine (1939–45) Unknown (1945–54)
Port of registry	Wesermünde, Germany (1923–33) Wesermünde, Germany (1933–39)   Kriegsmarine (1939–45)   France (1945–54)
Builder	G. Seebeck AG, Wesermünde-Geestemünde
Yard number	438
Launched	June 1923
Completed	July 1923
Commissioned	22 September 1939
Identification	Fishing boat registration PG 342 (1923–39) Code Letters KSBL (1923–34) Code Letters DEZI (1934–43) Pennant Number V 705 (1939–43) Pennant Number V 603 (1943–45)
Fate	Scrapped 1954
General characteristics
Class and type	Fishing vessel (1923–39, 1945–54) Vorpostenboot (1939–45)
Tonnage	258  GRT, 98  NRT
Length	40.13 m (131 ft 8 in)
Beam	7.09 metres (23 ft 3 in)
Depth	3.25 m (10 ft 8 in)
Installed power	Triple expansion steam engine, 53nhp
Propulsion	Single screw propeller
Speed	10 knots (19 km/h)

Carsten was a German fishing trawler which was built in 1923. She was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was used as a Vorpostenboot . She was allocated to France post-war, and was renamed Thon in 1948. She was scrapped in 1954.

Description

The ship 40.13 m (131 ft 8 in) long, with a beam of 7.09 metres (23 ft 3 in). She had a depth of 3.25 m (10 ft 8 in). She was assessed at 258  GRT, 98  NRT. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 32 centimetres (12+5⁄8 in), 52 centimetres (20+1⁄2 in) and 84 centimetres (33+1⁄16 in) diameter by 59 centimetres (23+3⁄8 in) stroke. The engine was built by G. Seebeck AG., Wesermünde-Geestemünde, Germany. It was rated at 53 nhp. It drove a single screw propeller. ^[1] It could propel the ship at 10 knots (19 km/h). ^[2]

History

Carsten was built as yard number 439 by G. Seebeck AG., Wesermünde-Geestemünde, Germany. She was launched in June 1923 and completed in August. ^[3] Owned by the L. Janssen & Co., her port of registry was Wesermünde. She was allocated the Code Letters KSBL, ^[1] and the fishing boat registration PG 342. ^[3] In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DEZI. ^[4]

On 22 September 1939, Carsten was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine. Designated as a vorpostenboot . She was allocated to 7 Vorpostenflotille as V 705 Carsten. On 1 July 1943, she was reallocated to 6 Vorpostenflotille as V 603 Carsten. ^[3] On 26 April 1944, V 606 Fladengrund was sunk in the Bay of Biscay by a Royal Air Force Handley Page Halifax aircraft with the loss of 21 of her 38 crew. V 603 Carsten rescued the survivors. ^[5] On 7 May 1945, she was declared a prize of war and allocated to France. Her name was changed to Thon in 1948. She was scrapped in 1954. ^[3]

References

1. "Carsten(56962)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. CAR-CAU (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930–1931. Retrieved 18 February 2024– via Southampton City Council.
2. Gröner 1993, p. 204.
3. Gröner 1993, p. 210.
4. "Carsten(58134)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. CAR-CAS (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934–1935. Retrieved 18 February 2024– via Southampton City Council.
5. "Le V606" (in French). Plongée Anges. Retrieved 11 March 2024.

Sources

• Gröner, Erich (1993). Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1945 (in German). Vol. 8/I: Flußfahrzeuge, Ujäger, Vorpostenboote, Hilfsminensucher, Küstenschutzverbände (Teil 1). Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN   3-7637-4807-5.