German trawler V 606 Fladengrund

Last updated
History
NameFladengrund
Namesake Fladengrund
Owner
  • Norddeutsche Hochseefischerei (1923–39)
  • Kriegsmarine (1939–44)
Port of registry
BuilderG. Seebeck AG, Wesermünde
Yard number418
LaunchedMay 1923
CompletedJune 1923
Commissioned22 September 1939
Out of service26 April 1944
Identification
  • Fishing boat registration PG 340 (1923–39)
  • Code Letters KRBT (1924–34)
  • ICS Kilo.svg ICS Romeo.svg ICS Bravo.svg ICS Tango.svg
  • Code Letters DEZH (1934–44)
  • ICS Delta.svg ICS Echo.svg ICS Zulu.svg ICS Hotel.svg
  • Pennant Number V 708 (1939–44)
  • Pennant Number V 606 (1944)
FateBombed and sunk
General characteristics
Type
Tonnage258  GRT, 98  NRT
Length40.13 m (131 ft 8 in)
Beam7.09 metres (23 ft 3 in)
Depth3.25 m (10 ft 8 in)
Installed powerTriple expansion steam engine, 53nhp
PropulsionSingle screw propeller
Speed10 knots (19 km/h)
Armament1 x 88mm cannon, various 20mm guns

Fladengrund was a German fishing trawler which was built in 1923. She was requisitoned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was used as a Vorpostenboot . She was sunk by a British aerial attack in April 1944.

Contents

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+58 in), 52 centimetres (20+12 in) and 84 centimetres (33+116 in) diameter by 60 centimetres (23+58 in) stroke. The engine was built by G. Seebeck AG., Wesermünde, 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

Fladengrund was built as yard number 418 by G. Seebeck AG., Wesermünde, Germany. [2] She was launched in May 1923 and completed in June. Owned by the Norddeutsche Hochseefischerei, [2] her port of registry was Wesermünde. She was allocated the Code Letters KRBT, [1] and the fishing boat registration PG 340. [3] In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DEZH. [4]

On 22 September 1939, Fladengrund was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine. Designated as a vorpostenboot . She was allocated to 7 Vorpostenflotille as V 708 Fladengrund. [3] She was armed with an 88mm cannon and a number of 20mm guns. [5] On 8 February 1944, she was reallocated to 6 Vorpostenflotille as V 606 Fladengrund. [3] On 26 April 1944, Fladengrund was bombed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay west of Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Inférieure and south of Belle Île, Finistère, France ( 47°06′N2°58′W / 47.100°N 2.967°W / 47.100; -2.967 ) in an attack by a Royal Air Force Handley Page Halifax aircraft with the loss of 21 of her 38 crew. Survivors were rescued by V 603 Carsten. [3] [5] [6]

Video of a dive on the wreck of Fladengrund in 2017

Related Research Articles

Seydlitz was a German trawler built in 1936 which was converted into a Vorpostenboot for the Kriegsmarine during World War II, serving as V 201 Seydlitz and V 211 Seydlitz. She was bombed and sunk off the Channel Islands on 20 March 1944.

V 202 Franz Westermann was a German trawler built in 1937 which was converted into a Vorpostenboot for the Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was sunk at Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands in an allied air raid on15 June 1944. Repaired post-war, she was renamed Pommern in 1954 and served until 1960.

Hermann Bösch was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot, serving as V 205 Hermann Bösch and V 202 Hermann Bösch. She was shelled and sunk in the English Channel off La Hague, Manche, France by HMS Calpe and HMS Cottesmore on 28 July 1942.

Gauleiter Telschow was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot, serving as V 206 Gauleiter Telschow and V 209 Gauleiter Telschow. She was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Heligoland, Germany by HMS Sturgeon on 20 November 1939.

Dr. Rudolf Wahrendorff was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned in the Second World War by the Kriegsmarine for use as a vorpostenboot, serving as V 209 Dr. Rudolf Wahrendorff. She was bombed and sunk off St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands on 24 July 1944.

Hinrich Hey was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot. She was sunk in the English Channel by British motor torpedo boats in July 1944.

Spica was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a vorpostenboot, Serving as V 214 Spica and V 804 Spica. She returned to service as a fishing trawler post-war and was scrapped in 1955.

V 303 Tannenberg was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned in the Second World War by the Kriegsmarine for use as a vorpostenboot. She was returned to her owners post war. In 1958, she was re-engined and converted to a cargo ship. In 1970 she was sold to Greece and renamed Panaghia. She was sold to Panama in 1975 and was renamed Nikos then Chantal. She was wrecked in 1978.

V 304 Breslau was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned in the Second World War by the Kriegsmarine for use as a vorpostenboot. Built in 1925 as Weser, she was renamed Breslau in 1939. She was wrecked at the entrance to the Noordzeekanaal in 1940.

Martin Donandt was a German fishing trawler that was built in 1927. She was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a vorpostenboot. She struck a mine and sank in the Baltic Sea in 1941.

Rosemarie was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned in the Second World War by the Kriegsmarine for use as a Vorpostenboot, serving as V 310 Rosemarie. She was returned to her owners post-war and served until 1952.

Heinrich Lehnert was a German fishing trawler that was built in 1918 as SMS Viceadmiral E. Schmidt for the Kaiserliche Marine. She was sold and renamed Heinrich Lennert in 1919. She was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot, serving as V 314 Heinrich Lehnert and later as the VorpostensicherungsbootVs 314 Heinrich Lehnert. Returned to her owners post-war, she was scrapped in 1950.

Deutschland was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot. She served as V 404 Deutschland and V 403 Deutschland. She struck a mine and sank off the Dutch coast in August 1940.

J. Hinrich Wilhelms was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot. She served as V 405 J. Hinrich Wilhelms. She was scuttled at Bordeaux, France in August 1944. Post-war, she was refloated and entered French merchant service as Audacieux and later Helios, then Sopite. Converted to a cargo ship in 1961, she was scrapped in 1974.

Jan Mayen was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in World War II for use as a Vorpostenboot. She served as V 406 Jan Mayen and V 401 Jan Mayen. She was sunk at Bayonne, France in August 1944. Post-war, she was refloated and entered French merchant service as Cap Nord. She was sold to the Netherlands in 1960, serving as s'Gravenhage, then Albatros. Converted to a cargo ship, she was sold to Panama 1974 and renamed Laga. She was renamed Felicitas II in 1982.

Saarland was a German fishing trawler that was built as A. R. Giese. Renamed in 1935, she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot. She served as V 407 Saarland and V 411 Saarland. She was sunk in the Gironde in 1944 by a boiler explosion.

Haltenbank was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot. She served as V 408 Haltenbank. She was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay in February 1943.

Ferdinand Niedermeyer was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned in the Second World War by the Kriegsmarine for use as a vorpostenboot, serving as V 413 Ferdinand Niedermeyer. She was bombed and sunk off St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands on 24 July 1944.

Carsten was a German fishing trawler which was built in 1923. She was requisitoned 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.

Arthur Duncker was a German fishing trawler which was built in 1924. She was requisitoned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was used as a Vorpostenboot. She struck a mine and sank in August 1944.

References

  1. 1 2 "Fladengrund(57613)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Chalutiers &c. FIL-FLE (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930–1931. Retrieved 11 March 2024 via Southampton City Council.
  2. 1 2 3 Gröner 1993, p. 204.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1993, p. 210.
  4. "Fladengrund(59790)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. FIU-FLE (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934–1935. Retrieved 11 March 2024 via Southampton City Council.
  5. 1 2 "Le V606" (in French). Plongée Anges. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  6. Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1944, April". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 11 March 2024.

Sources