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.
| History | |
|---|---|
| Nazi Germany | |
| Name | Seydlitz |
| Namesake | Friedrich Wilhelm von Seydlitz |
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Seebeck G. Ag. - Weser Werk Seebeckwerft |
| Yard number | 570 |
| Launched | 1936 |
| Commissioned | 1939 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Sunk in the English Channel off Barfleur by British aircraft on 20 March 1944.[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Converted trawler |
| Tonnage | 449 GRT, 167 NRT |
| Length | 49.40 m (162 ft 1 in) |
| Beam | 8.03 m (26 ft 4 in) |
| Depth | 7.72 m (25 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power | 96 PS (71 kW; 95 ihp) / 98nhp |
| Propulsion | 1 × 3 cyl. triple expansion steam engine with LP exhaust turbine & DR gearing & hydraulic coupling, single shaft, 1 screw propeller |
| Speed | 11.9 knots (22.0 km/h; 13.7 mph) |
| Complement | ~27 |
Description
editSeydlitz was 49.40 metres (162 ft 1 in) long, with a beam of 8.03 metres (26 ft 4 in) and a depth of 3.76 metres (12 ft 4 in). It was assessed at 449 GRT, 167 NRT. It was powered by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 36.0 centimetres (14+3⁄16 in), 55 centimetres (21+5⁄8 in) and 90.0 centimetres (35+7⁄16 in) diameter by 64.9 centimetres (25+9⁄16 in) stroke. The engine was built by Deschimag, Wesermünde. It was rated at 98nhp,[2] giving a speed of 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h).[3]
History
editIn 1936, Seydlitz was constructed as yard number 570 by the German shipbuilder Seebeckwerft AG as a civilian fishing trawler for F. A. Pust Hochseefischerei AG, Wesermünde. The Code Letters DFCP were allocated,[2][3] as was the fishing boat registration PG 508. On 1 October 1939, the Kriegsmarine requisitioned the vessel and commissioned it as a Vorpostenboot in the 2 Vorpostenflotille under the designation V 201 Seydlitz. The ship was redesignated V 211 Seydlitz on 20 October. With the rest of the 2 Vorpostenflotille, Seydlitz operated in the North Sea from 1939 to 1940 and in the English Channel from 1940 to 1944.[4]
Seydlitz was sunk by British fighter-bombers on 20 March 1944 in the English Channel between Guernsey, Channel Islands and Barfleur, Manche, France.[4][5] Twenty-seven crew were killed. The wreck now lies where it was sunk approximately 50 metres (160 ft) below the surface.[3]
References
edit- ^ Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1944, März". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 3 August 2015.
- ^ a b "Seydlitz (13846)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. SEV-SHA (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1939–1940. Retrieved 4 May 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
- ^ a b c "V-211 Seydlitz". Wrecksite. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Vorpostenboote der deutschen Kriegsmarine 1939-45". www.wlb-stuttgart.de (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- ^ "Seekrieg 1944, März". www.wlb-stuttgart.de (in German). Retrieved 23 January 2020.