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.
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Deschimag Seebeckwerft |
| Yard number | 520 |
| Launched | 27 June 1934 |
| Completed | 4 August 1934 |
| Commissioned | 25 September 1939 |
| Out of service | 26 August 1944 |
| Identification |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Type |
|
| Tonnage | 435 GRT, 162 NRT |
| Length | 51.35 metres (168 ft 6 in) |
| Beam | 8.00 metres (26 ft 3 in) |
| Draught | 4.65 metres (15 ft 3 in) |
| Depth | 3.74 metres (12 ft 3 in) |
| Installed power | Triple expansion steam engine, 91nhp |
| Propulsion | Single screw propeller |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h) |
Description
editThe ship was 51.35 metres (168 ft 6 in) long, with a beam of 8.00 metres (26 ft 3 in). She had a depth of 3.74 metres (12 ft 3 in) and a draught of 4.5 metres (14 ft 9 in).[1] She was assessed at 435 GRT, 162 NRT. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 35 centimetres (13+3⁄4 in), 55 centimetres (21+5⁄8 in) and 90 centimetres (35+7⁄16 in) diameter by 65 centimetres (25+9⁄16 in) stroke. The engine was made by Deschimag Seebeckwerft, Wesermünde, Germany. It was rated at 91nhp. The engine powered a single screw propeller driven via a low pressure turbine, double reduction gearing and a hydraulic coupling.[2] It could propel the ship at 12 knots (22 km/h).[1]
History
editThe ship was built as yard number 520 by Deschimag Seekbeckwerft, Wesermünde for the Reederei Siebert & Co., Wesermünde. She was launched on 27 June 1934 and completed on 4 August. The fishing boat registration PG 416 was allocated.[3] She was allocated the Code Letters DEWJ.[2] On 22 January 1935, she was renamed Saarland.[1]
Saarland was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine on 25 September 1939 for use as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 4 Vorpostenflotille as V 407 Saarland. On 16 October she was redesignated V 411 Saarland.[4] On 26 August 1944, she was attacked at Le Verdon-sur-Mer, Gironde, France by Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of 236 Squadron, Royal Air Force and 404 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force.[5] She suffered a boiler explosion and sank in the Gironde.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c Gröner 1993, p. 205.
- ^ a b "A. R. Giese (68211)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. A (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934–1935. Retrieved 4 December 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
- ^ Gröner 1993, pp. 205, 212.
- ^ a b Gröner 1993, p. 212.
- ^ Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1944, August". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 11 September 2015.
Sources
edit- 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.