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.
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ferdinand Niedermeyer |
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Deschimag Seebeckwerft |
| Yard number | 439 |
| Launched | 18 September 1925 |
| Completed | November 1925 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Sunk 21 August 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type |
|
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 43.21 m (141 ft 9 in) (1925–35) |
| Beam | 7.14 m (23 ft 5 in) |
| Draught | 4.14 m (13 ft 7 in) |
| Depth | 3.30 m (10 ft 10 in) |
| Installed power | Triple expansion steam engine, 53nhp |
| Propulsion | Single screw propeller |
| Speed | 10 knots (19 km/h) |
Description
editFerdinand Niedermeyer was 43.21 metres (141 ft 9 in) long, with a beam of 7.14 metres (23 ft 5 in). She had a depth of 3.30 metres (10 ft 10 in) and a draught of 4.15 metres (13 ft 7 in).[1] She was assessed at 266 GRT, 103 NRT. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 38 centimetres (15 in), 51.9 centimetres (20+7⁄16 in) and 90 centimetres (35+1⁄2 in) diameter by 60 centimetres (23+5⁄8 in) stroke. The engine was made by Deschimag Seebeckwerft, Wesermünde. It was rated at 53nhp. The engine powered a single screw propeller.[2] It could propel the ship at 10 knots (19 km/h).[1]
History
editFerdinand Niedermeyer was built as yard number 439 by Deschimag Seebeckwerfte, Wesermünde for Grundmann & Gröschel, Wesermünde. She was launched on 18 September 1925 and completed in November.[3] The Code Letters KRCJ were allocated,[2] as was the fishing boat registration PG 367.[3] In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DEAB.[4] In 1935, she was lengthened.[3] She was now assessed at 286 GRT, 112 NRT.[5]
She was scheduled to take part in Unternehmen Seelöwe. On 23 May 1941, Ferdinand Niedermeyer was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine for use as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 4 Vorpostenflotille as V 413 Ferdinand Niedermeyer. On 21 August 1944, she was sunk in the Bay of Biscay in an attack by Allied aircraft off Bayonne, Basses-Pyrénées, France.[3] Also reported as sunk by Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of 236 Squadron, Royal Air Force and 404 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force off Le Verdon-sur-Mer, Gironde, France.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b Gröner 1993, p. 204.
- ^ a b "Ferdinand Niedermeyer (57588)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. FAV-FIF (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930–1931. Retrieved 14 December 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1993, p. 211.
- ^ "Ferdinand Niedermeyer (59744)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. FEN-FIA (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934–1935. Retrieved 14 December 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
- ^ "Ferdinand Niedermeyer (58307)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. FEM-FIA (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1936–1937. Retrieved 14 December 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
- ^ Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1944, August". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 14 December 2022.
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.