German trawler V 201 Seydlitz

For other ships with the same name, see SMS Seydlitz and German cruiser Seydlitz.

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	F. A. Pust Hochseefischerei AG (1936–39) Kriegsmarine (1939–44)
Port of registry	Wesermünde (1936–39)  Kriegsmarine (1939–44)
Builder	Seebeck G. Ag. - Weser Werk Seebeckwerft
Yard number	570
Launched	1936
Commissioned	1939
Identification	Code Letters DFCP Fishing boat registration PG 508 (1936–39) Pennant Number V 201 (1939) Pennant Number V 211 (1939–1944)
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

Seydlitz 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

In 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

1. Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1944, März". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 3 August 2015.
2. "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.
3. "V-211 Seydlitz". Wrecksite. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
4. "Vorpostenboote der deutschen Kriegsmarine 1939-45". www.wlb-stuttgart.de (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2020.
5. "Seekrieg 1944, März". www.wlb-stuttgart.de (in German). Retrieved 23 January 2020.