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V 104 Falke was a German-built cargo ship which was converted into an auxiliary warship for the Kriegsmarine as a Vorpostenboot and then Sperrbrecher. The ship was built as Toreador and was also known as Poldorf and Düsseldorf.
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Bremer Vulkan |
| Yard number | 527 |
| Launched | 31 July 1909 |
| Commissioned | 1 October 1939 |
| Out of service | 8 August 1944 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Bombed and sunk off Lorient, France |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | |
| Tonnage | 998 GRT, 480 NRT |
| Length | 72.92 m (239 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 10.16 m (33 ft 4 in) |
| Depth | 3.84 m (12 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power | Triple expansion steam engine, 160nhp |
| Propulsion | Single screw propeller |
| Speed | 10 knots (19 km/h) |
The ship was built from steel. It had a length of 72.92 metres (239 ft 3 in), a beam of 10.16 metres (33 ft 4 in), and a depth of 3.84 metres (12 ft 7 in). It was assessed at 998 GRT, 480 NRT. The ship was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 40 centimetres (15+3⁄4 in), 64.7 centimetres (25+15⁄32 in) and 110.0 centimetres (43+5⁄16 in) diameter by 75 centimetres (29+1⁄2 in) stroke. The engine was built by Bremer Vulkan and was rated at 160nhp. The engine drove a single screw propeller,[1] and could propel the ship at 10 knots (19 km/h).[2]
The ship was built in Bremen-Vegesack by Bremer Vulkan in 1909 as Toreador for J. D. Stücken, Bremen.[2] It was launched on 31 July.[3] J. D. Stücken operated it until 1916, when it was bought by the Argo Line, Bremen. Renamed Düsseldorf,[4] it was captured off the coast of Norway by the Royal Navy Q-ship HMS Tay and Tyne between 19 and 24 February 1918 whist on a voyage from Tromsø, Norway to Stettin with a cargo of iron ore.[5][6][7][8] It was seized by the British government and was renamed Poldorf. The United Kingdom Official Number 142674 was allocated.[2] Due to the ship being captured in neutral waters, a legal dispute with Norway came before the British Prize Court in July 1920. Judgement was given that the declaration of the ship as a British prize could not be reversed.[6]
In 1919, the ship was returned to Argo Line and reverted to its previous name.[2] In 1923, Argo Line merged with the Roland Line to form Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft Argo mbH. The ship was renamed Falke, serving with the Roland Line.[4] The Code Letters QJRM were allocated.[2] Around 1925/26, Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft Argo mbH was absorbed by Norddeutscher Lloyd. Falke was transferred to Argo Reederei AG in 1934,[4] in which year the Code Letters DOBY were allocated.[2] The ship was transferred to Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Co. in 1937.[4]
Falke was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine and converted into a Vorpostenboot, joining the 1st Vorpostenflotille on 1 October 1939. On 1 October 1940, the 1st flotilla was disbanded and Falke was designated as a Sperrbrecher, or mine clearing ship.[9] It was given the identification number of 34, which was later changed to 134. It was bombed and sank off Lorient on 8 August 1944.[3]
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