German trawler V 317 Wega

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History
Name
  • Walter Schües (1931–33)
  • Wega (1933–55)
Owner
  • Hochseefischerei Carl Kämpf Partenreederei (1932–33)
  • Nordstern AG (1933–39)
  • Kriegsmarine (1939–45)
  • Nordstern AG (1945–55)
Port of registry
Yard number245
Launched23 December 1931
Completed2 February 1932
Commissioned19 November 1939
Decommissioned3 September 1945
Out of service1955
Identification
  • Code Letters KSBF (1932–34)
  • Fishing boat registration PG 406 (1932–39)
  • Code Letters DFAM (1934–55)
  • "Schiff 7" (1939–44)
  • Pennant Number V 316 (1944–45)
FateScrapped
General characteristics
Type
Tonnage337 GRT, 128 NRT
Length47.83 m (156 ft 11 in)
Beam7.70 m (25 ft 3 in)
Draught3.35 m (11 ft 0 in)
Depth4.36 m (14 ft 4 in)
Installed powerCompound steam engine, 98nhp
PropulsionSingle screw propeller
Speed11 knots (20 km/h)

Wega was a German

Second World War initially service as Schiff 7 and later as a Vorpostenboot
, serving as V 317 Wega. Returned to her owners post-war, she was scrapped in 1955.

Description

The ship 47.83 metres (156 ft 11 in) long, with a beam of 7.70 metres (25 ft 3 in). She had a depth of 4.36 metres (14 ft 4 in) and a draught of 3.35 metres (11 ft 0 in).

nhp. It drove a single screw propeller via double reduction gearing and a low pressure turbine The turbine was built by Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau, Bremen, Germany.[2] It could propel the ship at 11 knots (20 km/h).[1]

History

Walter Schües was built as

Wesermünde.[2] In March 1933, Walter Schües was sold to Nordstern AG.[4] In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DFAM.[5]

Wega was requisitioned on 4 September 1939. Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau started her conversion for naval service the next day. On 29 November, she was commissioned into Kriegsmarine service as Schiff 7 Wega with 18 Vorpostengruppe. On 16 January 1940, she ran aground on the Langhoft Tonne, in the Baltic Sea. She was later refloated. On 18 May 1940, Schiff 7 Wega and the torpedo boat Skarv escorted the steamship Tyrifjord from Stavanger to Bergen, Norway. Tyrifjord was transporting a heavy anti-aircraft battery. The next day, she sailed to Florø to escort the captured Norwegian warships HNoMS B-6, HNoMS Gor, HNoMS Snøgg, HNoMS Troll and HNoMS Vale to Bergen. Other escorting vessels were Achilles, Schiff 18 and two vorpostenboote from 15 Vorpostenflotille. On 26 May, Schiff 7 Wega sailed to Molde, where she acted as a harbour protection vessel.[5]

In late July, Schiff 7 Wega was ordered to

Petsamo, Finland to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Pluto was escorted in to Vardø, Norway. On 30 January, she stopped the Finnish steamship Brita Thorden, which was on a voyage from New York, United States to Petsamo. She was also escorted in to Vardø. Two days later, Schiff 7 Wega stopped the Finnish steamship Tauri, which was on a voyage from Petsamo to Cuba. Tauriwas escorted in to Vardø. On 5 February, she stopped the Finnish steamship Aagot, which was on a voyage from Petsamo to Buenos Aires. She was escorted in to Vardø. On 8 March, she stopped the Finnish steamships Anja, on a voyage from Buenos Aires to Petsamo, Josefina Thorden, voyage unknown, and Tornator, on a voyage from Petsamo to Yokohama, Japan. All three were escorted in to Vardø.[5]

On 1 July 1942, Schiff 7 Wega was allocated to 9 Vorpostenflotille. On 1 May 1943, she was allocated to 3 Vorpostenflotille. From August 1943 to April 1944 she underwent a rebuild at Norderwerft. On 27 April 1944, she was redesignated V 317 Wega. On 3 September 1945, she arrived at Seebeckwerft, Bremen for decommissioning. She was subsequently returned to her owners. From 1 February 1948, her port of registry was Bremerhaven. Wega arrived at W. Ritscher, Hamburg for scrapping on 30 August 1955 and was scrapped during September.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b Gröner 1993, p. 227.
  2. ^ a b "Walter Schües (12706)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. W (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930–1931. Retrieved 19 November 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
  3. ^ Gröner 1993, p. 227, 231.
  4. ^ a b Gröner 1993, p. 231.
  5. ^ a b c d e "SCHIFF 7/WEGA" (in German). Historisches Marinearchiv. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Vorpostenflottillen 1939 – 1945" (in German). Württembergische Landesbibliothek. Retrieved 19 November 2022.

Sources

  • Gröner, Erich (1993). Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1945 (in German). Vol. 8/I: Flußfahrzeuge, Ujäger, Vorpostenboote, Hilfsminensucher, Küstenschutzverbände (Teil 1). Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. .