German trawler V 604 Fritz Reiser

Fritz Reiser was a German fishing trawler which was built in 1924. She was requisitoned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was used as a Vorpostenboot. She was seized by France in 1944, and was renamed Le Merlu in 1948. She was scrapped in 1954.

Description
The ship 133 ft long, with a beam of 24 ft. She had a depth of 12 ft. She was assessed at,. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 13 in, 20+7/8 in and 33+7/8 in diameter by 28+3/8 in stroke. The engine was built by J. C. Tecklenborg AG., Geestemünde, Germany. It was rated at 55 nhp. It drove a single screw propeller. It could propel the ship at 10 kn.

History
Fritz Reiser was built as yard number 405 by J. C. Tecklenborg AG., Geestemünde, Germany. She was launched on 15 November 1924 and completed on 4 December. Owned by Kämpf & Meyer, her port of registry was Wesermünde. She was allocated the Code Letters KSCF, and the fishing boat registration PG 360. She was sold to the Hochseefischerei Cark Kämpf Partenreederei in 1929. On 6 April 1932, her boilers were damaged at sea, leaving her drifting 80 nmi north of the Horns Reef. She radioed of a tow. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DEZU.

On 22 September 1939, Fritz Reiser was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine. Designated as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 7 Vorpostenflotille as V 706 Fritz Reiser. On 19 August 1943, she was reallocated to 6 Vorpostenflotille as V 604 Fritz Reiser. In 1944, she was seized at Saint-Nazaire as a prize of war by France. She was sold to the Pool de Lorient. Her port of registry was Lorient, Morbihan and the Code Letters FNFN were allocated. Her name was changed to Le Merlu in 1947. She became a school ship in 1953 and was scrapped in 1954.