German trawler V 606 Fladengrund

Fladengrund was a German fishing trawler which was built in 1923. She was requisitoned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was used as a Vorpostenboot. She was sunk by a British aerial attack in April 1944.

Description
The ship 131 ft long, with a beam of 23 ft. She had a depth of 10 ft. She was assessed at,. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 12+5/8 in, 20+1/2 in and 33+1/16 in diameter by 23+5/8 in stroke. The engine was built by G. Seebeck AG., Wesermünde, Germany. It was rated at 53 nhp. It drove a single screw propeller. It could propel the ship at 10 kn.

History
Fladengrund was built as yard number 418 by G. Seebeck AG., Wesermünde, Germany. She was launched in May 1923 and completed in June. Owned by the Norddeutsche Hochseefischerei, her port of registry was Wesermünde. She was allocated the Code Letters KRBT, and the fishing boat registration PG 340. In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DEZH.

On 22 September 1939, Fladengrund was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine. Designated as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 7 Vorpostenflotille as V 708 Fladengrund. She was armed with an 88mm cannon and a number of 20mm guns. On 8 February 1944, she was reallocated to 6 Vorpostenflotille as V 606 Fladengrund. On 26 April 1944, Fladengrund was bombed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay west of Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Inférieure and south of Belle Île, Finistère, France (47.1°N, -2.96667°W) in an attack by a Royal Air Force Handley Page Halifax aircraft with the loss of 21 of her 38 crew. Survivors were rescued by V 603 Carsten.