German trawler V 102 Cressida
V 102 Cressida was a German cargo ship which was converted into a Vorpostenboot for the Kriegsmarine during World War II.[1]
History | |
---|---|
Nazi Germany | |
Name: | Cressida |
Builder: | Lübecker Maschinenbau - Gesellschaft |
Yard number: | 380 |
Launched: | 1939 |
Commissioned: | 1 October 1939 |
Decommissioned: | 1945 |
Fate: | Survived the war and returned to civilian service, sank off the coast of Greece on 23 December 1962 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Converted Cargo ship |
Length: | 234 ft (71 m) |
Beam: | 34.6 ft (11 m) |
Height: | 11.8 ft (3.6 m) |
Installed power: | 1500 APK |
Propulsion: | Motor, oil, 2-stroke single-acting |
Speed: | 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
History
Cressida was built in Lübeck in early 1939 as a cargo vessel by the shipbuilder Lübecker Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft. On 1 October 1939, the ship was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine as V 102 and was placed in the 1 Vorpostenflotille.[2] The ship participated in the German invasion of Denmark in April 1940, escorting the steamer Rugard and tugs Monsun and Passat alongside V 103 Sylvia and several minesweepers. The group landed three companies of the 170th Infantry Division at Middlefart.[3]
In June of 1940, the ship was converted into a Sperrbrecher, or a ship with a reinforced hull designed to clear a path through minefields. It was designated as Sperrbrecher 32 and was moved into the 3 Sperrbrecher-flotille, where it served for the duration of the war.[2]
After the war, the ship was given into the control of The Netherlands and was officially transferred on 5 September 1947, delivered by the German tugboat Nestor to Amsterdam from Bremerhaven. The ship was renamed Gernik during its service to the Netherlands. In 1952, the ship was completely renovated in Vlissingen, receiving a new engine.[2]
On 23 December 1962 while carrying cargo from Haifa, Gernik ran aground on Karpathos off the coast of Greece during a storm.[4] While all of the crew made it safely ashore, the ship was declared a total loss.[2]
References
- "Vorpostenboote der deutschen Kriegsmarine 1939-45". www.wlb-stuttgart.de. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- "Stichting Maritiem Historische Data - Schip". www.marhisdata.nl. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
- "Norwegian Campaign, Battles of Narvik, April 1940". www.naval-history.net. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
- "Cressida (5613911)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 6 March 2020.