Sachsenwald was 62.84 metres (206 ft 2 in) long, with a beam of 8.53 metres (28 ft 0 in). She had a depth of 4.43 metres (14 ft 6 in) and a draught of 5.03 metres (16 ft 6 in).[1] She was assessed at 650 GRT, 240 NRT. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 37.9 centimetres (14+15⁄16 in), 61 centimetres (24 in) and 75 centimetres (29+5⁄8 in) diameter by 66 centimetres (26 in) stroke. The engine was made by Deschimag Seebeckwerft, Wesermünde, Germany. It was rated at 168nhp. The engine powered a single screw propeller driven via a low pressure turbine, double reduction gearing and a hydraulic coupling.[2] It could propel the ship at 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h).[1]
History
Sachsenwald was built as yard number 631 by Deschimag Seebeckwerft for the Nordsee Deutsche Hochseefischerei Bremen-Cuxhaven. She was launched in June 1939. Her port of registry was Wesermünde.[2][3] At the outbreak of the Second World War, she was interned in Murmansk, Soviet Union, but was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in January 1940.[4] Initially serving as a supply ship allocated to Basis Nord, Sachsenwald was intended for use in Operation Sea Lion before being converted for use as a weather ship under the designation Wetterbeobachtungsschiff 7, with the Pennant number WBS 7.[5][6][4]
Bismarck survivors
Sachsenwald was returning from a 50-day operational cruise in the Atlantic under her commander, the experienced trawler skipper Ernst Wilhelm Schütte, when she received orders on 27 May 1941 to move to the area where the Bismarck was known to be.[5] After sailing through heavy seas, and being briefly attacked by a Bristol Blenheim aircraft with machine gun fire, she reached the debris field left after the sinking of Bismarck on 28 May. After several hours searching the field, which contained only bodies and debris, Sachsenwald communicated with two U-boats that were also searching the area.[5] Finally, late in the night, they discovered a raft containing two survivors, and took them on board. They were Matrosengefreite Walter Lorenzen and Otto Maus.[5][a]Sachsenwald continued to search the area, recovering an empty raft from Bismarck but failed to find any more survivors. She briefly communicated with the Spanish cruiser Canarias, which was also searching the area, before making for the French coast on 31 May, escorted by several patrol boats.[5] She reached it without incident, discharging the survivors, and tying up at Bordeaux on 1 June.[5]
Sinking
On 29 August 1941, WBS 7 Sachsenwald was re-designated as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 4 Vorpostenbootflotille operating in the Bay of Biscay out of Bordeaux. She served as V 414 Sachsenwald.[3][5] In August 1944 she formed part of a seven-ship convoy, which included V 414Sachsenwald, Otto, V 1549 Höheweg, M 263, M 486 and SG 3 Sans Souchi, which was carrying ammunition from St. Nazaire to La Pallice.[6] They were intercepted early in the morning of 6 August by Force 26, which was carrying out Operation Kinetic.[5] The task force, consisting of the cruiser HMS Bellona, and the destroyers HMS Ashanti, HMS Tartar, HMCS Haida and HMCS Iroquois, attacked the convoy, sinking at least six of the ships, including V 414 Sachsenwald. The wreck lies in 180 feet (55 m) of water.[6][7]
Notes
a.^ A number of internet sources state that Sachsenwald recovered five Bismarck survivors. This appears to be a widely repeated error based on a faulty source. The official report of Sachsenwald's commander states only two survivors were picked up, Lorenzen and Maus.[5]
^ ab"Sachsenwald (18216)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. S (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1939–1940. Retrieved 16 December 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
^ abcdefghi"Fishing Vessel 'Sachsenwald': Report Regarding The Rescue Mission 'Bismarck': 30 May 1941" (PDF). kbismarck.com. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
^ abc"V-414 (ex-Sachsenwald) (+1944)". wrecksite.eu. 6 January 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
^German Naval Staff Operations Division. War Diary, August 1944(PDF). Naval History Division, United States Navy. p. 114.
Bibliography
Gröner, Erich (1988). Hilfsschiffe II: Lazarettschiffe, Wohnschiffe, Schulschiffe, Forschungsfahrzeuge, Hafenbetriebsfahrzeuge (I). Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945 (in German). Vol. V. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN3-7637-4804-0.
Gröner, Erich (1993). Flußfahrzeuge, Ujäger, Vorpostenboote, Hilfsminensucher, Küstenschutzverbände (Teil 1). Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945 (in German). Vol. VIII/1. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN3-7637-4807-5.
german, weather, ship, sachsenwald, sachsenwald, fishing, trawler, that, requisitioned, kriegsmarine, during, second, world, served, supply, ship, weather, ship, sachsenwald, vorpostenboot, sachsenwald, sunk, biscay, august, 1944, royal, navy, royal, canadian,. Sachsenwald was a fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War She served as a supply ship the weather ship WBS 7 Sachsenwald and the vorpostenboot V 414 Sachsenwald She was sunk in the Bay of Biscay in August 1944 by Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy ships HistoryNazi GermanyNameSachsenwaldNamesakeSachsenwaldOwnerNordsee Deutsche Hochseefischerei Bremen Cuxhaven 1939 40 Kriegsmarine 1940 44 BuilderDeSchiMAG SeebeckYard number631LaunchedJune 1939DecommissionedJanuary 1940IdentificationFishing boat registration PC 318 1939 40 Pennant Number WBS 7 1940 41 Pennant Number V 414 1941 44 FateSunk on 6 August 1944 off Les Sables d OlonneGeneral characteristics 1 Class and typeConverted trawlerTonnage650 GRTDisplacement1 425 t 1 402 long tons Length62 85 m 206 ft 2 in Beam8 53 m 28 ft Draught5 03 m 16 ft 6 in Depth4 43 m 14 ft 6 in Installed power1 000 PS 740 kW 990 ihp PropulsionTriple expansion engineSpeed12 5 knots 23 2 km h 14 4 mph Range8 500 nmi 15 700 km 9 800 mi at 12 knots 22 km h 14 mph Complement60Armament1 8 8 cm 3 5 in deck gun 1 3 7 cm 1 5 in SK C 30 AA gun 2 2 cm 0 79 in C 30 quad AA guns 2 2 cm 0 79 in C 30 AA guns 2 1 5 cm 0 59 in AA guns depth charges Contents 1 Description 2 History 2 1 Bismarck survivors 2 2 Sinking 3 Notes 4 Citations 5 Bibliography 6 Further readingDescription EditSachsenwald was 62 84 metres 206 ft 2 in long with a beam of 8 53 metres 28 ft 0 in She had a depth of 4 43 metres 14 ft 6 in and a draught of 5 03 metres 16 ft 6 in 1 She was assessed at 650 GRT 240 NRT She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 37 9 centimetres 14 15 16 in 61 centimetres 24 in and 75 centimetres 29 5 8 in diameter by 66 centimetres 26 in stroke The engine was made by Deschimag Seebeckwerft Wesermunde Germany It was rated at 168nhp The engine powered a single screw propeller driven via a low pressure turbine double reduction gearing and a hydraulic coupling 2 It could propel the ship at 12 5 knots 23 2 km h 1 History EditSachsenwald was built as yard number 631 by Deschimag Seebeckwerft for the Nordsee Deutsche Hochseefischerei Bremen Cuxhaven She was launched in June 1939 Her port of registry was Wesermunde 2 3 At the outbreak of the Second World War she was interned in Murmansk Soviet Union but was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in January 1940 4 Initially serving as a supply ship allocated to Basis Nord Sachsenwald was intended for use in Operation Sea Lion before being converted for use as a weather ship under the designation Wetterbeobachtungsschiff 7 with the Pennant number WBS 7 5 6 4 Bismarck survivors Edit Sachsenwald was returning from a 50 day operational cruise in the Atlantic under her commander the experienced trawler skipper Ernst Wilhelm Schutte when she received orders on 27 May 1941 to move to the area where the Bismarck was known to be 5 After sailing through heavy seas and being briefly attacked by a Bristol Blenheim aircraft with machine gun fire she reached the debris field left after the sinking of Bismarck on 28 May After several hours searching the field which contained only bodies and debris Sachsenwald communicated with two U boats that were also searching the area 5 Finally late in the night they discovered a raft containing two survivors and took them on board They were Matrosengefreite Walter Lorenzen and Otto Maus 5 a Sachsenwald continued to search the area recovering an empty raft from Bismarck but failed to find any more survivors She briefly communicated with the Spanish cruiser Canarias which was also searching the area before making for the French coast on 31 May escorted by several patrol boats 5 She reached it without incident discharging the survivors and tying up at Bordeaux on 1 June 5 Sinking Edit On 29 August 1941 WBS 7 Sachsenwald was re designated as a vorpostenboot She was allocated to 4 Vorpostenbootflotille operating in the Bay of Biscay out of Bordeaux She served as V 414 Sachsenwald 3 5 In August 1944 she formed part of a seven ship convoy which included V 414Sachsenwald Otto V 1549 Hoheweg M 263 M 486 and SG 3 Sans Souchi which was carrying ammunition from St Nazaire to La Pallice 6 They were intercepted early in the morning of 6 August by Force 26 which was carrying out Operation Kinetic 5 The task force consisting of the cruiser HMS Bellona and the destroyers HMS Ashanti HMS Tartar HMCS Haida and HMCS Iroquois attacked the convoy sinking at least six of the ships including V 414 Sachsenwald The wreck lies in 180 feet 55 m of water 6 7 Notes Edita A number of internet sources state that Sachsenwald recovered five Bismarck survivors This appears to be a widely repeated error based on a faulty source The official report of Sachsenwald s commander states only two survivors were picked up Lorenzen and Maus 5 Citations Edit a b c Groner 1993 p 205 a b Sachsenwald 18216 PDF Lloyd s Register Trawlers amp c S in English and French London Lloyd s Register 1939 1940 Retrieved 16 December 2022 via Southampton City Council a b Groner 1993 p 214 a b Groner 1988 p 205 a b c d e f g h i Fishing Vessel Sachsenwald Report Regarding The Rescue Mission Bismarck 30 May 1941 PDF kbismarck com Retrieved 1 July 2016 a b c V 414 ex Sachsenwald 1944 wrecksite eu 6 January 2011 Retrieved 6 June 2011 German Naval Staff Operations Division War Diary August 1944 PDF Naval History Division United States Navy p 114 Bibliography EditGroner Erich 1988 Hilfsschiffe II Lazarettschiffe Wohnschiffe Schulschiffe Forschungsfahrzeuge Hafenbetriebsfahrzeuge I Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815 1945 in German Vol V Koblenz Bernard amp Graefe ISBN 3 7637 4804 0 Groner Erich 1993 Flussfahrzeuge Ujager Vorpostenboote Hilfsminensucher Kustenschutzverbande Teil 1 Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815 1945 in German Vol VIII 1 Koblenz Bernard amp Graefe ISBN 3 7637 4807 5 Further reading EditLudovic Kennedy Pursuit The Sinking of the BismarckCoordinates 46 32 N 2 09 W 46 533 N 2 150 W 46 533 2 150 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title German weather ship Sachsenwald amp oldid 1129097640, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
