SS Friedrich Karl (1938)

History

Name	Friedrich Karl
Owner	Reederei Wendenhof GmbH (1938– ) Kriegsmarine ( –1942)
Port of registry	Wismar, Germany (1938– ) Kriegsmarine ( –1942)
Builder	Neptun Werft
Launched	1938
Identification	Code Letters DMXL
Fate	Sunk 23 December 1942
General characteristics
Tonnage	1,262 GRT, 589 NRT
Length	72.01 m (236 ft 3 in)
Beam	10.80 metres (35 ft 5 in)
Depth	4.60 metres (15 ft 1 in)
Installed power	Triple expansion steam engine, 167nhp
Propulsion	Single screw propeller
Speed	10.5 knots (19.4 km/h)

Friedrich Karl was a cargo ship which was built by Neptun Werft, Rostock in 1938. She was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War, serving as the vorpostenboot V 108 Friedrich Karl and the sperrbrecher Sperrbrecher 138. She struck a mine and sank off Borkum on 23 December 1942.

Description

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The ship was 72.01 metres (236 ft 3 in) long, with a beam of 10.80 metres (35 ft 5 in) and a depth of 4.60 metres (15 ft 1 in). She was assessed at 1,262 GRT, 589 NRT. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 41 centimetres (16+1⁄8 in), 66 centimetres (26 in) and 112.6 centimetres (44+5⁄16 in) diameter by 70.0 centimetres (27+9⁄16 in) stroke. The engine was built by Neptun Werft, Rostock. It was rated at 167nhp and drove a single screw propeller.^[1] She had a speed of 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h).^[2]

History

[edit]

Friedrich Karl was built in 1938 by Neptun Werft, Rostock for Reederei Wendenhof GmbH, Wismar. The Code Letters DMXL were allocated.^[1] During the Second World War, she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine to serve as a Vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 1 Vorpostenbootflotille under the designation V108 Friedrich Karl. She was redesignated as a Sperrbrecher on 26 September 1941,^[3] becoming Sperrbrecher 138 with 1 Sperrbrecherflotille.^[4] On 23 December 1942, she struck a mine and sank off Borkum.^[2]

References

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^ ^a ^b "Friedrich Karl (24752)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Steamers & Motorships. FRE-FRI (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1939–1940. Retrieved 27 April 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
^ ^a ^b "Sperrbrecher-138 (Friedrich Karl) (+1942)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
^ "Vorpostenflottillen 1939 – 1945" (in German). Württembergische Landesbibliothek. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
^ "1. Sperrbrecherflottille" (in German). Deutsches Marinarchiv. Retrieved 27 April 2022.

v t e Vorpostenboote of the Kriegsmarine
List of Vorpostenboote in World War II
1 Vorpostenflotille	V 101 Schwan V 102 Cressida V 103 Sylvia V 104 Falke V 105 Cremon V 106 Phönix V 107 Botilla Russ V 108 Friedrich Karl V 108 Porjus V 109 Flamingo
2 Vorpostenflotille	V 201 Seydlitz V 202 Franz Westermann V 204 Dorum V 205 Hermann Bösch V 206 Gauleiter Telschow V 207 Otto Bröhan V 208 Gebrüder Kähler V 209 Carl Röver V 209 Dr. Rudolf Wahrendorff V 210 R. Walther Darré V 211 Friedrich Busse V 212 Hinrich Hey V 213 Claus Bolten V 213 Zieten V 214 Spica V 214 Teutonia V 215 Baden V 215 Oliva V 216 Goëland
3 Vorpostenflotille	V 301 Weser V 302 Bremen V 303 Tannenberg V 304 Breslau V 305 Ostpreussen V 306 Fritz Hincke V 307 Württemberg V 308 Oscar Neynaber V 309 Martin Donandt V 310 Rosemarie V 311 Osdorf V 312 Hanseat V 313 Eifel V 314 Heinrich Lehnert V 315 Bris V 317 Wega
4 Vorpostenflotille	V 401 Nordland V 401 Dr. Adolf Spilker V 402 Hans Loh V 403 Germania V 404 Deutschland V 404 Baden V 405 J. Hinrich Wilhelms V 406 Jan Mayen V 407 Saarland V 407 Dorum V 408 Haltenbank V 409 August Bösch V 412 Bremerhaven V 413 Ferdinand Niedermeyer V 414 Sachsenwald V 420 Alcyon V 421 Rauzan V 422 Kergroise V 423 Keryado II V 424 Carl J. Busch V 427 Victoire
5 Vorpostengruppe	Wandrahm Birka Neuss Nerissa
6 Vorpostengruppe	Dr. Heinrich Wiegand Jupiter Oldenburg Schürbek
6 Vorpostenflotille	V 601 Dr. Heinrich Wiegand V 602 Richard C. Krogmann V 603 Carsten V 604 Fritz Reiser V 605 Arthur Duncker V 606 Fladengrund V 607 Düsseldorf V 620 Derfflinger V 621 Mars V 622 Almuth V 623 Jupiter V 624 Köln V 625 Johann Schulte
7 Vorpostenflotille	V 704 Richard C. Krogmann V 705 Carsten V 706 Fritz Reiser V 707 Arthur Duncker V 708 Fladengrund V 710 Düsseldorf V 727 Goëland
8 Vorpostenflotille	V 801 Max Gundelach V 804 Skolpenbank V 804 Spica V 811 Hugo Homann Schiff 7 Wega
11 Vorpostenflotille	V 1101 Preußen
13 Vorpostenflotille	V 1302 John Mahn V 1337 Victoire
14 Vorpostenflotille	V 1419 Victoire
15 Vorpostenflotille	PA 1 PA 2 V 1502 Wiking 6 V 1503 Wiking 10 V 1504 Wiking 8 V 1507 Rau VI V 1512 Unitas 8 V 1523 Deltra I
16 Vorpostenflotille	V 1605 Mosel
17 Vorpostenflotille	V 1703 Unitas 4 V 1704 Unitas 5
18 Vorpostengruppe	Schiff 7 Wega
18 Vorpostenflotille	V 1801 Wandrahm
51 Vorpostenflotille	V 5102 Orkan V 5106 Sindbad
55 Vorpostenflotille	V 5501 Zick
57 Vorpostenflotille	V 5717 Fritz Homann
59 Vorpostenflotille	V 5908 Togo
61 Vorpostenflotille	V 6105 Samoa V 6112 Friese V 6114 Eismeer
65 Vorpostenflotille	V 6512 Togo
Vessels are listed under their first designation within each Vorpostenflotille. Subsequent changes in pennant numbers not shown.

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in December 1942
Shipwrecks	1 Dec: HMAS Armidale 2 Dec: Lupo, HMS Quentin 3 Dec: Empire Dabchick, HMS Penylan 4 Dec: Muzio Attendolo, HMS Traveller 6 Dec: USS Grebe 7 Dec: Ceramic 8 Dec: U-254, U-611 9 Dec: I-3, HMS Marigold 11 Dec: HMS Blean 12 Dec: HMS P222, Teruzuki 14 Dec: Canberra Maru 15 Dec: U-626 16 Dec: USS S-49 17 Dec: HMS Firedrake 18 Dec: HMS Partridge, Tenryū 21 Dec: I-4 23 Dec: Sperrbrecher 138 25 Dec: HMS P48 26 Dec: U-357 27 Dec: U-336 28 Dec: Choyo Maru 29 Dec: USS Wasmuth 30 Dec: HMS Fidelity 31 Dec: HMS Achates, HMS Bramble, Friedrich Eckoldt, USS Rescuer Unknown date: HMS P311
Other incidents	7 Dec: USS R-16 9 Dec: HMS Porcupine 12 Dec: Empire Centaur, Tannenfels 14 Dec: HMS Argonaut 19 Dec: Donau 21 Dec: USS S-35 25 Dec: Nankai Maru, Uzuki
1941 1942 1943 November 1942 January 1943