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German minesweeper Sperrbrecher 18

History
Name
  • Schürbek (1930–40)
  • Sperrbrecher 18 (1940–45)
  • Schürbek (1945–59)
Owner
  • Knöhr & Burchardt (1930–39)
  • Kriegsmarine (1939–45)
  • United Kingdom Government (1945–49)
Port of registry
BuilderFlensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft
Yard number418
Launched10 April 1930
Completed3 June 1930
Out of service12 March 1945
Identification
  • Code Letters RHPN (1930–34)
  • Code Letters DHUU (1934–45)
  • Pennant Number TS(K)2 (1939–40)
  • Pennant Number TS(K)1 (1940)
  • Schiff 40 (1939–40)
FateBombed, damaged beyond economic repair
General characteristics
Class and type
Tonnage2,448 GRT, 1,435 NRT
Length93.57 metres (307 ft 0 in)
Beam13.84 metres (45 ft 5 in)
Draught6.63 metres (21 ft 9 in)
Depth5.97 metres (19 ft 7 in)
Installed powerCompound steam engine, 272 nhp
PropulsionScrew propeller
Speed11 knots (20 km/h)

Sperrbrecher 18 was a Kriegsmarine sperrbrecher that was built in 1930 as the cargo ship Schürbek by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, Flensburg for Knöhr & Burchardt, Hamburg. She was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine during World War II and was designated Schiff 40 and later Sperrbrecher 18. Severely damaged in an Allied air raid on Hamburg in March 1945, she was declared a constructive total loss and scrapped in 1948–49.

Description

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The ship was 93.57 metres (307 ft 0 in) long, with a beam of 13.84 metres (45 ft 5 in). She had a depth of 5.97 metres (19 ft 7 in) and a draught of 6.63 metres (21 ft 9 in). She was assessed at 2,448 GRT, 1,435 NRT.[1]

She was powered by a four-cylinder compound steam engine, which had two cylinders of 478 millimetres (18+13⁄16 in) diameter and two cylinders of 1,000 millimetres (39+3⁄8 in) diameter by 1,000 millimetres (39+3⁄8 in) stroke. The engine was built by A. Borsig GmbH., Berlin. It was rated at 272 nhp and drove a screw propeller.[1] It could propel her at 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h).[2]

When operated as a Sperrbrecher, the ship was armed with two 10.5 cm SK L/45 naval guns, six 3.7 cm anti-aircraft guns and four 2 cm anti-aircraft guns.[3]

History

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Schürbek was built as yard number 418 by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, Flensburg for Knöhr & Burchardt, Hamburg.[2] She was launched on 10 April 1930 and completed on 3 June.[4] Her port of registry was Hamburg and the Code Letters RHPN were allocated.[1] In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to DHUU.[5] On 19 August 1939, Schürbek collided with the Portuguese steamship Corte Real at Rotterdam, Netherlands. Both vessels were damaged.[6]

On 5 September 1939, she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine. Allocated the pennant number TS(K)2 and designated Schiff 40, she was allocated to 6 Vorpostengruppe on 23 December as a Q-ship. On 20 January 1940, her pennant number was changed to TS(K)1. Schürbek was placed under the control of the Führer der Sonderverband West.[4][7] On 10 April 1940, Schürbek was attacked by the British submarine HMS Tarpon west of Jutland. Tarpon's torpedoes missed, and Schürbek and the minesweeper M18 delivered a sustained depth charge attack over several hours, which sank Tarpon.[8] On 12 April 1940, Schürbek was torpedoed and damaged in the Skaggerak by the British submarine HMS Sunfish.[4][9]

She was under repair from 10 September to 19 December, and was recommissioned as the auxiliary minesweeper Sperrbrecher 18,[4] joining the 3rd Sperrbrecherflotille, operating off Norway and in the Baltic.[7][10] On 12 March 1945, Sperrbrecher 18 was severely damaged in an American air raid on Hamburg and was declared a constructive total loss. Although allocated to the United Kingdom post-war,[11] Lloyd's Register shows that she remained under the German flag under her original name.[12] Schürbek was scrapped in 1948–49.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Schürbek (33760)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Navires à Vapeur et à Moteurs. SCH (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1931–1932. Retrieved 13 February 2024 – via Southampton City Council.
  2. ^ a b Gröner 1993, p. 536.
  3. ^ Gröner, Jung & Maass 1985, p. 257.
  4. ^ a b c d Gröner 1993, p. 537.
  5. ^ "Schürbek (84664)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Navires à Vapeur et à Moteurs. SCA-SCH (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934–1935. Retrieved 13 February 2024 – via Southampton City Council.
  6. ^ "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48389. London. 21 August 1939. col F, p. 21.
  7. ^ a b Gröner, Jung & Maass 1985, p. 259.
  8. ^ Haarr 2009, Chapter 14: No Room For Mistakes: Damned Un-English Vessels : "Also on the 10th, Tarpon attacked what turned out to be the Q-ship Schürbeck (Schiff 40)..."
  9. ^ Haarr 2009, Chapter 14: No Room For Mistakes: Damned Un-English Vessels : "On the 14th, Sunfish, who had unknowingly revenged Tarpon by torpedoing the Q-ship Schürbeck..."
  10. ^ Patterson 2017, p. 98.
  11. ^ a b Jordan 1999, pp. 477–78.
  12. ^ "SCH-SCI Lloyd's Register Navires a Vapeur et a Moteurs". Lloyd's Register. London: Lloyd's of London. 1947.

Sources

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