Minesweeper flotilla (Kriegsmarine) on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Minesweeper flotillas of the Kriegsmarine were
Minesweeper flotillas of the Kriegsmarine were administrative unit
Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...
s which grouped German minesweepers together. There were three types of minesweeper flotillas: standard minesweepers, auxiliary minesweepers, and "mine barrage" vessels. Flotilla commanders operated from a shore office, and were usually commanded by an officer ranked as a ''Korvettenkapitän
() is the lowest ranking senior officer in a number of Germanic-speaking navies.
Austro-Hungary
Belgium
Germany
Korvettenkapitän, short: KKpt/in lists: KK, () is the lowest senior officer rank () in the German Navy.
Address
The off ...
''. All minesweeper flotillas were under the command of the ''Führer der Minensuchboote'' ( Leader of Minesweepers) which, by 1940, had been divided into three separate offices for activities in the North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the ...
, Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain.
The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and ...
, and off the coast of France.
When operationally deployed, the minesweepers were under a separate chain of command
A command hierarchy is a group of people who carry out orders based on others' authority within the group. It can be viewed as part of a power structure, in which it is usually seen as the most vulnerable and also the most powerful part.
Milit ...
under the authority of harbor security commanders.Lott, A., Most Dangerous Sea: A History of Mine Warfare and an Account of U.S. Navy Mine Warfare Operations in World War II and Korea, Naval Institute Press (1959)
Minesweeper flotillas
The first minesweeper flotilla of the Kriegsmarine was formed in 1936 from pre-existing units of theReichsmarine
The ''Reichsmarine'' ( en, Realm Navy) was the name of the German Navy during the Weimar Republic and first two years of Nazi Germany. It was the naval branch of the ''Reichswehr'', existing from 1919 to 1935. In 1935, it became known as the '' ...
, which had maintained two minesweeper and one auxiliary minesweeper flotillas during the inter-war years. The standard German minesweeper flotilla of World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
contained between seven and fifteen minesweeper class vessels.
Auxiliary Minesweeper flotillas
In addition to the standard minesweeper flotillas, twenty "auxiliary minesweeper" (R boat
The R boats (''Räumboote'' in German, meaning ''minesweeper'') were a group of small naval vessels built as minesweepers for the ''Kriegsmarine'' (German navy) before and during the Second World War. They were used for several purposes during th ...
) flotillas (''Räumboots-Flottille'') were formed during the Second World War.
; 1. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in October 1937, with boats: R 17, R 18, R 19, R 20, R 21, R 22, R 23, R 24.
* Other boats assigned during its existence: R 43, R 52, R 65, R 66, R 67, R 68, R 69, R 70, R 71, R 72, R 73, R 74, R 75, R 76, R 106, R 119, R 120, R 127, R 128, R 145, R 150, R 249, R 259, R 260, R 268.
* Escort ship assigned: ''Nettelbeck'', ''Nordpol''.
; 2. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in November 1938, with boats: R 25, R 26, R 27, R 28, R 29, R 29, R 30, R 31, R 32.
* Other boats assigned during its existence: R 74, R 77, R 84, R 86, R 113, R 114, R 116, R 125, R 129, R 169.
* In 1945 was composed by boats: R 412, R 413, R 414, R 415, R 416, R 417.
* Escort ship assigned: tender ''Brommy''.
; 3. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in 1939 at Pillau, with boats: R 33, R 34, R 35, R 36, R 37, R 38, R 39, R 40.
* Other boats assigned during its existence: R 163, R 164, R 165, R 166 R 196, R 197, R 203, R 204, R 205, R 206, R 207, R 208, R 209, R 216, R 248.
* Escort ship assigned: tender ''Von der Groeben''.
* In 1945 was composed by boats: R 270, R 288, R 289, R 418, R 420, R 421, R 422 R 423.
** Escort ship assigned: ''Gazelle''.
; 4. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in April 1940, with boats: R 41, R 42, R 43, R 44, R 45, R 46, R 47, R 48, R 49, R 50, R 51, R 52.
* Other boats assigned during its existence: R 80, R 83, R 115, R 120, R 126, R 128, R 138, R 143, R 150, R 218, R 240, R 243, R 244, R 245, R 246, R 255, R 262, R 274, R 275, R 290, R 291.
; 5. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in August 1939, with boats: R 1, R 3, R 4, R 5, R 6, R 7, R 8, R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13.
* In 1941 was composed by boats: R 53, R 54, R 55, R 56, R 57, R 58, R 59, R 60, R 61, R 62, R 63, R 64.
* Other boats assigned during its existence: R 89, R 90, R 113, R 121, R 122, R 124, R 238, R 250, R 269, R 273.
* Escort ship assigned: ''Elbe''.
; 6. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in July 1941 at Cuxhaven, with boats: R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13, R 14, R 15, R 16.
* Other boats assigned during its existence: R 1, R 3, R 4, R 6, R 7, R 8, R 115, R 187, RA 10 (former English motor torpedo boat), and RD-boats: RD 116, RD 117, RD 118, RD 119, RD 120, RD 121, RD 122, RD 127, RD 128, RD 129, RD 130, RD 131.
; 7. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in October 1940, with boats: R 151, R 152, R 153, R 154, R 155, R 156, R 157, R 158, R 159, R 160, R 161, R 162.
* Other boats assigned during its existence: R 173, R 202, R 223, R 262, R 277.
* Escort ship assigned: ''Weser''
; 8. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in January 1942, with boats: R 92, R 93, R 94, R 95, R 96, R 97, R 98, R 99, R 100, R 101.
* Other boats assigned during its existence: R 113, R 117, R 118, R 130, R 146, R 147, R 257, R 258, R 409.
* Escort ship assigned: '' Nadir'', ''Schwertfisch''.
; 9. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in May–June 1942 at Rotterdam.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 85, R 87, R 88, R 103, R 104, R 105, R 107, R 108, R 109, R 110, R 111, R 112, R 131, R 148, R 149, R 247, R 251, R 412, R 413, R 414, R 415, R 416, R 417
* Escort ship assigned: ''Alders''.
; 10. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in February–March 1942 at Cuxhaven
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 175, R 176, R 177, R 179, R 180, R 181, R 182, R 183, R 184, R 190, R 213, R 217, R 218, R 219, R 221, R 222, R 224, R 234.
* Escort ship assigned: ''von der Lippe''.
; 11. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in September 1939, with 8 fishing trawlers and 1 escort ship. In October 1940, was renamed 7th Minesweeper Flotilla and assigned purpose-built R-boats.
* Boats assigned during its existence, from 1942: R 39, R 161, R 162, R 189, R 192, R 198, R 199, R 200, R 201, R 212, R 215, RD 102, RD 103, RD 104, RD 105, RD 109, RD 111, RD 112, RD 113, RD 114, RD 148, RD 149, RA 252, RA 253, RA 254, RA 258, RA 260, RA 261, RA 262, RA 263, RA 264, RA 267, RA 268.
; 12. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in May 1942 at Bruges; then moved into the Mediterranean. Dissolved in February 1945.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 34, R 38, R 40, R 178, R 185, R 186, R 188, R 190, R 191, R 194, R 195, R 210, R 211.
* Escort ship assigned: ''von der Groeben''.
; 13. Räumboots-Flottille
Established on 15 November 1943; used in the German Bight. In 1957, the flotilla was transferred to the new German Navy (''Bundesmarine'') from the German Mine Sweeping Administration.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 132, R 133, R 134, R 135, R 136, R 137, R 138, R 139, R 140, R 141, R 142, R 144, R 177, R 252.
* Escort ship assigned: ''Nordsee''.
; 14. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in December 1943; used in the English Channel. After the invasion of France in June 1944 was used in the German Bight and the Baltic Sea.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 18, R 214, R 219, R 225, R 226, R 227, R 227, R 228, R 229, R 230, R 231, R 232, R 233, R 235, R 236, R 237, R 242, R 259, R 263.
* Escort ship assigned: ''Barbara''.
; 15. Räumboots-Flottille
Established on 1 July 1944; used in the Baltic Sea, including Finnish waters. Disbanded after the German surrender.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 239, R 240, R 241, R 243, R 244, R 245, R 254, R 255, R 256, R 409, R 410, R 411.
; 16. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in October 1944, main base Haugesund, Norway. Dissolved on 25 November 1947.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 264, R 266, R 267, R 401, R 402, R 403, R 404, R 405, R 406, R 407, R 408, R 424.
; 17. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in July 1944 with school and training boats; initially named Räumbootsflottille zbV, and used in the Baltic Sea. Dissolved late 1947.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 55, R 71, R 102, R 167, R 170, R 174, R 175, R 176, R 181, R 220, R 241, R 246, R 249, R 290.
; 21. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in July 1943. The flotilla consisted of 12 large escort minesweepers (Geleit-Räumbooten) based at Bergen, Norway. Dissolved early 1946.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 301, R 302, R 303, R 304, R 305, R 306, R 307, R 308, R 309, R 310, R 311, R 312
; 25. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in the summer of 1945 at Denmark with boats from various flotillas, for the German Mine Sweeping Administration. Dissolved early 1946.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 18, R 23, R 65, R 234, R 254, R 257, R 258, R 409, R 410, R 411
* Escort ship assigned: ''Riegel''.
; 30. Räumboots-Flottille
Established in June 1943 with small Dutch minesweepers and moved into the Black Sea. Dissolved in August 1944.
* Boats assigned during its existence: R 30, RA 51, RA 52, RA 54, RA 56.
Mine Barrage flotillas
Mine barrage flotillas (''Sperrbrecherflottille'') were composed of auxiliary naval ships and merchant vessels that had been converted to enter minefields ahead of other ships in order to detonate enemy mines. These ''Sperrbrecher
A ''Sperrbrecher'' (German; informally translated as "pathfinder" but literally meaning "mine barrage breaker"), was a German auxiliary ship of the First World War and the Second World War that served as a type of minesweeper, steaming ahead of ot ...
'' vessels were heavily armored and were occasionally outfitted as anti-aircraft platforms. The Kriegsmarine first organized the mine barrage vessels into ''Speerbrechergruppe'' (mine barrage groups) at the start of World War II. Each group contained various auxiliary vessels designated by roman numerals augmented by a naval tender.
Original mine barrage groups
* Group One: ''Sperrbrecher'' X, XI, & XII
* Group Two: ''Sperrbrecher'' I, II, III
* Group Three: ''Never formed''
* Group Four: ''Sperrbrecher'' IV, V, VI
* Group Five: ''Never formed''
* Group Six: ''Sperrbrecher'' VIII, IX
In June 1940, the Kriegsmarine formed a mine barrage unit in the Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
known as ''Sperrbrechergruppe Niederlande''. Shortly thereafter, the Kriegsmarine began to designate mine barrage vessels with capitol letters, but only three such vessels were ever declared (''Sperrbrecher'' A, B, & C). By late 1940, the mine barrage vessels were designated with standard numbers while the mine barrage groups were re-designated as flotillas. Eight flotillas were authorized with seven eventually formed; the standard rank for a mine barrage flotilla commander was ''Fregattenkapitän''. As the ''Sperrbrecher'' ships were mostly auxiliary vessels, the flotillas were considered administrative in nature and operated from shore offices.
Support craft and tenders
In addition to the standard ''Sperrbrecher'' craft, some flotillas possessed support and tender vessels for refit and supply duties Mine barrage support vessels *Flak
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...
defense ship ''28'' (1st Flotilla)
* Artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
boat ''K4'' (1st Flotilla)
* Control ship ''Möwe'' (1st Flotilla)
* Control ship ''F4'' (2nd Flotilla)
* Night patrol ship (3rd Flotilla)
* Steamship ''Frisia IX'' (8th Flotilla)
* Tender ''Hamburg'' (1st Flotilla)
References
Notes
{{Kriegsmarine Military units and formations of the Kriegsmarine Minesweepers Naval mine units and formations