German trawler V 409 August Bösch
German fishing trawler used as a Vorpostenboot
History
Name August Bösch
Owner
C. C. H. Bösch (1934–39)
Kriegsmarine (1939–44)
Port of registry
Builder H. C. Stülcken Sohn
Yard number 689
Launched 8 June 1934
Completed 10 August 1934
Commissioned 25 September 1939
Out of service 20 August 1944
Identification
Code Letters DQPZ
Fishing boat registration BX 246 (1934–39)
Pennant Number V 409 (1939–44)
Fate Bombed and sunk
General characteristics
Tonnage 401 GRT , 155 NRT
Length 49.50 m (162 ft 5 in)
Beam 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draught 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in)
Depth 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in)
Installed power Triple expansion steam engine, 136nhp
Propulsion Single screw propeller
Speed 12 knots (22 km/h)
August Bösch was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot , serving as V 409 August Bösch . She was bombed and sunk off the coast of Vendée , France in August 1944.
Description
August Bösch was 49.50 metres (162 ft 5 in) long, with a beam of 8.00 metres (26 ft 3 in). She had a depth of 3.75 metres (12 ft 4 in) and a draught of 4.55 metres (14 ft 11 in). She was assessed at 401 GRT , 155 NRT . The ship was powered by a triple expansion steam engine , which had cylinders of 35 centimetres (13+ 3 ⁄4 in), 55 centimetres (21+ 5 ⁄8 in) and 88 centimetres (34+ 5 ⁄8 in) diameter by 66 centimetres (26 in) stroke. The engine was made by H. C. Stülcken Sohn , Hamburg , Germany . It was rated at 136nhp . It drove a single screw propeller via a low pressure turbine,[ 2] and could propel the ship at 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h).
History
August Bösch was built in 1934 as yard number 689 by H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg, for C. C. H. Bösch, Bremerhaven , Germany.[ 2] She was launched on 8 June and competed on 10 August. The Code Letters DQPZ were allocated,[ 2] as was the fishing boat registration BX 246.
On 25 September 1939, August Bösch was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine for use as a vorpostenboot . She was commissioned into 4 Vorpostenflotille as V 409 August Bösch . On 20 August 1944, she was bombed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay off Les Sables-d'Olonne , Vendée , France (46°30′N 1°48′W / 46.500°N 1.800°W / 46.500; -1.800 ) by Allied aircraft. The minesweeper M 4214 Jean Marthe was also sunk in the attack.[ 4]
References
Bibliography
Gröner, Erich (1993). Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945 (in German). Vol. 8/I: Flußfahrzeuge, Ujäger, Vorpostenboote, Hilfsminensucher, Küstenschutzverbände (Teil 1). Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-4807-5 .
1 Vorpostenflotille 2 Vorpostenflotille 3 Vorpostenflotille 4 Vorpostenflotille 5 Vorpostengruppe 6 Vorpostengruppe 6 Vorpostenflotille 7 Vorpostenflotille 8 Vorpostenflotille 9 Vorpostenflotille 10 Vorpostenflotille 11 Vorpostenflotille 12 Vorpostenflotille 13 Vorpostenflotille 14 Vorpostenflotille 15 Vorpostenflotille 16 Vorpostengruppe 16 Vorpostenflotille 17 Vorpostenflotille 18 Vorpostengruppe 18 Vorpostenflotille 19 Vorpostenflotille 20 Vorpostenflotille 51 Vorpostenflotille 53 Vorpostenflotille 55 Vorpostenflotille 57 Vorpostenflotille 59 Vorpostenflotille 61 Vorpostenflotille 63 Vorpostenflotille 64 Vorpostenflotille 65 Vorpostenflotille 66 Vorpostenflotille 67 Vorpostenflotille 68 Vorpostenflotille 7 & 13 Sicherungsflotille Vessels are listed under their first designation within each Vorpostenflotille . Subsequent changes in pennant numbers not shown.
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in August 1944
Shipwrecks
2 Aug: USS Fiske
3 Aug: HMS Quorn
4 Aug: Tannenfels , Matsu
5 Aug: Mefküre , U-671
6 Aug: Empire City , Sachsenwald , Thétis , U-471 , U-736 , U-952 , U-969 , V 215 Oliva
7 Aug: Amsterdam , Empire Day , Nagara
8 Aug: Conte Verde , HMCS Regina , Tama Maru No. 6 , V 104 Falke
9 Aug: Spichern
10 Aug: U-608
11 Aug: V 623 Jupiter , U-385 , U-967
12 Aug: T-114 , T-118 , U-198 , U-981 , V 410 Germania
13 Aug: USS Flier , U-270 , V 1101 Preußen
14 Aug: V 605 Arthur Duncker , Gueydon , U-618
15 Aug: U-741
16 Aug: Trémintin
17 Aug: TA35
18 Aug: La Galissonnière , Natori , Strasbourg , Taiyō , Teia Maru , U-107 , U-129 , U-621
19 Aug: Commandant Teste , Hayasui , Tamatsu Maru , U-123 , U-466 , V-6112 Friese
20 Aug: Richard Montgomery , U-9 , U-413 , U-984 , U-1229 . V 409 August Bösch
21 Aug: HMCS Alberni , HMS Kite , HMS Orchis , U-230 , V 402 Dr. Adolf Spilker , Z23
22 Aug: HMS Bickerton , HMS Loyalty , Matsuwa , Tsushima Maru , U-344 , V 401 Jan Mayen , V 405 J. Hinrich Wilhelms , V 413 Ferdinand Niedermeyer
23 Aug: Asakaze , U-180
24 Aug: USS Harder , NMS Mihail Kogălniceanu , U-354 , U-445 , Z37
25 Aug: Sperrbrecher 136 , U-18 , U-24 , U-178 , U-667 , UIT-21 , Yūnagi , Z24
26 Aug: Samidare , U-188 , V 404 Baden , V 411 Saarland
27 Aug: HMS Britomart , Clemenceau , HMS Hussar
28 Aug: John Barry , V 407 Dorum
30 Aug: De Grasse , M553
31 Aug: Shirataka
Unknown date: Condorcet , Kulmerland , Marechal Petain , U-925
Other incidents