German trawler V 201 Seydlitz
# German trawler V 201 Seydlitz

Seydlitz was a German trawler built in 1936 which was converted into a Vorpostenboot for the Kriegsmarine during World War II, serving as V 201 Seydlitz and V 211 Seydlitz. She was bombed and sunk off the Channel Islands on 20 March 1944.

## Description

Seydlitz was 49.40 metres (162 ft 1 in) long, with a beam of 8.03 metres (26 ft 4 in) and a depth of 3.76 metres (12 ft 4 in). It was assessed at 449 GRT, 167 NRT. It was powered by a triple expansion steam engine which had cylinders of 36.0 centimetres (14+3⁄16 in), 55 centimetres (21+5⁄8 in) and 90.0 centimetres (35+7⁄16 in) diameter by 64.9 centimetres (25+9⁄16 in) stroke. The engine was built by Deschimag, Wesermünde. It was rated at 98nhp, giving a speed of 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h).

## History

In 1936, Seydlitz was constructed as yard number 570 by the German shipbuilder Seebeckwerft AG as a civilian fishing trawler for F. A. Pust Hochseefischerei AG, Wesermünde. The Code Letters DFCP were allocated, as was the fishing boat registration PG 508. On 1 October 1939, the Kriegsmarine requisitioned the vessel and commissioned it as a Vorpostenboot in the 2 Vorpostenflotille under the designation V 201 Seydlitz. The ship was redesignated V 211 Seydlitz on 20 October. With the rest of the 2 Vorpostenflotille, Seydlitz operated in the North Sea from 1939 to 1940 and in the English Channel from 1940 to 1944.

Seydlitz was sunk by British fighter-bombers on 20 March 1944 in the English Channel between Guernsey, Channel Islands and Barfleur, Manche, France. Twenty-seven crew were killed. The wreck now lies where it was sunk approximately 50 metres (160 ft) below the surface.

