Thema: Yachts used by the Kriegsmarine off Southern France1943-45

[PT Dockyard]

Can anyone provide photos of the following French yachts taken over as Auxillary Minesweepers in 1939 and later  used off Southern France by the Kriegsmarine?

Tess II (AD-127)
Marélyn (AD-128)
Caducée (AD 239)
Bittern ( Served in the Vichy Fr. Navy 1941)


There are a number of yachts that later served in the Kriegsmarine that I am interested in too:
L'Aventureux
Vier
La Route est Belle
Floculat
Fleur de Lys
Fanfan La Tulipe (I love the name on this one!)
Dulcinea
Chimére
Mar y Sol
Fat Duc
Sabot de Venus

Any help would be great and my interest is not limited to this list.

Is there a source (book, website) on old yachts available somewhere?

Dave G.
The PT Dockyard

[Zerstörerfahrer]

Hallo,

Motoryacht (laut Kriegsgliederung Motorboot) Tess II = M 7608, im Mai 1943 bei der 6. Räumbootsflottille.
Motoryacht Sabot de Venus = FCi 06.
Motoryacht Mar Y Sol = FMa 11.
Motoryacht Fleur de Lys = FTo 06.
Motoryacht Vier = FSe 09.
Motoryacht Bittern = FMa 15.
Motoryacht La Route est Belle = FMa 16.
Motoryacht Floculat = FCi 05.
Motoryacht Fanfan La Tulipe = FCa 06.
Motoryacht Dulcinea = FTo 11.
Motoryacht Chimère = FMa 09.
Motoryacht Fat Duck = FSe 08.
Motoryacht Caducée = M 6005
Motoycht Marélyn = M 7606, im Mai 1943 bei der 6. Räumbootsflottille vorhanden.

Lebenslauf und technische Daten im Gröner Band 8/2.

FMa = Hafenschutzgruppe Marseille
FSe = Hafenschutzflottille Sète
FTo = Hafenschutzgruppe Toulon
FCa = Hafenschutzgruppe Cannes
FCi = Hafenschutzgruppe La Ciottat

Alle Angaben nach Gröner Band 8/2.

René

[PT Dockyard]

Found one!  Here is a link to a picture of Marélyn (AD-128) while she was still the yacht "Braemar" in the late '20's.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z206/ptdockyard/Marlynvon1929alsBraemar2.jpg

I'd love to know what she was armed with in KM service!

Dave G.

[PT Dockyard]

Here one that was not on my original list but is a great find- FCa05 Silver Wings...

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z206/ptdockyard/fc05silverwings.jpg

What a sweet little boat!

Dave

[de domenico]

A few more data about  yachts seized in the Cote d'Azur in Nov. 1942 by the Regia Marina then the Kriegsmarine:
DULCINEA (American flag, 73 grt/1943) then FR 203  then FTo 11
LILY MAID IV (British flag, 38 grt/1928) then Regia Marina FR 231 then IS 01 (Italien Spezia Kuestenschutzfl.)
EMBRUN (French flag, 46 grt/1926, ex French Navy VP.140, ex JANETHA) then FR 252 then FTo 05
POISSON SORCIER II (Monaco flag, 42 grt/1934) then FR 304 then M 6012
VELELLA II (192 grt/1910, ex NUBIAN, ex BLACK JOKE, ex RIVER DEBEN, ex ZWALOEW) then FR 306 then M 6008.

[TD]

Vielen Dank.

Man würd ja am liebsten sageen: Mehr davon !!

Eine der Yachten aus Monaco ist ja schon vertreten !

Gruß

Theo

[PT Dockyard]

Great information. Thank you!
 
Now, to find pictures.....

Dave G.

[kgvm]

The "Tess II" as "Vonna", don't remember were I found the picture 

[maurice voss]

Hello,


Hiermit wass ich diesbezüglich in eine alte "Belgian Shiplover" gefunden habe (N°131 und 132 S.435 Lo Svilupo della Marina Italiana durch D. Selesneff)
mfG
Maurice

[TD]

Hallo Maurice,
recht herzlichen Dank.

Die Liste steht schon sei 1970 oben in einen Regal bei mir und ich denke niedaran !!

Aber :

Welche it. Landungsschiffe wursen am 9.9.1943 in Toulon deutsche Beute ??

Gruß

Theo

[kgvm]

Um noch ein paar Daten in den Raum zu stellen, hier eine von mir erstellte Liste unter Nutzung der Daten aus Llyoyd's Register of Yachts 1930, 1938 und 1950

[de domenico]

 
Dear Klaus Guenther,

since you were so kind with the list, I thought I might improve your database a little:

FR 204 MAVIS, Admiralty hired yacht as ferry at Scapa 9.7.1917-26.5.1919 (as a tug from 1918), pendant Y4.67

FR 213 TIRRENA (not TIRRENIA), French Navy reqn. 31.5.1940 Cannes as AD 251 (ii), paid off there 16.10.1940

FR 252 EMBRUN, French Navy req. Oran 9.11.1939 as VP.140, paid off there 15.10.1940

FR 255 SYLVIA (not SILVYA), French Navy req. Oran 6.9.1939 as VP.137, paid off there 20.9.1940

FR 267 DEDE', 12 grt/1926, French Navy req. Cannes 28.8.1939 as VP.47, paid off Marseilles 5.1.1940 (or 7.1940)

FR 278 FOAM, 39 t Thames meas., 33 grt/1902, Admiralty hired yacht 5.9.1914-24.4.1918, 1 x .45 in. Maxim

probable correct names:
FR 215 HERON BLACK ? (not BLAK)
FR 239 SEA KNIGHT (not KINIGHT)
FR 254 JEANNE CLAIRE (not IRANNE CLAIRE)
FR 266 JUBILEE (not JUBILLEE)
FR 270 SO COOL (not SOKOOL)
FR 272 LA REINE JEANNE (not JANE)
FR 280 SUSAN or SUZANNE (not SUZON)
FR 283 JACAMAR (not JACOMAR)
FR 307 NYMPHEE (not NINPHEE)
FR 308 MARIE JEANNE (not MARIN JANNE)


Francesco

My sources are:
Dittmar & Colledge, "British Warships 1914-1919", Ian Allan, 1970;
Henri Le Masson ,"The French Navy 2", Macdonald, 1969;
Jean-Michel Roche, "Dictionnaire des Batiments de la Flotte de Guerre Française de Colbert à nos Jours, Vol. II 1870-2006", Dec. 2005.

[maurice voss]

Hallo,

Die "Liste officielle des navires de mer belges" am 1.1.1940 gibt nur ein CAÏMAN an:

25 grt 18 nrt blt Bruges 1930 Eigentümer: Albert de Smet
Heimathafen: Vilvorde  c/s OOCD

mfG
Maurice

[de domenico]

Excuse me Maurice,
the issues of the "Belgian Shiplover" you mention belong to which year or  volume?

Francesco

Hello,


Hiermit wass ich diesbezüglich in eine alte "Belgian Shiplover" gefunden habe (N°131 und 132 S.435 Lo Svilupo della Marina Italiana durch D. Selesneff)
mfG
Maurice

[maurice voss]

Hello Francesco,

N°131-132 is the nr issued in Sept/Dec 1969 Volume XX Nr 9/12.

Best regards
Maurice