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History
Name	R. Walther Darré
Owner	Nordsee Deutsche Hochseefischerei Bremen-Cuxhaven AG. (1933–39); Kriegsmarine (1939–44);
Port of registry	Wesermünde, Germany (1933–39); Kriegsmarine (1939–44);
Builder	Deschimag Seebeckwerft
Yard number	506
Launched	July 1933
Completed	24 August 1933
Commissioned	28 September 1939
Out of service	4 July 1944
Identification	Fishing boat registration HC 273 (1933–39); Code Letters DJMC (1934–44); ; Pennant Number V 210 (1939); Pennant Number V 208 (1939–44);
Fate	Sunk in battle
General characteristics
Type	Fishing trawler (1933–39); Vorpostenboot (1939–44);
Tonnage	391 GRT, 151 NRT
Length	45.46 m (149 ft 2 in)
Beam	7.69 m (25 ft 3 in)
Draught	4.65 metres (15 ft 3 in)
Depth	3.81 metres (12 ft 6 in)
Installed power	Compound steam engine, 115 nhp
Propulsion	Single screw propeller
Speed	10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)

R. Walther Darré was a German fishing trawler that was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot. She served as V 210 R. Walther Darré and V 208 R. Walther Darré. She was sunk in the English Channel by British motor torpedo boats in July 1944.

Description

R. Walther Darré was 45.46 metres (149 ft 2 in) long, with a beam of 7.69 metres (25 ft 3 in). She had a depth of 3.81 metres (12 ft 6 in) and a draught of 4.65 metres (15 ft 3 in).^[1] She was assessed at 391 GRT, 151 NRT. She was powered by a compound steam engine, which had cylinders of 35 centimetres (13+3⁄4 in) and 75 centimetres (29+1⁄2 in) diameter by 64.9 centimetres (25+9⁄16 in) stroke. The engine was made by Deschimag Seebeckwerft, Wesermünde. It was rated at 115nhp. The engine powered a single screw propeller driven via a geared low pressure turbine.^[2] It could propel the ship at 10 knots (19 km/h).^[1]

History

The ship was built as yard number 506 by Deschimag Seekbeckwerft, Wesermünde for the Nordsee Deutsche Hochseefischerei Bremen-Cuxhaven AG. She was launched in July 1933 and completed on 23 August. The fishing boat registration HC 273 was allocated.^[3] From 1934, she was allocated the Code Letters DJMC.^[2] R. Walther Darré took part in the Festungkriegsübung Swinemünde naval exercises on 10 June 1937.^[3]

R. Walther Darré was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine on 28 September 1939 for use as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 2 Vorpostenflotille as V 210 R. Walther Darré. On 20 October she was redesignated V 208 R. Walther Darré.^[4] On 9 September 1941, she assisted V 202 Hermann Bösch in rescuing the crew of the cargo ship Trifels, which had been torpedoed and sunk off Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais, France by the Motor Torpedo Boat HMMTB 54.^[5] On 27 August 1942, she was attacked and sunk by Allied aircraft at Dieppe, Seine-Inférieure, France. She was refloated, repaired and returned to service.^[3] On 4 July 1944, she was sunk in the English Channel (48°40′N 2°37′W / 48.667°N 2.617°W / 48.667; -2.617) by the motor torpedo boats HMMTB 734, HMMTB 735, HMMTB 743 and HMMTB 748 of the Royal Navy. V 210 Hinrich Hey was also sunk in the battle. V 209 Dr. Rudolf Wahrendorff and the minesweeper M 4622 were damaged.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b Gröner 1993, p. 204.
^ ^a ^b "R. Walther Darré (64840)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Chalutiers &c. R (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934–1935. Retrieved 31 May 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gröner 1993, p. 212.
^ "Vorpostenboote der deutschen Kriegsmarine 1939-45" (in German). Württemberg State Library. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
^ "Naval Events, September 1941, Part 1 of 2, Monday 1st – Sunday 14th". Naval History. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
^ Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1942, Juli" (in German). Württemberg State Library. Retrieved 31 May 2022.

Sources

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.