German trawler V 804 Skolpenbank

History
Germany
Name	Skolpenbank
Owner	Kriegsmarine
Builder	Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau
Launched	1930
Commissioned	1939
Fate	Lost in the North Sea on 17 October 1939 due to unknown causes
General characteristics ^[1]
Tonnage	381 GRT
Length	45.3 metres (148 ft 7 in)
Beam	7.7 metres (25 ft 3 in)
Draught	4 metres (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	steam

V 804 Skolpenbank was a German fishing trawler which was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine for service as a Vorpostenboot during World War II.

History

[edit]

Skolpenbank was built in Bremen by Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau in 1930. It was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in 1939.^[1]

Skolpenbank was listed as missing on 18 October while patrolling in poor weather near a mined area north of Schiermonnikoog in the North Sea. While the area was checked once the weather was cleared and no deliberately laid mines were found, it is possible the ship was sunk by a "drifter" which had broken loose and floated away due to the poor weather. It is also possible that the Skolpenbank simply succumbed to the bad weather, though this is unlikely because the ship was designed to operate in the North Sea.^[2]^: 78

The sinking of Skolpenbank and the uncertainty regarding the location and condition of its wreck led the Seekriegsleitung (Maritime Warfare Command) to order that no unnecessary classified information should be carried aboard patrolling vessels, since there was always a possibility that they could be wrecked in shallow water and boarded by enemy forces in search of intelligence.^[2]^: 79

References

[edit]

^ ^a ^b "V-804 (Skolpenbank) (+1939)". Wrecksite. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
^ ^a ^b Paterson, Lawrence (2018). Hitler's Forgotten Flotillas: Kriegsmarine Security Forces. Open Road Integrated Media. ISBN 9781473882416.

v t e Vorpostenboote of the Kriegsmarine
List of Vorpostenboote in World War II
1 Vorpostenflotille	V 101 Schwan V 102 Cressida V 103 Sylvia V 104 Falke V 105 Cremon V 106 Phönix V 107 Botilla Russ V 108 Friedrich Karl V 108 Porjus V 109 Flamingo
2 Vorpostenflotille	V 201 Seydlitz V 202 Franz Westermann V 204 Dorum V 205 Hermann Bösch V 206 Gauleiter Telschow V 207 Otto Bröhan V 208 Gebrüder Kähler V 209 Carl Röver V 209 Dr. Rudolf Wahrendorff V 210 R. Walther Darré V 211 Friedrich Busse V 212 Hinrich Hey V 213 Claus Bolten V 213 Zieten V 214 Spica V 214 Teutonia V 215 Baden V 215 Oliva V 216 Goëland
3 Vorpostenflotille	V 301 Weser V 302 Bremen V 303 Tannenberg V 304 Breslau V 305 Ostpreussen V 306 Fritz Hincke V 307 Württemberg V 308 Oscar Neynaber V 309 Martin Donandt V 310 Rosemarie V 311 Osdorf V 312 Hanseat V 313 Eifel V 314 Heinrich Lehnert V 315 Bris V 317 Wega
4 Vorpostenflotille	V 401 Nordland V 401 Dr. Adolf Spilker V 402 Hans Loh V 403 Germania V 404 Deutschland V 404 Baden V 405 J. Hinrich Wilhelms V 406 Jan Mayen V 407 Saarland V 407 Dorum V 408 Haltenbank V 409 August Bösch V 412 Bremerhaven V 413 Ferdinand Niedermeyer V 414 Sachsenwald V 420 Alcyon V 421 Rauzan V 422 Kergroise V 423 Keryado II V 424 Carl J. Busch V 427 Victoire
5 Vorpostengruppe	Wandrahm Birka Neuss Nerissa
6 Vorpostengruppe	Dr. Heinrich Wiegand Jupiter Oldenburg Schürbek
6 Vorpostenflotille	V 601 Dr. Heinrich Wiegand V 602 Richard C. Krogmann V 603 Carsten V 604 Fritz Reiser V 605 Arthur Duncker V 606 Fladengrund V 607 Düsseldorf V 620 Derfflinger V 621 Mars V 622 Almuth V 623 Jupiter V 624 Köln V 625 Johann Schulte
7 Vorpostenflotille	V 704 Richard C. Krogmann V 705 Carsten V 706 Fritz Reiser V 707 Arthur Duncker V 708 Fladengrund V 710 Düsseldorf V 727 Goëland
8 Vorpostenflotille	V 801 Max Gundelach V 804 Skolpenbank V 804 Spica V 811 Hugo Homann Schiff 7 Wega
11 Vorpostenflotille	V 1101 Preußen
13 Vorpostenflotille	V 1302 John Mahn V 1337 Victoire
14 Vorpostenflotille	V 1419 Victoire
15 Vorpostenflotille	PA 1 PA 2 V 1502 Wiking 6 V 1503 Wiking 10 V 1504 Wiking 8 V 1507 Rau VI V 1512 Unitas 8 V 1523 Deltra I
16 Vorpostenflotille	V 1605 Mosel
17 Vorpostenflotille	V 1703 Unitas 4 V 1704 Unitas 5
18 Vorpostengruppe	Schiff 7 Wega
18 Vorpostenflotille	V 1801 Wandrahm
51 Vorpostenflotille	V 5102 Orkan V 5106 Sindbad
55 Vorpostenflotille	V 5501 Zick
57 Vorpostenflotille	V 5717 Fritz Homann
59 Vorpostenflotille	V 5908 Togo
61 Vorpostenflotille	V 6105 Samoa V 6112 Friese V 6114 Eismeer
65 Vorpostenflotille	V 6512 Togo
Vessels are listed under their first designation within each Vorpostenflotille. Subsequent changes in pennant numbers not shown.

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in October 1939
Shipwrecks	1 Oct: M85 6 Oct: Mahratta 8 Oct: Binnendijk, U-12 9 Oct: Mount Ida 13 Oct: U-40, U-42 14 Oct: HMS Royal Oak, U-45 17 Oct: Clan Chisholm 25 Oct: U-16 27 Oct: USC&GS Mikawe
Other incidents	1 Oct: HNLMS Jan van Gelder 17 Oct: HMS Iron Duke 18 Oct: Sagaing 21 Oct: Gloria
1938 1939 1940 September 1939 November 1939