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A group of German minesweepers moored together

Minesweeper flotillas of the Kriegsmarine were administrative units which grouped German minesweepers together. There were three types of minesweeper flotillas: standard minesweepers, auxiliary minesweepers, and "mine barrage" vessels. Flotilla commanders operated from a shore office, and were usually commanded by an officer ranked as a Korvettenkapitän. All minesweeper flotillas were under the command of the Führer der Minensuchboote (Leader of Minesweepers) which, by 1940, had been divided into three separate offices for activities in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and off the coast of France.

When operationally deployed, the minesweepers were under a separate chain of command under the authority of harbor security commanders.[1]

Minesweeper flotillas

The first minesweeper flotilla of the Kriegsmarine was formed in 1936 from pre-existing units of the Reichsmarine, which had maintained two minesweeper and one auxiliary minesweeper flotillas during the inter-war years. The standard German minesweeper flotilla of World War II contained between seven and fifteen minesweeper class vessels.

List of minesweeper flotillas
Flotilla Formed Operational areas Original vessels assigned Additional vessels assigned
1st 1936 German Bight (1939), Norway (1940), France (1942), North Sea (1944) M 1, M 3, M 4, M 5, M 5, M 7, M 8[N 1] M 36, M 37, M 155, M 203, M 204, M 255, M 256
2nd Danzig (1939), Norway (1940), Netherlands (1942), France (1944) M 2, M 6, M 9, M 10, M 11, M 12, M 13[N 2] M 21, M 25, M 38, M 152, M 153, M 256
3rd 1940 North Sea (1940), Finland (1942) M 15, M 16, M 17, M 18, M 19, M 22, M 29, M 30
4th 1939 Norway (1940), Atlantic Coast (1942) M 36, M 81, M 101, M 132, M 151, M 203, M 204, M 255[N 3]
5th 1940 North Sea (1940), Baltic Sea (1941), Norway (1943) M 4, M 23, M 31, M 201, M 202, M 205, M 251, M 252, M 253
6th 1939 North Sea (1939), French Coast (1943) M 72, M 104, M 117, M 122, M 126, M 145, M 146 M 38, M 39, M 82, M 83, M 84, M 85, M 102, M 133, M 155, M 156, M 206, M 256, M 265, M 267
7th Baltic Sea (1939), North Sea (1941) M 75, M 84, M 85, M 102, M 122, M 126 M 82, M 83, M 154, M 205, M 206
8th 1941 French Coast (1941) M 24, M 26, M 27, M 28, M 32, M 34, M 152, M 254, M 256, M 265, M 277, M 292, M 329, M 370
9th 1943 Norway (1943) M 272, M 273, M 274, M 276, M 306, M 326, M 346, M 348, M 364, M 365
10th Atlantic Coast (1943) M 236, M 264, M 275, M 307, M 347, M 366, M 367, M 385, M 408, M 428, M 438
11th North Sea (1943) M 291, M 327, M 329, M 348, M 368, M 386, M 264, M 307, M 347
12th 1944 Baltic Sea (1944) M 601, M 602, M 603, M 604, M 605, M 612, M 801, M 802, M 803, M 804
13th 1939 Baltic Sea (1939), Norway (1940), Netherlands (1942) M 1301, M 1302, M 1303, M 1304, M 1305, M 1306, M 1307, M 1308
14th Baltic Sea (1939) M 1401, M 1402, M 1403, M 1404, M 1405, M 1406, M 1407, M 1408
15th Baltic Sea (1939), Norway (1940) M 1501, M 1502, M 1503, M 1504, M 1505, M 1506, M 1507, M 1508
16th North Sea (1939), France (1943) M 1601, M 1602, M 1603, M 1604, M 1605, M 1606, M 1607, M 1608, M 1609
17th Baltic Sea (1939), Norway (1940) M 1701, M 1702, M 1703, M 1704, M 1705, M 1706, M 1707, M 1708
18th North Sea (1939), Northern France (1942) M 1801, M 1802, M 1803, M 1804, M 1805, M 1806, M 1807, M 1808
19th Baltic Sea (1939) M 1901, M 1902, M 1903, M 1904, M 1905, M 1906, M 1907, M 1908
21st 1942 Norway (1942) M 261, M 305, M 323, M 324, M 341, M 342, M 362, M 383, M 82, M 103, M 327, M 343 M 504, M 526, M 545
22nd 1941 North Sea (1941), Norway (1943), Baltic Sea (1945) M 301, M 302, M 303, M 321, M 322, M 361, M 368, M 381, M 382, M 436
23rd 1942 Norway (1942), Baltic Sea (1945) M 324, M 401, M 411, M 423, M 431, M 441, M 443, M 467, M 468
24th English Channel (1942) M 343, M 402, M 412, M 422, M 432, M 442, M 452, M 475, M 483
25th North Sea (1942), Baltic Sea (1944) M 278, M 294, M 295, M 328, M 330, M 341, M 342, M 403, M 413, M 423, M 433, M 443, M 451, M 453, M 459, M 460
26th 1943 French Coast (1943) M 404, M 424, M 434, M 444, M 454, M 476, M 486, M 495
27th North Sea (1943), Netherlands (1944) M 261, M 271, M 304, M 323, M 327, M 329, M 362, M 369, M 4ß5, M 414, M 425, M 434, M 435, M 461, M 469, M 471, M 484
28th 1942 English Channel (1942), French Coast (1943) M 262, M 271, M 304, M 325, M 344, M 345, M 363, M 384, M 463
29th 1943 Norway (1943) Reserve command for the 19th Minesweeper Flotilla M 406, M 415, M 426, M 436, M 445, M 455, M 462, M 470
30th Reserve command for the 15th Minesweeper Flotilla M 403, M 406, M 415, M 426, M 436, M 445, M 455, M 462, M 470
31st 1940 North Sea (1940), Baltic Sea (1942) M 3101, M 3102, M 3103, M3104, M3105, M3106, M3107, M 3108, M 3109, M 3110, M 3111, M 3112, M 3113, M 3114, M 3115, M 3116, M 3117, M 3118, M 3119, M 3120, M 3121, M 3122, M 3123, M 3124, M 3125, M 3126, M 3127, M 3128, M 3129, M 3130, M 3131, M 3132, M 3133, M 3134, M 3135, M 3136, M 3137, M 3138, M 3139
32nd Netherlands (1940), Scheldt River (1944) M 3200, M 3201, M 3202, M 3203, M 3204, M 3205, M 3206, M 3207, M 3208, M 3209,
M 3210, M 3211, M 3212, M 3213, M 3214, M 3215, M 3216, M 3217, M 3218, M 3219, M 3220, M 3221,
M 3222, M 3223, M 3224, M 3225, M 3226, M 3227, M 3230, M 3231, M 3232, M 3233, M 3234, M 3235, M 3236, M 3237, M 3238, M 3239, M 3240, M 3241, M 3242
34th Netherlands (1940) M 3400, M 3401, M 3402, M 3403, M 3404, M 3405, M 3406, M 3407, M 3408, M 3409, M 3410, M 3411,
M 3412, M 3413, M 3414, M 3415, M 3416, M 3417, M 3418, M 3419, M 3420, M 3421, M 3422, M 3423, M 3424,
M 3425, M 3426, M 3430, M 3431, M 3432, M 3433, M 3434, M 3435, M 3436, M 3437, M 3438, M 3439, M 3440, M 3441, M 3442, M 3443, M 3444, M 3445
36th Denmark (1940) M 3600, M 3601, M 3602, M 3603, M 3604, M 3605, M 3606, M 3607, M 3608, M 3609, M 3610, M 3611,
M 3612, M 3613, M 3614, M 3615, M 3616, M 3617, M 3618, M 3619, M 3620, M 3621, M 3622, M 3623,
M 3624, M 3625, M 3626, M 3627, M 3630, M 3631, M 3632, M 3633, M 3634, M 3635, M 3636, M 3637, M 3638, M 3639
38th English Channel (1940) M 3800, M 3801, M 3802, M 3810, M 3811, M 3812, M 3813, M 3814, M 3815, M 3816, M 3817, M 3818, M 3819, M 3820, M 3821, M 3822, M 3823, M 3824, M 3825, M 3826, M 3827, M 3828, M 3829, M 3830, M 3831, M 3832, M 3833, M 3834, M 3835, M 3836, M 3837, M 3838, M 3840, M 3841, M 3846, M 3848, M 3851, M 3852, M 3853, M 3854, M 3855, M 3856, M 3857, M 3860, M 3861, M 3862, M 3863, M 3864, M 3865, M 3866, M 3867, M 3868, M 3869, M 3870, M 3871, M 3872, M 3873, M 3874, M 3875, M 3880, M 3881, M 3882, M 3883, M 3884, M 3885, M 3886, M 3887, M 3889, M 3890, M 3891, M 3892, M 3893, M 3894, M 3895, M 3896
40th French Coast (1940) M 4000, M 4001, M 4002, M 4003, M 4004, M 4005, M 4006, M 4007, M 4008, M 4009, M 4010, M 4011, M 4012, M 4013, M 4014, M 4020, M 4021, M 4022, M 4023, M 4024, M 4030, M 4031, M 4032, M 4033, M 4040< M 4041, M 4042, M 4043, M 4044, M 4045, M 4046, M 4047, M 4055
42nd Atlantic Coast (1940) M 4202, M 4203, M 4204, M 4205, M 4206, M 4207, M 4208, M 4209, M 4211, M 4212, M 4213, M 4214,
M 4215, M 4216, M 4217, M 4218, M 4219, M 4221, M 4222, M 4223, M 4224, M 4225, M 4226, M 4227, M 4230, M 4231,
M 4232, M 4233, M 4234, M 4235, M 4236, M 4237, M 4238, M 4241, M 4242, M 4243, M 4245, M 4246
44th French-Atlantic Coast (1940) M 4401, M 4402, M 4403, M 4404, M 4405, M 4406, M 4407, M 4408, M 4409, M 4410, M 4411, M 4412, M 4413,
M 4414, M 4415, M 4416, M 4417, M 4421, M 4422, M 4423, M 4424, M 4425, M 4426, M 4427, M 4428, M 4429, M 4430,
M 4431, M 4432, M 4433, M 4434, M 4435, M 4436, M 4437, M 4438, M 4440, M 4441, M 4442, M 4443, M 4444, M 4445, M 4446, M 4447, M 4448, M 4449, M 4450, M 4451, M 4452, M 4453, M 4454, M 4455, M 4456, M 4457, M 4458, M 4459, M 4460,
M 4461, MM 4462, M 4463, M 4464, M 4465, M 4470, M 4471, M 4472, M 4473, M 4474, M 4475
46th 1941 M 4600, M 4601, M 4602, M 4603, M 4604, M 4605, M 4606, M 4607, M 4608, M 4609, M 4610, M 4611, M 4612, M 4613, M 4614, M 4615, M 4616, M 4617, M 4618, M 4619, M 4620, M 4621, M 4622, M 4623, M 4624, M 4625, M 4628
52nd 1940 Norway M 5201, M 5202, M 5203, M 5204, M 5205, M 5206, M 5207, M 5208, M 5209, M 5210
54th M 5401, M 5402, M 5403, M 5404, M 5405, M 5406, M 5407, M 5408, M 5409, M 5410, M 5411, M 5412
56th M 5601, M 5602, M 5603, M 5604, M 5605, M 5606, M 5607, M 5608, M 5609, M 5610, M 5611, M 5612, M 5613, M 5614, M 5615, M 5616, M 5617, M 5618, M 5619, M 5620, M 5621, M 5622, M 5623, 5624, M 5631, M 5632
70th 1943 Italy M 7002, M 7003, M 7004, M 7005, M 7006, M 7007, M 7008, M 7009, M 7010, M 7011, M 7012, M 7013, M 7014, M 7015, M 7016, M 7017, M 7018, M 7019, M 7020, M 7021, M 7022, M 7030, M 7031, M 7032, M 7033, M 7034, M 7601, M 7602, M 7603, M 7604, M 7605, M 7606, M 7607, M 7608

Auxiliary Minesweeper flotillas

In addition to the standard minesweeper flotillas, twenty "auxiliary minesweeper" (R boat) flotillas (Räumboots-Flottille) were formed during the Second World War.[2]

1. Räumboots-Flottille[2]

Established in October 1937, with boats: R 17, R 18, R 19, R 20, R 21, R 22, R 23, R 24.

2. Räumboots-Flottille[2]

Established in November 1938, with boats: R 25, R 26, R 27, R 28, R 29, R 29, R 30, R 31, R 32.

3. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in 1939 at Pillau, with boats: R 33, R 34, R 35, R 36, R 37, R 38, R 39, R 40.

4. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in April 1940, with boats: R 41, R 42, R 43, R 44, R 45, R 46, R 47, R 48, R 49, R 50, R 51, R 52.

5. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in August 1939, with boats: R 1, R 3, R 4, R 5, R 6, R 7, R 8, R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13.

6. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in July 1941 at Cuxhaven, with boats: R 9, R 10, R 11, R 12, R 13, R 14, R 15, R 16.

7. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in October 1940, with boats: R 151, R 152, R 153, R 154, R 155, R 156, R 157, R 158, R 159, R 160, R 161, R 162.

8. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in January 1942, with boats: R 92, R 93, R 94, R 95, R 96, R 97, R 98, R 99, R 100, R 101.

9. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in May–June 1942 at Rotterdam.

10. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in February–March 1942 at Cuxhaven

11. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in September 1939, with 8 fishing trawlers and 1 escort ship. In October 1940, was renamed 7th Minesweeper Flotilla and assigned purpose-built R-boats.

12. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in May 1942 at Bruges; then moved into the Mediterranean. Dissolved in February 1945.

13. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established on 15 November 1943; used in the German Bight. In 1957, the flotilla was transferred to the new German Navy (Bundesmarine) from the German Mine Sweeping Administration.

14. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in December 1943; used in the English Channel. After the invasion of France in June 1944 was used in the German Bight and the Baltic Sea.

15. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established on 1 July 1944; used in the Baltic Sea, including Finnish waters. Disbanded after the German surrender.

16. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in October 1944, main base Haugesund, Norway. Dissolved on 25 November 1947.

17. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in July 1944 with school and training boats; initially named Räumbootsflottille zbV, and used in the Baltic Sea. Dissolved late 1947.

21. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in July 1943. The flotilla consisted of 12 large escort minesweepers (Geleit-Räumbooten) based at Bergen, Norway. Dissolved early 1946.

25. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in the summer of 1945 at Denmark with boats from various flotillas, for the German Mine Sweeping Administration. Dissolved early 1946.

30. Räumboots-Flottille [2]

Established in June 1943 with small Dutch minesweepers and moved into the Black Sea. Dissolved in August 1944.

Mine Barrage flotillas

Mine barrage flotillas (Sperrbrecherflottille) were composed of auxiliary naval ships and merchant vessels that had been converted to enter minefields ahead of other ships in order to detonate enemy mines. These Sperrbrecher vessels were heavily armored and were occasionally outfitted as anti-aircraft platforms. The Kriegsmarine first organized the mine barrage vessels into Speerbrechergruppe (mine barrage groups) at the start of World War II. Each group contained various auxiliary vessels designated by roman numerals augmented by a naval tender.

Original mine barrage groups

In June 1940, the Kriegsmarine formed a mine barrage unit in the Low Countries known as Sperrbrechergruppe Niederlande. Shortly thereafter, the Kriegsmarine began to designate mine barrage vessels with capitol letters, but only three such vessels were ever declared (Sperrbrecher A, B, & C). By late 1940, the mine barrage vessels were designated with standard numbers while the mine barrage groups were re-designated as flotillas. Eight flotillas were authorized with seven eventually formed; the standard rank for a mine barrage flotilla commander was Fregattenkapitän. As the Sperrbrecher ships were mostly auxiliary vessels, the flotillas were considered administrative in nature and operated from shore offices.

Mine barrage flotillas
Flotilla Formed Predecessor unit Operating areas Vessels assigned
1. Sperrbrecherflottille September 1940 1 Sperrbrechergruppe Baltic Sea (1940), German Bight (1942) Sperrbrecher 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 22, 27, 29, 36, 133, 138, 160, 161, 163, 164, 167, 169, 173, 176, 177
2. Sperrbrecherflottille June 1941 2, 4, & 6 Sperrbrechergruppe French Coast (1941), Normandy (1944) Sperrbrecher 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 16, 19, 20, 21, 32, 34, 35, 36, 122, 136, 137, 146, 153, 163, 168, 175, 178
3. Sperrbrecherflottille October 1940 1. Vorpostenflottille Baltic Sea (1940) Sperrbrecher 13, 14, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 120, 131, 139, 145, 148, 158, 161, 165, 166, 172, 181, 185
4. Sperrbrecherflottille September 1940 Sperrbrechergruppe Niederlande English Channel (1940), French Coast (1943) Sperrbrecher 21, 102, 120, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 167, 168, 170, 171, 183, 184
Flußsperrbrecher 201, 202, 203, 204
5. Sperrbrecherflottille November 1941 4. Sperrbrecherflottille North Sea Reserve unit for the 4th mine barrage flotilla. Disbanded to form the 8th flotilla in December 1941
6. Sperrbrecherflottille July 1941 2. Sperrbrecherflottille French Coast (1941) Sperrbrecher 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 19, 121, 134, 135, 157, 162, 170, 171, 174, 180
8. Sperrbrecherflottille December 1941 5. Sperrbrecherflottille North Sea (1941), Netherlands Coast (1943), Denmark Coast (1944) Sperrbrecher 26, 28, 33, 102, 145, 147, 148, 149, 150, 153, 154, 179, 185, 190
Flußsperrbrecher 201, 202, 203, 204, 205

Support craft and tenders

In addition to the standard Sperrbrecher craft, some flotillas possessed support and tender vessels for refit and supply duties

Mine barrage support vessels

References

  1. ^ Lott, A., Most Dangerous Sea: A History of Mine Warfare and an Account of U.S. Navy Mine Warfare Operations in World War II and Korea, Naval Institute Press (1959)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Räumboots-Flottillen". Lexikon der Wehrmacht, Räumboots-Flottillen (in German). Andreas Altenburger (webmaster). Retrieved 2014-05-04.[better source needed]

Notes

  1. ^ Originally, the first flotilla contained the M1915 and M1916 class vessels M-66, M-89, M-111, M-122, M-132, and M-146. By 1938, the flotilla had been reformed with M1935 class vessels.
  2. ^ Originally, the second flotilla contained the M1915 and M1916 class vessels M-98, M-104, M-117, M-133, and M-145. By 1939, the flotilla had been reformed with M1935 class vessels.
  3. ^ Originally, the fourth flotilla contained the M1915 and M1916 class vessels M-61, M-82, M-84, M-89, M-111, M-132, M-134, and M-136. The flotilla was reformed in 1941 with M1935 class vessels.
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