E-boat: Difference between revisions

'''E-boat''' was the [[Allies of World War II|Western Allies]]' designation for the [[fast attack craft]] (German: '''''Schnellboot''''', or ''S-Boot'', meaning "fast boat"; plural ''Schnellboote'') of the [[Kriegsmarine]] during [[World War II]]; ''E-boat'' could refer to a patrol craft from an armed motorboat to a large ''Torpedoboot.''{{sfn|Margaritis |2019|p=365}} The name of E-boats was a British designation using the letter ''E'' for ''Enemy''.<ref>{{cite web | last = Wilson | first = Steve | title = Enemy Boats | work = Military.com | url = http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,78723,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121130032815/http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,78723,00.html | archive-date = 2012-11-30 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = E-Boats | work = British Military Powerboat Trust | url = http://www.bmpt.org.uk/boat%20histories/Eboats/index1.htm }}</ref>

The internal layout of the E-boat remained the same for all types. Its length was generally divided by eight transverse [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]] (made of 4mm steel below the waterline and slightly thinner light metal alloy above) into nine watertight compartments.<ref>Lawrence Paterson, ''Schnellboote: A Complete Operational History'', p. 6.</ref> From bow to stern, these were:

# the second engineroom held the engine driving the central shaft, with a walkway on each side, flanked next to the hull beby auxiliuaryauxiliary machinery;

# the junior ratings' accommodation, with bunks for fourteen men, plus the galley and the stern "head"; the boat's magazine was also in this compartment;

Note that the earliest (shorter) boats lacked the first transverse bulkhead, and thus the senior ratings' accommodation was firstincluded in the first watertight compartment.

The earliest six boats had a crew of 12 men, but by the time of the ''S7'' and ''S14'' types (''S7'' to ''S25'') the manning had increased to 18 men. The ''S26'' class required a complement of between 21 and 24 men, and this remained generally constant for all subsequent boats (except the ex-Italian and KS and LS boats). This comprised a commanding officer (usually an ''Oberleutnant zur See''), a Chief Boatswain (''Oberbootsmann''), a Helmsman (''Matrosen-Gefreiter''), about six seamen including those operating semaphore and engine telegraph posts (''Matrosen''), a Chief Engineer (''ObermaschinstenObermaschinist''), three engineer NCOs (''Maschinenmaaten''), six engine-room ratings (usually ''HeizernHeizer''), two radio operators (''FunkgefreitenFunkgefreiter'' or ''FunkgaastFunkgast'') for radio communications including decoding, and a torpedo mechanic (''TorpedomechanikergefreitenTorpedomechanikergefreiter'') who doubled as the boat's cook.

Crew members could earn an award particular to their work — the ''[[Fast Attack Craft War Badge|Das Schnellbootkriegsabzeichen]]'' — denoted by a badge depicting an E-boat passing through a wreath. The criteria were good conduct, distinction in action, and participating in at least twelve enemy actions. It was also awarded for particularly successful missions, displays of leadership or being killed in action. It could be awarded under special circumstances, such as when another decoration was not suitable.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

E-boats were primarily used to patrol the [[Baltic Sea]] and the English Channel in order to intercept shipping heading for the English ports in the south and east. As such, they were up against [[Royal Navy]] and Commonwealth, e.g., [[Royal Canadian Navy]] contingents leading up to [[D-Day]], [[motor gunboat]]s (MGBs), [[motor torpedo boat]]s (MTBs), [[Motor Launchlaunch (naval)|motor launches]], [[Captain class frigate|frigates]] and [[destroyer]]s. They were also transferred in small numbers to the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea by river and land transport. Some small E-boats were built as boats for carrying by auxiliary cruisers.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

E-boats were organisationally under the command of the ''Seekriegsleitung'' or '''SKL''' (the naval warfare command, responsible for the planning, execution and direction of naval warfare), and were administratively organised into flotillas, each originally comprising 8 boats. Consequently most orders for new construction were placed in batches of eight boats, or of multiple of eight. The first half-flotilla (''1st Schnellbootshalbflotille'') was formed in July 1932, but was reorganised as ''1st Schnellbootsflotille'' in June 1935. A second flotilla was established in August 1938, and a third in 1940. Eventually there were fourteen operational flotillas, numbered 1st to 11th plus 21st, 22nd and 24th, together with three training flotillas (''Schnellbootsschulflotille''). Each flotilla required the backup of a depot ship; initially this was provided by the converted steamer ''Nordsea'', but from 1934 a series of purpose-built tenders were commissioned - the ''Tsingtau'' in 1934, followed by the ''Tanga'' (in 1939), ''Carl Peters'' and ''Adolf Lüderitz'' in 1940, and finally the ''Herman von Wissmamm'' and ''Gustav Nachtigal''.

Eight E-boats were built by Lürssen, Vegesack for the Yugoslav Navy from 1936 to 1939. These were named ''Orjen'', ''Durmitor'', ''Suvobor'', ''Kajmakcalan'', ''Velebit'', ''Dinaira'', ''Rudnik'' and ''Triglav''. Each measured 28.00 (overall)/27.70 (waterline) x 4.46 x 1.51 m (91&nbsp;ft 10in/90&nbsp;ft 10in x 14&nbsp;ft 4in x 4&nbsp;ft 11in) and 51 tonnes standard (61.7 tonnes full load). Three Daimler-Benz BF2 petrol engines of 1,100&nbsp;hp each = 3,300&nbsp;hp = 33 kts, while they carried 5.8 tonnes of petrrol to give them a radius of 265 nmiles @ 33 knots. Each carried two 550mm torpedo tubes, a 40mm gun and 16 men. ''Kajmakcalan'' and ''Durmitor'' escaped to Alexandria in April 1941 to join the Allies; the other six fell into Italian hands and became ''Ms41'' to ''Ms46'', four of them eventually captured by the Germans and refitted with standard 533 &nbsp;mm torpedoes (see below under "''S2 '' class").

The Chinese Nationalist government also ordered eight E-boats and a [[torpedo boat tender|tender]], [[Chinese torpedo boat tender Qi Jiguang|''Qi Jiguang'']] (戚繼光). These were all taken over while under construction by the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' in 1939. The E-boats had MB502 diesels and were shorterrshorter (by 2.18m) than the standard ''S26'' design of boats. They were re-numbered as ''S30'' to ''S37'', while the ''Qi Jiguang'' was renamed ''[[German fleet tender Tanga|Tanga]]''.

Germany sold four E-boats to Romania on 14 August 1944.<ref>Crăciunoiu, Cristian. ''Romanian navy torpedo boats'' (Modelism Publishing, 2003<!--city?-->), pp. 154-155.</ref> These vessels displaced 65 tons, had a top speed of 30 knots generated by three Mercedes-Benz engines totalling {{cvt|2850|hp|disp=flip}} and were armed with two 500 &nbsp;mm (19.685 &nbsp;in) torpedo tubes. Each of the four boats had a crew of 25. They were numbered 10 to 13 (formerly ''S151'', ''S152'', ''S153'' and ''S154'') and served in the Romanian Navy until at least 1954.<ref>[https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71f2Uz7UShL._SL1467_.jpg ''Jane's fighting ships: 1953-1954'', Sampson Low, Marston, 1955, p. 294]</ref>

Lieutenant-Commander {{ill|Hans-Helmut Klose|de}} was assigned to command a German crew, recruited by the British [[MI-6MI6]] and funded by the American [[Office of Policy Coordination]]. The missions were assigned the codename "[[Operation Jungle]]". The boats carried out their missions under the cover of the [[Control Commission for Germany – British Element|British Control Commission's]] Fishery Protection Service, which was responsible for preventing Soviet navy vessels from interfering with German fishing boats and for destroying stray mines. The home port of the boats was [[Kiel]], and operated under the supervision of Harvey-Jones. Manned by Klose and his crew, they usually departed for the island of [[Bornholm]] waving the [[White Ensign]], where they would hoist the Swedish flag for a dash to [[Gotland]], and there they would wait for orders from Hamburg. The first mission consisted in the landing of Lithuanian agents at [[Palanga]], [[Lithuania]], in May 1949,<ref>[[Dorril, Stephen]] (2002).'' MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service. ''Simon and Schuster, pp. 190-91. {{ISBN|0-7432-1778-0}}</ref> and the last one took place in April 1955 in [[Saaremaa]], [[Estonia]].<ref name=ad /> During the last two years of the operation, three new German-built motorboats replaced the old E-boats.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hess |first1=Sigurd |title=The Clandestine Operations of Hans Helmut Klose and the British Baltic Fishery Protection Service (BBFPS) 1945–1956 |journal=The Journal of Intelligence History |year=2001 |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=169–178 |publisher=LIT Verlag Münster |doi= 10.1080/16161262.2001.10555054|s2cid=162499902 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HXYAGisbPZUC&pg=PA169 }}</ref> Klose was later assigned the command of a patrol boat in the ''[[Bundesmarine]]'' and became commander-in-chief of the fleet before his retirement in 1978.<ref name=ad>Adams, Jefferson (2009)''. Historical Dictionary of German Intelligence''. Scarecrow Press, pp. 234-35. {{ISBN|0-8108-6320-0}}</ref>

''S130'' was purchased and towed from Wilhelmshaven to the Husbands Shipyard, Marchwood, [[Southampton]], England in January 2003, under the auspices of the British Military Powerboat Trust. In 2004, ''S130'' was taken to the slipway at Hythe, where, under the supervision of the BMPT, she was prepared and then towed to Mashfords yard in [[Cremyll]], Cornwall, England to await funding for restoration. In 2008, ''S130'', having been purchased by the [[The Wheatcroft Collection|Wheatcroft Collection]], was set up ashore at [[Southdown, Cornwall|Southdown]] in Cornwall to undergo restoration work involving Roving Commissions Ltd. AsIn ofJuly June2020, ''S130'' was still awaiting 2012restoration, thiswith workthe continuesintention andthat includesupon ancompletion S130it Members'would Clubbe a museum-ship at the Richmond dry docks in [[Bideford|Bideford, Devon]].<ref name="Boating 2020">{{Citationcite news needed|title=S130 |url=https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/boating-nz/20200701/283369064287479 |access-date=March2 May 2023 |work=Boating Magazine |date=1 July 20212020}}</ref>

Built from 1933 onwards. Similar to ''S6'', but with an improved hull form, these were the first operational diesel boats. The first three, ordered (together with ''S6'') on 26 August 1932, were fitted with MAN L7 19/30 diesels on three shafts giving a speed of 36.5 knots and measured 75.8 tonnes standard (95 tonnes full load), while the last four - ordered on 20 July 1932 - were equipped with the more reliable Daimler-Benz MB502 diesels of 3,960 &nbsp;hp to produce 35 knots, and were 78 tonnes standard (92 tonens full load). They had a fuel capacity of 10.5 tonnes, giving them a radfius of 600 nmiles @ 30 knots. All measured 32.36 x 5.06 x 1.36 m (106&nbsp;ft 2in x 16&nbsp;ft 6in x 4&nbsp;ft 6in) except that ''S10'' to ''S13'' had a draught of 1.42m (4&nbsp;ft 8in). These carried the larger 533mm (21-inch) torpedoes rather than the 500mm of the petrol-driven boats; two torpedo tubes were mounted on the forecastle, and the boats also carried a single 20mm MgC/30 gun, with a crew of 18 (later 21) men.

| ''S11''||Lürssen, Vegesack||24 October 1934||3 August 1935||Transferred to SovietUSSR Navyon 5 November 1945 as ''TK-1002'', scrapped in later 1940s.

Improved ''S7'' type, ordered on 16 July 1934 (first two) and 5 November 19341935 (last two) with new MAN L11 (11-cylinder) engines producing 6,150&nbsp;hp, which proved unsatisfactory. Enlarged hull, measuring 34.62 x 5.26 x 1.67 m (113&nbsp;ft 7in x 17&nbsp;ft 3in x 5&nbsp;ft 6in) and displacing 92.5 tonnes standard (105.4 tonnes full load). After ''S17'' was broken up, the surviving three boatrs were transferred to the Fast A/S Group in 1940.

| ''S15''||Lürssen, Vegesack||15 February 1936||27 February 1937||Transferred to US Navy post-war, but given to Denmark in July 1847 as ''T46'' and broken up there.

| ''S16''||Lürssen, Vegesack||7 April 1937||22 December 1937||Transferred to SovietUSSR Navyon 513 NovemberFebruary 19451946 as ''TK-1003'', scrapped 1950 or later.

| ''S17''||Lürssen, Vegesack||29 July 1937||18 March 1938||Decommissioned 8 September 1939 following heavy storm damage on 4 September off [[Heligoland]], and scrapped.

Built from 1937 onwards. Two new boats were ordered on 21 December 1936 (''S18'' and ''S19'') and six more boats (''S20'' to ''S25'') on 29 December 1937. Almost identical to the ''S14'' class, but with 3 Mercedes Benz MB501 engines (of total 6,000&nbsp;hp) instead of MAN engines. The bridge, which had been in front of the wheelhouse on earlier designasdesigns, was raised to the wheelhouse roof to increase all-round visibility.<ref>Lawrence Paterson, ''Schnellboote: A Complete Operational History'', p. 22</ref>

| ''S24''||Lürssen, Vegesack||4 July 1939||18 September 1939||Transferred to SovietUSSR Navyon 515 NovemberJanuary 19451946 as ''TK-1004'', scrapped 1950 or later.

===''S26''1938 classOrders===

Twelve additional boats were ordered - all from Lürssen - in August 1938. These were of two different models, due to accommodating different Daimler-Benz disels. The larger type (''S26'' to ''S29''), were ordered on 2 August, and entered service in 1940. Beginning with this model, the two torpedo tubes on the foredeck were encased within a high forecastle deck. This type were slightly lengthened from the ''S18'' design so that the engine compartments could accommodate the larger 20-cylinder diesels, they measured 34.94 x 5.28 x 1.67 m (114&nbsp;ft 8in x 17&nbsp;ft 4in x 5&nbsp;ft 6in), giving a displacement of 92.5 tons (112 tons full load). These dimensions would be retained for all subsequent boats (except for the somewhat smaller ''S30'' class), as the basic design and layout would remain unchanged. The three Daimler Benz engines each produced 2,500&nbsp;hp for a total rating of 7,500&nbsp;hp, providing 41 knots.

| ''S50''||Lürssen, Vegesack||18 June 1941||25 July 1941||To USSR 1945on 15 January 1946, renamed ''TK-1005''. Scrapped 1950.

| ''S101''||Schlichting, Travemünde||25 September 1940||30 November 1940||To USSR 5on November4 1945January 1946 as ''TK-1011'', scrapped 1950.

| ''S107''||Schlichting, Travemünde||31 May 1941||6 July 1941||To USA 194561945, then to Denmark 1947 as ''T52'' (later ''Gribben''); scrapped 1950.

| ''S65''||Lürssen, Vegesack||20 September 1941||16 June 1942||To USSR 5on November15 1945January 1946 as ''TK-1006'', scrapped 1950.

| ''S109''||Schlichting, Travemünde||14 August 1941||14 September 1941||To USSR 59n November4 1945January 1946 as ''TK-1012'', scrapped 1949.

| ''S110''||Schlichting, Travemünde||13 September 1941||10 October 1941||To USSR 5on November15 1945January 1946 as ''TK-1013'', scrapped 1949.

| ''S113''||Schlichting, Travemünde||7 February 1942||14 March 1942|||To USSR on 5 November 1945 as ''TK-1014'', scrapped 1949.

| ''S116''||Schlichting, Travemünde||7 May 1842||4 July 1942|| ToPaid off after accident in Elbe estuary in January 1945; to Denmark in 1945; sold to Germany 1953, burnt toby accident 1965.

| ''S117''||Schlichting, Travemünde||13 June 1942||8 August 1942||To USA1945USA in 1945, then to Norway 1946 as ''B97'', later ''Tross''; sold 1951 to Denmark as ''Hejren'', scrapped 1965.

Following the German occupation of France in June 1940, the Naval War Staff decided that 160 E-boats were now needed (comprising 26 flotillas), with 8 flotillas based in France and 6 each in NorwatNorway, the Baltic and the North Sea.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> On 26 August an additional four boats (''S70'' to ''S73'') were ordered from Lürssen, and in December Schlichting were given another order, this time for eight boats (''S118'' to ''S125''),

| ''S118''||Schlichting Travemünde||30 July 1942||14 September 1942||To USSR 5on November14 1945January 1946 as ''TK-1015'', scrapped 1949.

| ''S123''||Schlichting Travemünde||6 February 1943||19 March 1943|||To USSR 5on November4 1945January 1946 as ''TK-1016'', scrapped 1949.

| ''S81''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1942||28 July 1942||To USSR 5on November4 1945January 1946 as ''TK-1001'', scrapped 1950.

| ''S82''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1942||21 August 1942||To USSR 515 NovemberJanuary 19451946 as ''TK-1008'', scrapped 1950.

| ''S86''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1942||15 October 1942||To USSR 5on November4 1945January 1946 as ''TK-1009'', scrapped 1950.

| ''S96''||Lürssen, Vegesack||21 January 1943||11 March 1943||Scuttled after collision with British ''ML145'' on 25 SeptemberrSeptember 1943 off [[Lowestoft]].

| ''S99''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1943||17 April 1943|| To USSR 5on November4 1945January 1946 as ''TK-1010'', scrapped 1950.

| ''S130''||Schlichting Travemünde||18 September 1943||21 October 1943||To UK 1945, sold to Germany 1957 as ''UW10''. Still extentextant in UK.

Eight further vessels had been intended by the Dutch Navy as ''TM62'' to ''TM70'', and material had been collected for their construction at Schiedam. They were cancelled with the German occupation in May 1940; they were re-ordered (as ''S159'' to ''S166'') from Gusto Werf inon 11 July 1941, but construction of these stopped in April 1942.

All these were part of the order placed on 24 February 1942, and the first three were identical to ''S139'' batch. However the final boat, ''S170'', was the prototype (along with ''S228'' at Travemünde) for the final series of boats ordered in December 1943 (few of which were completed) with the first MB518 engines of 3,000 &nbsp;hp for evaluation; her details were the same as for that final series of orders.

RepeatsNeeding to increase production, orders for two batches of vessels were placed during the ''S26''first serieshalf of 1943, atotalling furthersixty boats. An order for sixteen boats was placed with Lürssen's yard on 15 January 1943 (''S171'' to ''S186''), and another order for eight boats with Schlichting at Travemünde on the same day (''S187'' to ''S194''). On 7 May another batch was ordered from the same builders - twenty-four from Lürssen (''S195'' to ''S218'') and twelve from Schlichting (''S219'' to ''S230''), although the final two from the Schlichting order were seemingly deferred, to be re-included in the much larger order placed in December.

| ''S190''||Schlichting Travemünde||30 March 1944||22 April 1944||Sunk by gunfire from British shgipsships in Seine Estuary on 23 June 1944.

| ''S209''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1944||21 October 1944||To USSR in 1945, renamed ''TK-1021''; scrapped 1954.

| ''S211''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1944||1 October 1944||To USSR 1945on 15 January 1946, renamed ''TK-1022''; scrapped 1954.

| ''S214''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1944||8 December 1944||To USSR 1945on 4 January 1946, renamed ''TK-1023''; scrapped 1954.

| ''S222''||Schlichting Travemünde||31 August 1944||23 September 1944||To USSR 1945on 4 January 1946, renamed ''TK-1025''. Scrapped 1953.

The final batch ordered on 4 December 1943 comprised a massive total of 280282 units - ''S231S229'' to ''S260'' (3032 boats) from Schlichting; ''S301'' to ''S425'' (125 boats) from Lürssen; and ''S701'' to ''S825'' (125 boats) from Danziger Waggon at [[Danzig]]. OfThe first four of the Schlichting boats (''S229'' to ''S230'') were completed by April 1945 but not placed into service; these were presumably broken up in the shipyard following the cessation of hostilities. Of the projected numbers from the other two builders only the first five from Lürssen and 9 from Danzig were completed. Another seven were launched but not completed; these were scuttled in the North Sea, while fourteen more were scrapped in the Lürssen shipyard (''S308'' to ''S328'') and others at Travemünde and Danzig. The remainder were all cancelled.

| ''S301''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1944||31 January 1945||Scuttled 47 May 1945 in Fehmannsound after collision with ''S191''.

| ''S302''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1944||12 February 1945||To USA at end of war, then became Norwegian ''E1'' in July 1947, renamed ''Blink'' in 1948; sold to Denmark 1951 as ''Falken'', scrapped 1972.

| ''S303''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1944||24 February 1945||To USA at end of war, then became Norwegian ''E2'' in July 1946, renamed ''Brand'' in 1948; sold to Denmark 1950 as ''Taarnfalken'', scrapped 1972.

| ''S306''||Lürssen, Vegesack||1944||April 1945 <br>(incomplete)||To USA in 1945, then to Denmark inon 31 July 1947 as ''Glenten'', scrapped 1960.

A class of small fast attack craft designed as offensive mine-layers (rated ''Küstenminenleger''), able to carry up to 4 mines, and to operate close to enemy shores. They measured 15.95 x 3.50 x 1.10 m (52&nbsp;ft 4in x 11&nbsp;ft 6in x 3&nbsp;ft 7in); 15/16 tonnes standard (18/19 tonnes full load). Powered by 2 BMW MB507 12-cylinder aero engines producing 1,650&nbsp;hp (32 knots), although four boats (nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6) had two Junkers 4-cylinder diesels of 1,500 &nbsp;hp to produce speeds of 30/40.9 knots; radius 225 miles at 25 knots. A total of 36 were ordered (most on 29 and 31 July 1940, but ''KM1'' to ''KM4'' were ordered on 26 August, and ''KM25'' and ''KM26'' on 11 October 1940), but as their engines proved unreliable, they were not used in their intended role and instead most were employed in lakes and rivers, being attached to the [[Lake Peipus|Peipusee]] Flotilla (''KM3'' to the [[Lake Ladoga|Ladogasee]] Flotilla). As minelayers they carried four TMB mines and a single Mg39 gun, plus a crew of 6. 21 boats were equipped with 2 x 450mm fixed stern torpedo tubes replkacing the mines, and were reclassed as '''KS-boats''' (''Kleinst Schnellboote''), retaining their original numberss but replacing the "KM" prefix by "KS".

| ''KS1''||Nordbjaerg & Wedell, [[Copenhagen]]||18 December 1941||February 1944||SunkTo Finland in 1942; sunk 2 July 1944 but raised; to USSR 1945, fate unknown.

| ''KS2''||Nordbjaerg & Wedell, Copenhagen||18 December 1941||February 1944||To Finland in 1942; to USSR 1945, fate unknown.

| ''KS22''||Nordbjaerg & Wedell, Copenhagen||9 June 1942||1943||To Finland in 1942; to USSR 1945, fate unknown.

| ''LS10''||Dornier Werft||27 January 1944||Sunk by aircraft on 1214 October 1944 off [[Volos]].

* {{cite book |title=E-boat vs MTB: The English Channel 1941–45 |publisher=Osprey |last=Williamson |first=Gordon |year=2011 |location=Oxford ; Long Island City |isbn=978-1-84908-407-9}}