German trawler V 420 Alcyon

History
Name	Alcyon
Owner	Unknown (1904–30); Bourgain-Vincent (1930–34); E. Malfoy & Fils (1934–40); Kriegsmarine (1940–43);
Port of registry	Boulogne, France (1904–40); Kriegsmarine (1940–43);
Builder	Bonn & Mees
Yard number	163
Launched	1904
Identification	Code Letters OBNH (1904–34); ; Fishing boat registration B 2892 (1904–40); Code Letters FNOH (1934–40); ; Pennant Number 10 (1940–41); Pennant Number V 420 (1941–43);
Fate	Sunk 2 August 1943
General characteristics
Class and type	Fishing trawler (1904–40); Harbour defence boat (1940–41); Vorpostenboot (1941–43);
Tonnage	247 GRT, 100 NRT
Length	40.74 m (133 ft 8 in) (1925–35)
Beam	6.60 m (21 ft 8 in)
Draught	3.56 m (11 ft 8 in)
Depth	2.87 m (9 ft 5 in)
Installed power	Triple expansion steam engine, 60nhp
Propulsion	Single screw propeller
Speed	10 knots (19 km/h)

Alcyon was a French fishing trawler that was seized in the Second World War by the Kriegsmarine for use as a harbour defence boat and later a vorpostenboot, serving as Boot 10 Alcyon and V 420 Alcyon. She was bombed and sunk in the Gironde on 3 August 1943.

Description

Alcyon was 40.74 metres (133 ft 8 in) long, with a beam of 6.60 metres (21 ft 8 in).^[1] She had a depth of 2.87 metres (9 ft 5 in),^[2] and a draught of 3.56 metres (11 ft 8 in).^[1] She was assessed at 266 GRT, 103 NRT. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of 33 centimetres (13 in), 55 centimetres (21+1⁄2 in) and 89 centimetres (35 in) diameter by 61 centimetres (24 in) stroke. The engine was made by Alblasserdamsche Machienfabriek, Alblasserdam, South Holland, Netherlands. It was rated at 60nhp. The engine powered a single screw propeller.^[2] It could propel the ship at 10 knots (19 km/h).^[1]

History

Alcyon was built as yard number 163 by Bonn & Mees, Rotterdam, South Holland in 1904 for French owners.^[1] The Code Letters OBNH were allocated,^[2] as was the fishing boat registration B 2892.^[1] By 1930, she was owned by Bourgain-Vincent, Boulogne.^[2] In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to FNOH. She was sold to E. Malfoy & Fils in that year.^[3]

On 26 June 1940, Alcyon was seized by the Germans at La Rochelle, Charente-Inférieure. She was allocated to the Hafenschutz-Flotille Lorient on 2 November, serving as Boot 10 Alcyon. On 4 May 1942, Alcyon was redesignated as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 4 Vorpostenflotille as V 420 Alcyon. On 2 August 1943, she was sunk in the Gironde in an attack by British aircraft with the loss of five of her crew.^[4]^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Gröner 1993, p. 329.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Alcyon (56480)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Chalutiers &c. ALB-ALE (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1930–1931. Retrieved 19 December 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
^ "Alcyon (56748)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Chalutiers &c. ALB-ALE (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1934–1935. Retrieved 19 December 2022 – via Southampton City Council.
^ Gröner 1993, p. 330.
^ Rohwer, Jürgen; Gerhard Hümmelchen. "Seekrieg 1943, August". Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (in German). Retrieved 19 December 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.