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History
Name	Köln (1937–47); Molène (1947– );
Owner	Emder Heringfischerei AG (1937–39); Kriegsmarine (1939–44); French Navy (1946–63); Unknown (1963– );
Port of registry	Emden, Germany (1937–39); Kriegsmarine (1939–44); French Navy (1946–63);
Builder	Schulte & Bruns, Emden
Yard number	115
Launched	15 April 1937
Completed	17 June 1937
Commissioned	9 October 1939
Identification	Fishing boat registration AE 22 (1937–39); Code Letters DGKY (1939-44); ; Pennant Number M 1405 (1939–42); Pennant Number M 4416 (1942); Pennant Number V 620 (1943–44); Pennant Number Na 81 (1944–47); Pennant Number B 262 (1947–63);
General characteristics
Type	Fishing trawler (1937–9, 1963– ); Minesweeper (1939–43, 1946–47); Vorpostenboot (1943); Transport ship (1947–63);
Tonnage	269 GRT, 121 NRT
Length	35.76 m (117 ft 4 in)
Beam	7.49 metres (24 ft 7 in)
Depth	3.28 m (10 ft 9 in)
Installed power	Diesel engine, 94nhp
Propulsion	Single screw propeller
Speed	11 knots (20 km/h)

Molène was a French transport ship which was built German fishing trawler Köln in 1937. She was requisitoned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. She was used as a minesweeper under the Pennant numbers M 1405 and M 4416, and later as the Vorpostenboot V 624 Köln. Severely damaged by a mine in 1943, she was laid up. She was seized by the French post war and entered service with the French Navy as Molène. She was sold out of service in 1963.

Description

The ship 35.76 m (117 ft 4 in) long, with a beam of 7.49 metres (24 ft 7 in). She had a depth of 3.28 m (10 ft 9 in). She was assessed at 269 GRT, 121 NRT. She was powered by a diesel engine, which had 8 cylinders of 28 centimetres (11 in) diameter by 44.9 centimetres (17+11⁄16 in) stroke. The engine was built by Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG, Köln, Germany and was rated at 94 nhp or 500 bhp.^[1]^[2] It drove a single screw which could propel the ship at 11 knots (20 km/h).^[1]^[3]

History

Molène was built as yard number 117 by Schulte & Bruns, Emden, Germany.^[3] She was launched as the fishing vessel Köln on 15 April 1937 and completed on 17 June. She was owned by the Emder Heringfischerei AG, Emden.^[4] Her port of registry was Emden. She was allocated the Code Letters DGKY,^[1] and the fishing boat registration AE 22.^[4]

On 9 October 1939, Köln was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine, serving with 14 Minensuchflotille as the minesweeper M 1405. On 12 April 1942, she was reallocated to 44 Minensuchflotille and her pennant number was changed to M 4416. On 1 January 1943, she was designated as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 6 Vorpostenflotille as V 624 Köln. On 31 July 1943, she struck a mine at the mouth of the Loire (47°04′N 2°37′W / 47.067°N 2.617°W / 47.067; -2.617) and was severely damaged, with her stern destroyed. She as taken in to Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Inférieure, France and laid up.^[4]

In 1944, Köln was seized by the French. Her pennant number was changed to Na 81. In 1946, she was repaired, entering service with the 28ème Division de Drageurs. On 17 August, her pennant number was changed to B 262. On 5 December 1947, she was taken out of service and rebuilt as a transport ship for naval personnel, renamed Molène and based at Brest. She was decommissioned and condemned in 1963 and allocated the disposal number Q 340, then sold on 9 July.^[4]^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Köln (60015)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Trawlers &c. KOL-KON (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1938–1939. Retrieved 8 April 2024 – via Southampton City Council.
^ ^a ^b Roche 2005.
^ ^a ^b Gröner 1993, p. 254.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1993, p. 255.

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.
Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours [Dictionary of French Warships from Colbert to the Present Day] (in French). Vol. II: 1870–2006. Group Retozel-Maury Millau. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.