List of Vorpostenboote in World War II


A Vorpostenboot was an auxiliary warship used by Germany in both World Wars. Many vorpostenboote also served in other roles, such as sperrbrechers and weather ships. During World War II, the Vorposentenboote were organized into several surface flotillas which were in turn attached to various German ports. Over 30 Vorpostenflotillas were established off German, Channel, Baltic and Scandinavian coasts.

1 Vorpostenflotille

1 Vorpostenflotille was active in the western Baltic from 1 October 1939 to 1 October 1940, when it was redesignated 3 Sperrbrecherflotille.

2 Vorpostenflotille

2 Vorpostenflotille existed from September 1939 to December 1944, when it was disbanded. Many vessels were redesignated within the unit, later designations are shown in brackets

3 Vorpostenflotille

3 Vorpostenflotille was established in September 1939.

4 Vorpostenflotille

4 Vorpostenflotille was formed in September 1939 and was disbanded in September 1944. Many vessels were re-designated within the unit. Later designations are shown in brackets.

5 Vorpostengruppe

5 Vorpostengruppe was established in September 1939 and disbanded on 22 May 1940.

6 Vorpostengruppe

6 Vorpostengruppe was established in September 1939 and disbanded on 22 May 1940.

6 Vorpostenflotille

6 Vorpostenflotille was established on 1 January 1943 and disbanded in September 1944.

7 Vorpostenflotille

7 Vorpostenflotille was established on 22 September 1939. It was disbanded in September 1944.

8 Vorpostenflotille

8 Vorpostenflotille was formed in September 1939 and disbanded in 1945. One vessel was redesignated within the unit.

9 Vorpostenflotille

9 Vorpostenflotille was established on 27 September 1939. It was disbanded on 23 April 1945.

10 Vorpostenflotille

10 Vorpostenflotille was established in September 1939. It was renamed 10 Sicherungsflottille on 1 October 1943.

11 Vorpostenflotille

11 Vorpostenflotille was formed in September 1939. A few vessels were redesignated within the unit.
† Losses:- V 1101 Preußen was sunk in the North Sea off Langeoog, Lower Saxony, Germany by rockets fired by Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of 254 Squadron, Royal Air Force on 13 August 1944. V 1102 Gleiwitz was driven ashore and wrecked at Hanstholm, Denmark on 30 January 1943. V 1103 Nordkap struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Ameland, Friesland, Netherlands on 29 May 1942. V 1104 struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Cuxhaven, Lower Saxony on 14 February 1945. V 1105 Ernst Gröschel struck a mine and sank in the North Sea on 26 January 1943. V 1106 Ernst von Briesen was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Borkum, Lower Saxony by Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of Coastal Command, Royal Air Force on 18 May 1943. V 1106 struck a mine and sank in the Elbe on 12 February 1945. V 1107 Portland was torpedoed and sunk in the Norwegian Sea south of Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway by on 25 June 1940. V 1108 Arctur was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Texel, North Holland, Netherlands on 2 August 1943. V 1109 Antares struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Haugesund, Norway on 29 May 1940. V 1109 Mähren was bombed, torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Den Helder, North Holland by Royal Air Force aircraft 13 June 1943. V 1110 Hermann Hinrichs was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Vlieland, Friesland, Netherlands by Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of Coastal Command on 17 May 1943. V 1111 Christian Wendig was bombed and damaged in the North Sea off Spiekeroog, Lower Saxony by Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of Coastal Command on 21 July 1944. She was subsequently bombed and sunk in the Jade Bight. V 1114 was bombed and sunk in the German Bight by Royal Air Force aircraft on 26 April 1945.

12 Vorpostenflotille

12 Vorpostenflotille was formed on 26 September 1939. It was disbanded in December 1947.
† Losses:- V 1201 Juno struck a mine in the North Sea west of Heligoland. She was then attacked and sunk by an Allied de Havilland Mosquito aircraft on 17 September 1944. V 1202 Friedrich Suthmeier struck a mine in the North Sea west of Heligoland. She was then attacked and sunk by an Allied de Havilland Mosquito aircraft on 17 September 1944. V 1207 P. von Rensen was bombed and sunk in the North Sea off Heligoland by Allied aircraft on 17 April 1945. V 1214 Joannes Georgius struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Sylt, Schleswig-Holstein on 27 September 1944. V 1233 Vooruit was sunk in the North Sea by British aircraft on 18 April 1944. V 1236 Flevo III struck a mine and sank on 11 July 1942. V 1236 Augusta was sunk in the North Sea by British aircraft on 18 April 1944. V 1237 Notre Dame de Dunes was sunk in the North Sea by British aircraft on 18 April 1944. V 1241 Stangenwalde was sunk in the North Sea off Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands in a battle with,,,,, and on 1 May 1943. V 1249 Mewa VIII struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Borkum, Lower Saxony on 24 February 1943. V 1250 was sunk in an Allied air raid on Wesermünde, Bremen on 2 June 1944. V 1252 collided with and sank in the North Sea off Borkum on 4 April 1943. V 1254 Hermann Garrels was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Terschelling by a Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boat on 5 July 1944. V 1255 Ernst Hecht ran aground and was wrecked on 4 January 1945. V 1256 Heinrich Onnen was either torpedoed, or bombed and sunk by an Allied aircraft off Terschelling on 5 July 1945. V 1262 Verwachting in 1944. V 1269 struck a mine and sank in the North Sea west of Esbjerg, Denmark on 27 August 1944.

13 Vorpostenflotille

13 Vorpostenflotille was established in September 1939. It was disbanded in January 1945.
† Losses:- V 1302 John Mahn was bombed and sunk in the English Channel by Royal Air Force aircraft on 12 February 1942. V 1303 Freiburg was sunk in the North Sea off Hoek van Holland, South Holland, Netherlands by vessels of the 4th MTB Flotilla, Royal Navy on 9 October 1944. V 1304 Eisenach was sunk in the North Sea off IJmuiden, North Holland, Netherlands by,,,, and on 6 March 1944. V 1307 Stettin struck the sunken wreck of and sank in the North Sea off IJmuiden on 24 January 1944. V 1308 Bredebeck was sunk in the North Sea in a battle with and other vessels of the 54th MTB flotilla on 9 July 1944. V 1309 Kapitän Stemmer collided with V 811 Hugo Homann and sank in the North Sea off Hoek van Holland on 28 February 1944. V 1311 Döse was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Hoek van Holland by Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boats on 11 May 1944. V 1314 Gustav Hugo Deiters was sunk in the North Sea off Den Helder, North Holland by,,,, and on 9 June 1944. V 1318 Hans Pickenpack struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Vlieland, Friesland, Netherlands on 27 February 1943. V 1340 was bombed and sunk at Noordwijk, North Holland on 27 November 1943.

14 Vorpostenflotille

14 Vorpostenflotille was established on 1 February 1943 and disbanded in 1945.
† Losses:- V 1401 Deister suffered a boiler explosion and sank in the North Sea off IJmuiden, North Holland, Netherlands on 26 April 1944; a vessel designated V 1401 was bombed and sunk at IJmuiden on 24 August 1944. V 1405 Ritzebüttel struck a mine and sank in the Broad Fourteens off Westkapelle, West Flanders, Belgium on 25 February 1943. Ten crew were killed. V 1408 Aue was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off IJmuiden by Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of the Royal Air Force on 29 April 1943. V 1409 Limburgia was torpedoed and sunk in Seine Bay by and on 18 April 1943. V 1411 Zeemeeuw sank in the North Sea off IJmuiden on 5 July 1944. V 1412 Witte Zee was sunk in the North Sea in a battle with,,,,, and on 14 July 1944. V 1415 Azimuth on 26 March 1944. V 1416 was sunk at IJmuiden by Martin B-26 Marauder aircraft of the United States Eighth Air Force. V 1417 Stoomloodsvartuig 11 was sunk in the North Sea off Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands by British aircraft on 17 January 1945.

15 Vorpostenflotille

15 Vorpostenflotille was formed in September 1939. It was disbanded in 1945.
The unit also operated these Flower-class corvettes captured whilst under construction in France.

16 Vorpostengruppe

16 Vorpostengruppe was formed in July 1940. It was redesignated 16 Vorpostenflotille on 20 September 1940.

16 Vorpostenflotille

16 Vorpostenflotille was formed on 20 September 1940. It was disbanded in July 1945.

17 Vorpostenflotille

17 Vorpostenflotille was formed in June 1940. It was disbanded in 1945.
† Losses:- V 1701 Unitas 2 was bombed and sunk in Narva Bay by Soviet aircraft on 8 May 1944. V 1702 Unitas 3 collided with and sank in the Baltic Sea on 17 February 1944. V 1707 Wiking 4 was sunk in the Baltic Sea off Kotka, Finland by Soviet aircraft on 16 July 1944.
§ After WWII, the V 1708 Süd III was incorporated in the Royal Netherlands Navy as HE 1 and renamed later to Hr.Ms. Paets van Troostwijck. The ship was decommissioned and scrapped in 1962.

18 Vorpostengruppe

18 Vorpostengruppe was formed in July 1940. It was redesignated 18 ''Vorpostenflotille on 3 October 1940.

18 Vorpostenflotille

18 Vorpostenflotille was formed on 3 October 1940. It was disbanded in 1945.
†Losses:- V 1801 Lutteur was named O 22 S when she sank in December 1941. She was subsequently salvaged and repaired. She was sunk in an Allied air raid on Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein on 12 April 1944 but was salvaged in December 1944, repaired and returned to service. V 1802 Orient was sunk in the Baltic Sea off Memel, East Prussia by Soviet aircraft on 11 November 1944. V 1805 Senateur Louis Brindeau was sunk in an Allied air raid on Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France on 15 June 1944. V 1807 Wagram struck a mine and sank on 14 August 1942. V 1808 Dortmund struck a mine and sank in the Broad Fourteens on 23 May 1942. V 1810 Condor was bombed and sunk in the English Channel off Boulogne, Pas-de-Calais, France on 2 June 1944. V 1814 Linz was sunk in an Allied air raid on Boulogne on 16 June 1944. V 1815 Loodsboot 6 was sunk in an Allied air rain on Boulogne on 16 June 1944.

19 Vorpostenflotille

19 Vorpostenflotille was formed in July 1940. It was redesignated 5 Sicherungsflotille on 1 October 1943. One vessel was redesignated within the unit.

20 Vorpostenflotille

20 Vorpostenflotille was formed in July 1940. It was renamed 20 Minensuchflotille post-war.
† Losses:- V 2001 Pastor Pype was wrecked in the Wadden Sea on 5 March 1942. All 28 crew were rescued. V 2001 Uranus was sunk in the Baltic Sea by Soviet aircraft on 2 May 1945. V 2002 Madeleine Louise was bombed and sunk in the North Sea off Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands by Lockheed Hudson aircraft of 407 Squadron, Royal Air Force on 15 May 1942. V 2003 Loodsboot 7 was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Terschelling by Royal Navy Motor Gun Boats and Motor Torpedo Boats on 1 October 1942. V 2004 Loodsboot 12 was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off IJmuiden, North Holland, Netherlands by a Motor Torpedo Boat on 2 June 1944. V 2008 Ritzebüttel struck a mine and sank in the Broad Fourteens off Westkapelle, West Flanders, Belgium on 25 February 1943. V 2009 Niedersachsen was sunk in the Scheldt by Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boats on 25 August 1944. V 2016 was sunk in the North Sea by Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boats on 16 October 1944. V 2018 Vogtland struck a mine and was damaged in the North Sea off Terschelling on 28 March 1943. She was taken in tow by V 801 Max Gundelach but struck another mine the next day and sank with the loss of four of her crew. V 2019 Adolf Hitler was bombed and severely damaged in the Scheldt on 28 June 1943 and was beached. V 2020 Alexander Becker was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Egmond aan Zee, North Holland by Royal Navy Motor Torpedo Boats on 10 June 1944. V 2021 Nürnberg was sunk in the North Sea off Den Helder, North Holland by,,,, and on 9 June 1944. V 2022 Emil Colsmann was torpedoed and sunk in the Kattegat by the on 23 March 1945. V 2023 Karlsburg was sunk in an American air raid on Swinemünde, Pomerania on 12 March 1945.

51 Vorpostenflotille

51 Vorpostenflotille was formed on 23 December 1940. It was disbanded in June 1945. A number of vessels were redesignated within the unit.
† Losses:- V 5101 Blitz was torpedoed and sunk in Nordfjord by Royal Air Force aircraft on 12 December 1944. V 5102 Donner was shelled and sunk in the Skaggerak by and on 27 December 1942. V 5103 Taifun collided with the Norwegian coaster and sank on 9 August 1942. V 5106 Sturm was sunk in a naval battle on 11 February 1944. V 5107 Sturm collided with and sank at Sognesjøen, sogn og Fjordane, Norway on 16 September 1941. V 5107 Karmöy was sunk in Lødingen, Norway by aircraft from on 20 November 1944. V 5108 Föhn was shelled and sunk in the Skaggerak by on 27 December 1941.
‡ Formerly named Hareidingen.
‡‡ Formerly named Aalesund.

53 Vorpostenflotille

53 Vorpostenflotille was formed on 23 December 1940. It was disbanded in June 1945. A number of vessels were redesignated within the unit.
† Losses:- V 5304 was sunk at Lervik, Østfold, Norway by de Havilland Mosquito aircraft of 143 Squadron, Royal Air Force on 15 January 1945. V 5307 Felix Scheder was bombed and sunk in the Norwegian Sea off Stad, Norway by Fleet Air Arm aircraft based on and on 12 September 1944. V 5311 Seeotter struck a mine and sank off "Gejta", Norway on 5 July 1945 with the loss of 23 of her crew.
‡Formerly named Jim.
Formerly named Pol VIII.

55 Vorpostenflotille

55 Vorpostenflotille was formed in December 1940. It was disbanded in June 1945. A number of vessels were redesignated within the unit.
† Losses:- V 5502 Biber was sunk in Hjeltefjorden by Bristol Beaufighter and de Havilland Mosquito aircraft of the Banff Strike Wing, Royal Air Force on 24 September 1944. V 5502 Snøgg ran aground on the Norwegian coast on 1 September 1943. She sank on 6 September during salvage attempts. V 5506 Zick was sunk in Hjeltefjord by de Havilland Mosquito aircraft of 235 and 248 Squadrons, Royal Air Force on 23 October 1944. V 5525 was sunk in Sognefjord by and on 2 November 1944. V 5531 was sunk in Sognefjord by and on 2 November 1944.

57 Vorpostenflotille

57 Vorpostenflotille was formed in November 1940. It was disbanded in June 1945. A number of vessels were redesignated within the unit.
†Losses:- V 5705 Elsaß struck a mine and sank in the Norwegian Sea off Bodø, Nordland, Norway on 27 September 1943. V 5706 Ostmark ran aground and sank on 16 March 1941. V 5718 Coburg on 18 November 1943. V 5722 Hornack was sunk at Rørvik, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway by Allied aircraft on 26 October 1944.

59 Vorpostenflotille

59 Vorpostenflotille was formed in February 1941. It was disbanded in June 1945.
† Losses:- V 5905 Nordriff ran aground and was wrecked in Lopphavet on 29 December 1942. V 5907 Geier was shelled and sunk off Lofoten, Norway by on 26 December 1941. V 5908 Penang on 26 January 1944. V 5909 Coronel struck a mine and sank in Varangerfjord on 1 February 1943.

61 Vorpostenflotille

61 Vorpostenflotille was formed in November 1940. It was disbanded in June 1945. A number of vessels were redesignated within the unit.
† Losses:- V 6101 Gauleiter Bohle was bombed and sunk in the Norwegian Sea by Soviet Curtiss Kittyhawk, Ilyushin Il-2 and Yakovlev Yak-9 aircraft on 25 September 1944. V 6102 Köln was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by or on 19 August 1944. V 6106 Tirol was torpedoed and sunk in Varangerfjord by Soviet Navy torpedo boats on 12 December 1943. V 6107 was sunk in Varangerfjord by Soviet aircraft on 17 October 1944. V 6109 Nordwind was torpedoed and sunk in Busse Sound by Soviet aircraft on 23 March 1944. V 6111 Masuren was torpedoed and sunk in Korsfjord by Soviet aircraft on 24 October 1944. V 6112 Friese was torpedoed and sunk off Vardø, Finnmark, Norway by the on 19 August 1944. V 6113 Gote was torpedoed and sunk in Kongsfjord by Ilyushin Il-4 aircraft of the Soviet Ninth Guards Regiment. V 6115 Ostwind was torpedoed and sunk in the Barents Sea off Kiberg, Finnmark by the on 1 February 1943. V 6116 Ubier and V 6117 Cherusker struck a mine and sank in Porsangerfjord on 6 December 1943.

63 Vorpostenflotille

63 Vorpostenflotille was formed in May 1944. It was disbanded in 1945.
† Losses:- V 6307 Mob-FD 2 Jupiter was sunk by Soviet aircraft in Norwegian waters on 17 July 1944. V 6311 Polarstern was bombed and sunk in Syltefjord by Soviet aircraft on 22 October 1944.

64 Vorpostenflotille

64 Vorpostenflotille was formed in June 1944. It was disbanded in 1945.
† Losses:- V 6408 Skagerak was torpedoed and sunk off Folda, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway by on 16 January 1945. V 6413 Fro was sunk off Trondheim, Norway by aircraft based on on 14 November 1944.

65 Vorpostenflotille

65 Vorpostenflotille was formed in May 1944. It was disbanded in 1945.
† Losses: V 6507 Othmarschen in the Danish Straits on 3 October 1945. V 6517 was torpedoed and sunk off northern Norway by the on 11 October 1944.

66 Vorpostenflotille

66 Vorpostenflotille was formed in May 1944. It was disbanded in 1945.
† Losses:- V 6605 Markgraf von Hindenburg on 8 March 1945. V 6607 Charlotte Sophie on 18 June 1945.

67 Vorpostenflotille

67 Vorpostenflotille was formed on 1 July 1944. It was disbanded in 1945.
† Losses:- V 6704 was scuttled at Vadsø, Finnmark, Norway on 15 October 1944. V 6707 was sunk at Kirkenes, Finnmark by Soviet aircraft on 16 October 1944. V 6719 struck a mine and sank in the Baltic Sea off Swinemünde, Pomerania on 26 September 1944. V 6733 Widder was sunk by Allied aircraft at Horten, Vestfold, Norway on 23 February 1945.

68 Vorpostenflotille

68 Vorpostenflotille was formed in May 1944. It was disbanded in 1945.
† Losses:- V 6801 Viking was sunk in Alesund by Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of the Royal Air Force on 17 October 1944. V 6803 Burgunder on 17 August 1944.

7 & 13 Sicherungsflotille

7 Sicherungflotille was formed in February 1943 and was expanded in March 1943. It was disbanded in October 1944 and its vessels transferred to 13 Sicherungflotille, which was disbanded on 24 April 1945.