List of Vorpostenboote in World War II

A Vorpostenboot (plural "Vorpostenboote") 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.
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 Hook of 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 Hook of Holland on 28 February 1944. "V 1311 Döse" was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Hook of 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" (as V 2008 "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.
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.<br>
‡ Formerly named "Hareidingen".<br>
‡‡ 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.<br>‡Formerly named "Jim".<br>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 Ålesund 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.