Maritime record MDO20139 - Recoil (Blakenburgh)

1940 wreck of British anti-submarine trawler which foundered 12 miles WSW of the Bill of Portland after being mined. Constructed of steel in 1938, and powered by a diesel engine, she was originally the German trawler BLANKENBURG which was captured in 1940 and taken into British service. Status: Casualty

German trawler requisitioned by the admirlaty. Mined in september 1940

Position 50 26.37 N 2 44.02 W taken from (2)

Prior History:

1938: Built as trawler BLANKENBURG, 344 tons, 41.4m x 7.7m for H Bischoff & Co., Wesermunde. (1)

Former German trawler BLANKENBURG captured on 6 April 1940 off Norway by HMS BIRMINGHAM, FEARLESS and HOSTILE, taken over by the Admiralty in May or June 1940. (4)

During the first week of April the British cruiser BRIMINGHAM and destroyers FEARLESS and HOSTILE searched the Norwegian coast up to Vestfjord for German fishing vessels. During the course of this expedition the BLANKENBURG (336 tons gross) was captured, along with a number of other German steam trawlers. (6)

1940: Renamed RECOIL. (5)

RECOIL, ex-German trawler BLANKENBURG, used as anti-submarine vessel from June 1940. (7)(8)(1)

Described as having a single diesel engine in (3), and a motor driven diesel engine in (9); however, described in (6) as 'Fischdampfer' or 'steam fishing vessel'., and assigned to steam in (1)(9). For a new-built of 1938, particularly of European origin, a motor-driven engine is more plausible. (10)

Wreck Event:

27-SEP-1940: Missing 9 to 14 nautical miles off the Bill of Portland. (1)

28-SEP-1940: Mined off the Bill of Portland. (4)

28-SEP-1940: sunk in the Channel, probably by a mine. (7)

28-SEP-1940: Struck a mine and sank in 27 fathoms depth while on anti-submarine duties. (7)(1)

Built: 1938 (1)(4)(8)
Builder: Schulte & Bruns (3)
Where Built: Emden (3)
Propulsion:single diesel engine (3); screw-driven 3-cylinder triple-expansion engine (7)(1)
Fishing Prefix in German service: PG 529 (Geestemunde) (4)
Commanding Officer: Lt. Ian Martin Wilson, RNVR (4)
Crew Lost: at least 21 named in (5); CO's date of death expressed as 27-SEP-1940; the others recorded against a date of 28-SEP-1940 (5)
Owner: original owner, H Bischoff & Co., Wesermunde (1)(6); to Royal Navy 1940 (1)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

1940 wreck of British anti-submarine trawler which foundered 12 miles WSW of the Bill of Portland after being mined. Constructed of steel in 1938, and powered by a diesel engine, she was originally the German trawler BLANKENBURG which was captured in 1940 and taken into British service.For her possible remains in two closely linked parts, please see 832476 (formerly credited to LST 507). For a site 0.5 nautical miles to the SW formerly believed to be HMS RECOIL and now believed to b LST 507, please see 904599. <11>

<1> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<2> Hinchcliffe, J and V, 1999, Dive Dorset: a diver guide (3rd Edition) (Monograph). SWX1.

<3> Miramar Ship Index www.miramarshipindex.org.nz, 5614876 > accessed on 08-MAR-2019 (Digital archive). SDO20161.

<4> https://uboat.net/allies/commanders/6474.html, > accessed on 08-MAR-2019 (Digital archive). SDO20634.

<5> https://www.cwgc.org, accessed on 08-MAR-2019 (Digital archive). SDO20543.

<6> https://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/miszellen/fischdampfer.htm, > accessed on 08-MAR-2019 (Digital archive). SDO20635.

<7> Colledge, J J, 1989, Ships of the Royal Navy. Volume 2: navy-built trawlers, drifters, tugs and requisitioned ships from the fifteenth century to the present, 183 (Monograph). SDO20520.

<8> Larn, Richard, 1992, United Kingdom shipwreck index (Index). SWX5030.

<9> https://www.wrecksite.eu/Wrecksite.aspx, 78314 > accessed on 08-MAR-2019 (Digital archive). SDO20096.

<10> Cant, S, Oral: Serena Cant, compiler's comments, 08-MAR-2019 (Verbal communication). SDO20515.

<11> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1624719 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 30 2024 8:13AM