| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Schulte & Bruns,Emden |
| Yard number | 130 |
| Launched | 22 March 1939 |
| Completed | 27 April 1939 |
| Commissioned | 7 January 1940 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Scrapped |
| General characteristics | |
| Type |
|
| Tonnage | 298 GRT, 136 NRT |
| Length | 36.37 m (119 ft 4 in) |
| Beam | 7.49 metres (24 ft 7 in) |
| Depth | 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in) |
| Installed power | Diesel engine, 94nhp |
| Propulsion | Single screw propeller |
| Speed | 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h) |
| Complement | 23 (Gapeau) |
| Armament | Unarmed (Gapeau) |
Gapeau was a Frenchtransport ship which was built as the Germanfishing trawlerJohann Schulte in 1939. She was requisitioned by theKriegsmarine during theSecond World War. She was used as aminesweeper under thepennant numbersM 1406 andM 4417, and later as theVorpostenbootV 625Johann Schulte. She was sunk in 1945. Seized by the French post-war and entered service with theFrench Navy asGapeau. Sold in 1969, she was scrapped in 1970.
The ship 36.37 m (119 ft 4 in) long, with a beam of 7.49 metres (24 ft 7 in). She had a depth of 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in). She was assessed at 298 GRT, 136 NRT. She was powered by adiesel 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 94nhp or 500bhp.[1][2] It drove a singlescrew which could propel the ship at 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h).[1][3]
Gapeau was built asyard number 130 by Schulte & Bruns,Emden, Germany.[3] She was launched as thefishing vesselJohann Schulte on 22 March 1939 and completed on 27 April. She was owned by the Großer Kürfurst Heringfischerei AG, Emden.[4] Her port of registry was Emden. She was allocated the Code Letters DGNI,[1] and thefishing boat registration AE 104.[4]
On 7 January 1940,Johann Schulte was requisitioned by theKriegsmarine, serving with 14Minensuchflotille as theminesweeper M 1406. On 22 March 1942, she was reallocated to 44Minensuchflotille and her pennant number was changed to M 4417. On 1 January 1943, she was designated as avorpostenboot. She was allocated to 6Vorpostenflotille as V 625Johann Schulte. She was sunk in 1945.[4]
Later in 1945,Johann Schulte was seized by the French atSaint-Nazaire.[2] Her pennant number was changed to Na 80. She was repaired, entering service with the 28ème Division de Drageurs on 1 January 1946, based atBrest,Finistère. Her pennant number was later changed to B284 and, again, to A616.[2] On 5 December 1947, she was taken out of service and rebuilt as a"regional transport", re-entering service namedGapeau,[4] the third ship of theFrench Navy bearing that name. Her complement was 22 crew and an officer. She was unarmed. She was initially based atLorient,Morbihan, and later atOran,Algeria, in theMediterranean Sea, providingcabotage to theDemi-Brigade de Fusiliers-Marins, operating between Oran andNemours,Algeria.[5]Gapeau completed her 100th Oran–Nemours round-trip on 12 March 1959 and on 23 April was placed intoready reserve.[2]
Gapeau was condemned on 20 November 1969 and allocated the disposal number Q 455 and then sold.[2][4] She was scrapped at Brest in 1970.[2][5]
