Charted as FLACHSEE, 'entire wreck' in the Marine zone.
Vessel remains:
Lies in position 51°01.26N, 001°19.89E at a depth of 22.5m in a general depth of 25m.
Sonar dimensions: 36 x 9 x 5.3m. Orientation: 15°
'Wreck lies in general depth of 27m dispersed by explosives by Salvage & Cable Limited in 1972... (nb. The wreck of
a submarine, possibly UB-55 was found close by in 1975).'
'Very, very close to UB-55 and slightly to the SE.'
'Square sided, flat topped wreck examined 8.12.85...' (1, 4.3.86)
'Intact, bows NE.'
Documentary evidence:
'Sank following a collision with SS CANUK TRADER in thick fog. CANUK TRADER kept her bow in the side of
FLACHSEE until all crew were taken off. None were injured.'
'Collision (CANUK TRADER) 51.08N, 1.18E 11.2.63 [Bremen-Cork, general].'
Entered service as a hospital ship 9.9.40, TSV-N; 19.11.40 decommissioned; into service 10.6.41 as Sperrbrecher 68;
1.8.41 Sperrbrecher 168; Scuttled 25.8.44 in St. Nazaire (47°16 N / 02°12 W); raised and repaired after the war, 1947
French Port Navalo; 1955 German Flachsee (Schuchmann); Sunk 11.2.63 near Varne Light (after collision with
Canadian M/S Canuk Trader).'
Source 6 list the vessel as 'built by Atlas Werke AG, Bremen | 1940 in service for Kriegsmarine later renamed
Sperrbrecher 68, later Sperrbrecher 168, 25 August 1944 scuttled by own crew at St. Nazaire.'
Source 7 states that as the SPERRBRECHER 168, she was part of the 4th Sperrbrecherflottille, 'used for clearing of
roads in the English channel and the outlet means of submarines between the Scheldt and Cherbourg. The flotilla was
disbanded in July 1943.'
Built: 1940
Where built: Bremen
Builder: Atlas Werke A G
LBD: 74.9 x 10.5m
Tonnage: 1335 grt ; 1248
Propulsion: 4SA 6-cylinder triple expansion engine
Speed: 9.5 knots
Ownership / registration:
1940 Ship named FLORA, and registered to Dampft-Ges 'Neptun' in Bremen;
1940, Sept - Nov, served as Hospitl ship TSV-N;
1941 vessel requisitioned by the German Navy and re-named SPERRBRECHER 168, before being re-named
SPERRBRECHER 68 later the same year (8); Source 5 suggests that she was in fact the SPERRBRECHER 68 from
June 1941, and SPERRBRECHER 168 since August of that year.
1944 She was scuttled on the 25th August.
1947 vessel registered in Nantes to the French Navy and re-named PORT NAVALO ;
1949, vessel registered in Nantes to the Union Industrielle et Maritime ;
1955 the vessel was first registered in Dakar to the Societe Navale d'Importation - Messageries du Senegal, before
being sold later that year to W Schuchmann Reederei and registered in Bremerhaven and re-named FLACHSEE.