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German Navy Ships : FGS Main, FGS Siegburg and FGS Pegnitz in the West India Dock – April 15th 2016
After a quiet period for visits, West India Docks welcomes three ships from the German Navy. Two coastal minesweepers FGS Siegburg, FGS Pegnitz and auxiliary support vessel FGS Main are berthed in the dock and will be moored until the 18th April.
The FGS Siegburg and FGS Pegnitz are based in Kiel, are part of the 3rd German mine-sweeping squadron, whereas the FGS Main is normally stationed in Eckernförde and is part of the 1st German submarine squadron.
The FGS Main was commissioned in 1994 as a supply ship and is known as a Type 404 Elbe class replenishment ship or tender which supports the German Navy squadrons of Fast Attack Craft, submarines and minesweepers. The ships carry fuel, fresh water, food, ammunition and other materials.
The FGS Siegburg and FGS Pegnitz are minesweepers of the German Navy’s Type 352 Ensdorf class which carry remote controlled Seehund drones which locate and destroy mines.
According to the German Embassy, the ships will moor in West India Docks between the 15th to 18th April and be open to the public from 2-4pm on the 16 April 2016.
The vessels are part of a German task group visiting London. The task group led by the commander of the 3rd German minesweeping squadron, Commander s.g. Axel Schrader, is currently on a two weeks squadron exercise, which started on 11 April. The first week of exercise focused on seamanship, as well as damage control and communications, to followed by mine countermeasure exercises.
The task group will return to their home ports on 22 April.
Regular contributor, Eric Pemberton managed to get a few photographs of the FGS Main coming into the dock.
HMS Ocean and the German Navy Ships – May 10th 2015
On the final day of 70th anniversary commemorations of the end of WW2 in Europe, a walk around the Isle of Dogs offers considerable reminders into the human costs of the conflict and how far we have moved since the war to bring former enemies together.
The Isle of Dogs and Docklands in general were prime targets in the war and suffered a considerable loss of life and injuries. The area also suffered from damage to housing and decimated the Island population with many people never returning to their homes.
Walking down to the south tip of the Island, the huge Royal Navy ship HMS Ocean was open for visitors in Greenwich and in the bright sunshine, large crowds were on deck.
Meanwhile in West India Dock, the visiting ships of the German Navy were attracting a number of people admiring the flotilla.
Looking at the ships, I wondered what people who had survived the war thought about the German Navy being in the dock, in 1945 the thought of a German navy coming up the Thames and into the dock would have been unimaginable.
But if time does not always heal wounds, the coming together of Europe has enabled various countries who were once enemies to work together for the common good.
Therefore it is important to celebrate the end of the WW2 and acknowledging the sacrifices of millions of people who enabled the following generations to enjoy the 70 years of peace since.
Many thanks to Eric Pemberton who sent the following pictures of HMS Ocean and German Ships being turned around near the O2 last week and departing.
German Navy Ships in West India Dock – May 9th 2015
The West India Docks have not had many visitors recently, however the arrival of a number of ships from the German Navy have quickly filled up the dock.
The ships FGS Hermelin, FGS Wiesel, FGS Werra, FGS Zobel, FGS Frettchen and FGS Hyane are in London this weekend to take part in VE Day celebrations.
A514 Werra was commissioned in the 1990s and is one of the Type 404 Elbe class replenishment ships of the German Navy which were built to support its squadrons of Fast Attack Craft, submarines and minesweeper/hunters.
The ships carry fuel, fresh water, food, ammunition and other material, they also have a medical station aboard.
(P6123) Hermelin,(P6125)Zobel,(P6126)Frettchen,(P6129) Wiesel and (P6130) Hyäne are Type 143A Gepard class which is a class of missile bearing fast attack craft.
Isle of Dogs Life 