Unknown German Air Sea Rescue Boat- S. France 1944

[PT Dockyard]

Here are two photos of a rescue craft used to surrender to US forces off Southern France September 1944:
http://sudwall.superforum.fr/La-Bataill ... u-t444.htm

I have never seen a boat of this type and it is not like the standard German ASRC. Any info?

Dave G.
The PT Dockyard

[phylo_roadking]

Dave, would it be a fair guess to say it was French? 1940 booty?

[PT Dockyard]

My guess too. I am wondering if it is a purpose built ex-French boat or something different impressed by the Germans.

[phylo_roadking]

Just maybe the answer is in the caption on the second picture "German sea rescue" - it doesn't say AIR-sea rescue....did the French have a lifeboat system like the RNLI???

[Andreas]

http://www.snsm.net/accueil.php

All the best

Andreas

[phylo_roadking]

Thanks for that, Andreas...but on the page with the "cigarette card" pics of historical lifeboats....there's a big gap between 1912 and 1950!

[PT Dockyard]

Other pages I am looking at seem to indicate that type was still around in 1940.

What about a customs/toll boat? Some of these from Italy's Guardia Finazia ( bad spelling) served in the KM in the Aegean.