Gothenburg Squadron

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name =Gothenburg Squadron

| native_name =Göteborgseskadern

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| dates =1939–1951

| country =Sweden

| countries =

| allegiance =

| branch =Swedish Navy

| type =Maritime security, mine clearance

| role =Training unit

| size =Squadron

| command_structure =

| garrison =Gothenburg

| garrison_label =

| nickname =

| patron =

| motto =

| colors =

| colors_label =

| march =

| mascot =

| anniversaries =

| equipment =

| equipment_label =

| battles =

| decorations =

| battle_honours =

| battle_honours_label =

| disbanded =

| flying_hours =

| website =

| current_commander =

| commander1 =

| commander1_label =

| commander2 =

| commander2_label =

| commander3 =

| commander3_label =

| commander4 =

| commander4_label =

| commander5 =

| commander5_label =

| commander6 =

| commander6_label =

| commander7 =

| commander7_label =

| commander8 =

| commander8_label =

| commander9 =

| commander9_label =

| notable_commanders =

| identification_symbol =

| identification_symbol_label =

| identification_symbol_2 =

| identification_symbol_2_label =

| identification_symbol_3 =

| identification_symbol_3_label =

| identification_symbol_4 =

| identification_symbol_4_label =

| identification_symbol_5 =

| identification_symbol_5_label =

}}

Gothenburg Squadron ({{langx|sv|Göteborgseskadern}}, GE) was a naval squadron of the Swedish Navy which has operated in various forms from 1939 to 1951. The unit was based at Gothenburg naval base at Nya Varvet in Gothenburg.{{harvnb|Kjellander|2007|p=35}}{{cite web |url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/amnesomrade?postid=Arkis+a87eb449-df68-11d6-81ce-00d0b73e008b&infosida=amnesomrade-militaria&flik=0&s=Balder |publisher=National Archives of Sweden |title=Göteborgsavdelningen (Göteborgseskadern), stabsexpeditionen > Se förteckning |access-date=18 May 2018 |language=Swedish}}

History

The oldest written evidence of a naval station in Gothenburg dates from 1523, when Gustav Vasa based a number of smaller ships at Old Älvsborg Fortress.{{cite web |url=http://www.gsgbg.se/Historik/amfhist/4-G%C3%B6teborgs%20eskader%20och%20%C3%B6rlogsstation%201523-1870..htm |publisher=Garnisonssällskapet Göteborg |website=www.gsgbg.se |title=Göteborgs eskader och örlogsstation 1523-1870 |access-date=9 May 2017 |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100812032329/http://www.gsgbg.se/Historik/amfhist/4-G%C3%B6teborgs%20eskader%20och%20%C3%B6rlogsstation%201523-1870..htm |archive-date=12 August 2010 |url-status=dead }} The Gothenburg Squadron was discontinued in 1959, and its war organization was partly taken over by the Third Squadron (Tredje eskadern). In the peace organization, the newly formed 6th Mine Clearance Department (6. minröjningsavdelningen, 6. mröjA), which was to be placed at the Gullmarn base in Skredsvik, took over the tasks from the Gothenburg Squadron.

World War II

During the fall of 1939, the Gothenburg Squadron consisted of the following ships:{{Harvnb|Lagvall|1991|p=19}}

Coastal defence ships: Manligheten
Destroyers: {{HSwMS|Wrangel|25|2}} and {{HSwMS|Wachtmeister|10|2}}
Submarines: Hajen, Sälen and Valrossen
Minesweepers: Starkodder and Styrbjörn
Gunboats: Skagerack
Patrol boats: 2 x type I and 6 x type II

In September, the squadron was strengthened with the Coastal Fleet's destroyers Klas Horn and Göteborg as well as two submarines.{{Harvnb|Holmquist|1972|p=198}}

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;" ! colspan=8 \| Full compilation of the Gothenburg Squadron's naval forces during World War II{{Harvnb\|Lagvall\|1991}}
Ship type	Fall of 1939	9 April 1940	Spring of 1941	Spring of 1942	29 July 1943	Spring of 1944	Spring of 1945
Coastal defence ships \| Manligheten \| Manligheten \| Manligheten \| Manligheten \| Manligheten \| Manligheten \| Manligheten
Cruisers \| \| \| \| {{HSwMS\|Fylgia	2}} \| \| \|
Destroyers \| {{HSwMS\|Wrangel\|25\|2}} {{HSwMS\|Wachtmeister\|10\|2}} \| Wrangel Wachtmeister \| Wrangel Wachtmeister {{HSwMS\|Psilander\|18\|2}} {{HSwMS\|Puke\|19\|2}} \| Wrangel Wachtmeister Psilander Puke \| Wrangel Wachtmeister Psilander Puke \| Puke Klas Horn Karlskrona Göteborg \| Klas Horn Göteborg
Auxiliary barracks ships \| \| \| \| Tjelvar \| Tjelvar \| Tjelvar \|
Depot ships \| \| \| \| \| \| \| Jacob Bagge
Salvage ships \| \| \| \| \| \| \| Isbrytaren II
Submarines \| Hajen Sälen Valrossen \| Hajen Sälen Valrossen \| Hajen Sälen Valrossen \| Springaren Delfinen Nordkaparen Ulven Gripen Draken \| Springaren Delfinen Nordkaparen Gripen Draken \| Springaren Delfinen Nordkaparen Gripen Draken U 4 U 5 U 6 \| U 7 U 8 U 9
Minesweepers \| Starkodder Styrbjörn \| Starkodder Styrbjörn \| Koster Kullen Vinga Ven Starkodder Styrbjörn \| Koster Kullen Vinga Ven Starkodder Styrbjörn \| Koster Kullen Vinga Ven Starkodder Styrbjörn \| Koster Kullen Vinga Ven Starkodder Styrbjörn \| Koster Vinga Ven Starkodder Styrbjörn
Auxiliary cruisers \| \| Hjkr 10 Fidra \| \| \| \| \|
Auxiliary gunboats \| Skagerack \| Skagerack Odin \| Skagerack Odin \| Skagerack Odin \| Skagerack Odin \| Skagerack Odin \| Skagerack Odin
M-boats \| \| \| \| \| 4x \| 6x \| 5x
Motor Torpedo Boats \| \| \| \| \| 6x \| 3x \| 4x
Patrol boats \| \| \| \| \| \| \| Thetis Astrea
Auxiliary patrol boat type I \| 2x \| 2x \| 2x \| 2x \| \| \| 2x
Auxiliary patrol boat type II \| 6x \| 12x \| 18x \| 12x \| 12x \| 12x \| 12x

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;"

! colspan=8 | Full compilation of the Gothenburg Squadron's naval forces during World War II{{Harvnb|Lagvall|1991}}

Ship type

Fall of 1939

9 April 1940

Spring of 1941

Spring of 1942

29 July 1943

Spring of 1944

Spring of 1945

Coastal defence ships

| Manligheten

Cruisers

|

| {{HSwMS|Fylgia

2}}

|

Destroyers

| {{HSwMS|Wrangel|25|2}}
{{HSwMS|Wachtmeister|10|2}}

| Wrangel
Wachtmeister

| Wrangel
Wachtmeister
{{HSwMS|Psilander|18|2}}
{{HSwMS|Puke|19|2}}

| Wrangel
Wachtmeister
Psilander
Puke

| Puke
Klas Horn
Karlskrona
Göteborg

| Klas Horn
Göteborg

Auxiliary barracks ships

|

| Tjelvar

|

Depot ships

|

| Jacob Bagge

Salvage ships

|

| Isbrytaren II

Submarines

| Hajen
Sälen
Valrossen

| Springaren
Delfinen
Nordkaparen
Ulven
Gripen
Draken

| Springaren
Delfinen
Nordkaparen
Gripen
Draken

| Springaren
Delfinen
Nordkaparen
Gripen
Draken
U 4
U 5
U 6

|
U 7
U 8
U 9

Minesweepers

| Starkodder
Styrbjörn

| Koster
Kullen
Vinga
Ven
Starkodder
Styrbjörn

| Koster
Vinga
Ven
Starkodder
Styrbjörn

Auxiliary cruisers

|

| Hjkr 10 Fidra

|

Auxiliary gunboats

| Skagerack

| Skagerack
Odin

M-boats

|

| 4x

| 6x

| 5x

Motor Torpedo Boats

|

| 6x

| 3x

| 4x

Patrol boats

|

| Thetis
Astrea

Auxiliary patrol boat type I

| 2x

|

| 2x

Auxiliary patrol boat type II

| 6x

| 12x

| 18x

| 12x

References

=Notes=

=Print=

{{cite book |last1=Kjellander |first=Rune |title=Svenska marinens högre chefer 1700-2005: chefsbiografier och befattningsöversikter samt Kungl Örlogsmannasällskapets ämbetsmän och ledamöter 1771-2005 |year=2007 |publisher=Probus |location=Stockholm |language=Swedish |isbn=978-91-87184-83-3 |id={{LIBRIS|10452099}} }}
{{cite book |last=Lagvall |first=Bertil |title=Flottans neutralitetsvakt 1939-1945: krönika |series=Marinlitteraturföreningen, 0348-2405 ; 71 |year=1991 |publisher=Marinlitteraturfören. |location=Stockholm |language=Swedish |isbn=91-85944-05-X |id={{LIBRIS|7753511}} }}
{{cite book |last=Holmquist |first=Åke |title=Flottans beredskap 1938-1940 |series=Sverige under andra världskriget, 99-0108326-5 |year=1972 |location=Stockholm |language=Swedish |isbn=91-38-00216-7 |id={{LIBRIS|7257422}} }}

Gothenburg Squadron

History

World War II

References

=Notes=

=Print=

Further reading