Saarland was a German fishing trawler that was built as A. R. Giese. Renamed in 1935, she was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War for use as a Vorpostenboot. She served as V 407 Saarland and V 411 Saarland. She was sunk in the Gironde in 1944 by a boiler explosion.
The ship was 51.35m (168.47feet) long, with a beam of 8m (26feet). She had a depth of 3.74m (12.27feet) and a draught of 4.5m (14.8feet). She was assessed at, . She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine, which had cylinders of NaNinches, NaNinches and NaNorder=flipNaNorder=flip diameter by NaNorder=flipNaNorder=flip stroke. The engine was made by Deschimag Seebeckwerft, Wesermünde, Germany. It was rated at 91nhp. The engine powered a single screw propeller driven via a low pressure turbine, double reduction gearing and a hydraulic coupling.[1] It could propel the ship at 12kn.
The ship was built as yard number 520 by Deschimag Seekbeckwerft, Wesermünde for the Reederei Siebert & Co., Wesermünde. She was launched on 27 June 1934 and completed on 4 August. The fishing boat registration PG 416 was allocated. She was allocated the Code Letters DEWJ.[1] On 22 January 1935, she was renamed Saarland.
Saarland was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine on 25 September 1939 for use as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 4 Vorpostenflotille as V 407 Saarland. On 16 October she was redesignated V 411 Saarland. On 26 August 1944, she was attacked at Le Verdon-sur-Mer, Gironde, France by Bristol Beaufighter aircraft of 236 Squadron, Royal Air Force and 404 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force.[2] She suffered a boiler explosion and sank in the Gironde.