The ship was 117feet long, with a beam of 24feet. She had a depth of 10feet. She was assessed at, . She was powered by a diesel engine, which had 8 cylinders of 11inches diameter by NaNinches stroke. The engine was built by Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG, Köln, Germany. It was rated at 94 nhp. It drove a single screw propeller.[1] It could propel the ship at 11kn.
Mars was built as yard number 116 by Schulte & Bruns, Emden, Germany. She was launched on 8 June 1937 and completed on 7 August. She was owned by the Dollart Heringfischerei AG, Emden Her port of registry was Emden. She was allocated the Code Letters DGLF,[1] and the fishing boat registration AE 91.
On 10 September 1939, Mars was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine, serving with 14 Minensuchflotille as the minesweeper M 1402. On 12 April 1942, she was reallocated to 44 Minensuchflotille and her pennant number was changed to M 4413. On 1 January 1943, she was designated as a vorpostenboot. She was allocated to 6 Vorpostenflotille as V 621 Mars. On 15 July 1944, she was attacked off La Pallice, Charente-Inférieure, France by two Allied aircraft and set afire. She was beached on Belle Île, Morbihan, where she burnt out. Mars was a total loss. V 624 Köln was severely damaged in the attack.[2]