From documents found in the Greek Navy History Department, it is evident that MELANI (ex-TOMKO, EVANGELISTRIA, SKYROS) was originally the 1937-built STORTEBEKER.
When the vessel was seized at Volos in 1944 it still had the bell with the name STORTEBEKER written.

The actual building year of the ship is 1937, at the Ewald Berninghaus shipyard in Cologne, Germany. At first it was named "Gesine". In WW II it is taken apart, transported over land, and reassembled in Regensburg, to serve as forepost vessel in the Black Sea.